GenZ and Social Commerce: Where is Europe's Next Generation Shopping

Understanding how Generation Z shops is becoming one of the major challenges for e-commerce businesses across Europe. The touchpoints between brands and consumers are changing fast, moving away from traditional online stores toward social platforms, live shopping and emerging marketplaces that most retailers have barely begun to explore.

New research conducted by Fabrity Commerce maps where Gen Z discovers products across Europe and globally, how purchasing decisions form, and which sales channels will define the next few years of e-commerce. This report breaks down the key trends and delivers actionable guidance for retailers who want to reach this generation before their competitors do.

Why Gen Z Is Changing the Rules of E-commerce

Gen Z's purchasing power is growing faster than any previous generation. According to McKinsey, by 2035 Generation Z will add 8.9 trillion dollars to the global economy. More than half have already made a purchase directly through social media, and only 14% shop exclusively online. The brands that understand these behaviours today are the ones that will be selling effectively tomorrow.

Research Overview

The study was conducted in May 2026 using desk research methodology, drawing exclusively on secondary data. Sources consisted of reports from Statista, McKinsey, eMarketer and Gemius, official platform documentation, and materials from product information management and feed distribution tool providers.

The research covered five areas:

• New social commerce platforms
• Gen Z shopping behaviour across Europe and globally
• The live commerce market
• Alternative marketplaces
• The technology integration ecosystem

How Gen Z Shops: The Global and European Picture

Generation Z is genuinely multichannel, and that does not mean buying everywhere at once. It means the purchasing decision forms in one place and is completed somewhere else entirely. Multiple patterns appear consistently across European markets.

Social media as the primary discovery channel (>50%)

More than half of Gen Z has completed a purchase directly through social media. More importantly, this is where the customer journey begins. Search engines and store homepages have become secondary touchpoints, not the starting points.

A hybrid path to purchase (48%)

Nearly half of Gen Z regularly combines online shopping with visits to physical stores. The assumption that this generation shops only through screens is outdated. They want flexibility and control over the entire purchasing journey.

Artificial intelligence as a shopping companion (75%)

About 75% of Gen Z want to use AI tools during their shopping process. The expectation is personalisation that genuinely serves the buyer, not technology set simply to increase basket size.

Social media as a customer service channel (40%+)

Contact forms and email ticketing systems feel outdated to Gen Z. They expect brands to respond where the conversation is already happening, in comments, direct messages and platform chats.

The Platform Landscape Across Europe

The platforms through which Gen Z discovers and buys products are changing faster than most retailers can track. An analysis of the key players reveals significant differences in maturity and market availability across Europe.

TikTok Shop is the platform with the greatest momentum globally. Sales are expected to exceed 20 billion dollars in 2026, and the platform already accounts for almost 20% of global social commerce. Having established itself in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland, TikTok Shop continues its European expansion into Poland in June 2026.

63% of Gen Z report pulling back from purchases made directly on TikTok Shop, yet 62% still use the platform to discover new products and brands. This makes TikTok a critical discovery engine regardless of where the final transaction takes place.

Pinterest performs consistently well across European markets in jewellery, home interiors and fashion categories. YouTube Shopping converts effectively in technology, beauty and fitness segments where longer-form content supports purchasing decisions. Instagram Shopping remains unavailable in its full form across several European markets despite its strong inspirational role.

Live Commerce in Europe: Growing but Uneven

Globally, live shopping is projected to exceed one trillion dollars in 2026. Asia dominates, with China alone generating around 350 billion dollars. Europe sits at a penetration rate of 3 to 10 percent, with the United Kingdom leading the continent.

35% of European consumers have made at least one purchase through a live shopping format, yet the channel is still treated by most brands as a content tool rather than a dedicated sales driver.

Categories with the biggest potential are:

• Cosmetics
• Fashion
• Home accessories

Leading platforms include TikTok Live Shopping, Instagram Live and Facebook Live.

Alternative Marketplaces: Expanding Beyond the Obvious

No single new platform is emerging to dominate European e-commerce. Instead, a mix of niche and category-specific marketplaces is creating new opportunities.

• Kaufland Marketplace – cross-border access via a single registration
• Zalando Partner Programme and Miinto – strong for fashion
• Reverb – music and audio equipment
• Catawiki – collectibles and design
• StockX – footwear and limited edition items

Technology Architecture: The Infrastructure Behind Multichannel Selling

No single product catalogue management system connects natively to all platforms. A three-layer model, where product data flows through a middleware layer to individual sales channels, is the only scalable architecture in Europe today.

Without this layer, managing multiple channels leads to errors and inefficiencies as complexity grows.

• Channable – strong Adobe Commerce integration
• ChannelEngine – 1,300+ supported platforms
• Productsup – high-volume product performance

Recommendations for European Retailers

• Act early on TikTok Shop to gain first-mover advantage
• Shift the role of online stores from discovery to conversion
• Diversify distribution channels beyond major marketplaces
• Implement middleware before scaling operations

The Key Takeaway

Retailers who adapt their channels, content and technology infrastructure to Generation Z's behaviours now will not need to chase this audience later. They will already be present when buying decisions are made.

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