7 Minute Crash Course On Live Social Shopping

Summary

The GaryVee Audio Experience: 7 Minute Crash Course On Live Social Shopping

Episode Overview In the episode titled "7 Minute Crash Course On Live Social Shopping," released on April 13, 2025, Gary Vaynerchuk delves into the evolving landscape of social commerce. Featuring a dynamic discussion with Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin, Gary explores the rise of live social shopping platforms like Whatnot, TikTok Shop, and Instagram Live. He underscores the transformative impact these platforms are having on traditional retail, media, and consumer behavior, while highlighting strategies for brands and creators to effectively leverage this trend.

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1. Introduction to Live Social Shopping

Gary kicks off the conversation by likening live social shopping to traditional home shopping networks like QVC, but with a modern twist driven by social media algorithms.

[00:30] Gary Vaynerchuk: "It's really QVC on social, other than the way the algorithms work in social."

He emphasizes that unlike the static approach of QVC, live social shopping leverages algorithms to target audiences based on their interests, making the shopping experience more personalized and immediate.

[01:06] Gary Vaynerchuk: "The algo is going to bring it to you... the algo knows that I like T shirts or vitamins or beauty and I get it, that's going to be a big factor."

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2. Effectiveness Compared to Traditional Ads

Joe Kernen raises a critical point about the necessity of live events in an era where platforms like Instagram already offer effective advertising through flashy, product-focused videos.

[01:12] Joe Kernen: "The video makes me think, yeah, I want this. I don't know if I want somebody talking at me saying, hey, buy this product."

Gary responds by shifting the focus from selling to fostering conversations, highlighting that successful live social shopping isn't about aggressive sales pitches but about engaging interactions.

[01:29] Gary Vaynerchuk: "There are unbelievable amounts of people making over $1 million a month already on Tik Tok Live Shopping. So it's not about convincing, it's about the conversation."

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3. The Power of Influencers and Brands

The discussion moves to the substantial earnings influencers and brands are generating through live social shopping. Gary points out that prominent influencers and companies are capitalizing on this trend by integrating their products seamlessly into live sessions.

[03:12] Gary Vaynerchuk: "I have a Pokemon-like brand called Veefriends. We're doing live social shopping. I'm going to be on from 12 to 7 today on whatnot... we sold $40,000 worth of T shirts in two hours."

This example illustrates the immense potential of live social shopping, where authentic engagement can lead to significant sales without the need for traditional advertising.

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4. Disruption of Traditional Retail and Media

Andrew Ross Sorkin introduces the perspective of live social shopping as a disruptive force in the retail sector, questioning whether it poses a threat to established giants like Target and Walmart.

[03:28] Andrew Ross Sorkin: "Is there an investor play on this? Is there a way... But is this taken away from Target? Does it take it away from Wal Mart?"

Gary agrees, asserting that live social shopping could be the primary challenge to Amazon's dominance in the retail space.

[04:39] Gary Vaynerchuk: "Live social shopping is the only potential thing that Amazon should be working worrying about in their domination."

He further elaborates on how social platforms are reallocating media dollars from traditional retailers, thereby reshaping the competitive landscape.

[04:58] Gary Vaynerchuk: "Attention ultimately is the ultimate asset. These social platforms have the attention. We're going to now shop in that environment. That's going to affect media, that's going to affect retail and that's going to affect the product service."

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5. Success Stories and Strategic Insights

Gary highlights several brands that have successfully harnessed live social shopping to drive growth. He mentions Mary Ruth Organics, which has effectively sold vitamins, and Abercrombie & Fitch, which is experiencing a brand reboot through these platforms.

[05:36] Gary Vaynerchuk: "Mary Ruth Organics is a brand that's really doing well... Abercrombie and Fitch... They're getting a reboot."

He also references Chili's, where a single viral TikTok video contributed to 40% of its Q3 growth, demonstrating the profound impact that strategic social media engagement can have on a company's performance.

[06:43] Gary Vaynerchuk: "Chili's... One TikTok that went viral... represented 40% of its Q3 growth."

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6. Future Outlook and Market Implications

As the conversation wraps up, Gary anticipates that live social shopping will continue to ascend, becoming a dominant force in the retail and media industries. He predicts that major social platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Google will heavily invest in enhancing their live shopping features to capitalize on this trend.

[05:20] Gary Vaynerchuk: "There's no shot that metta, TikTok, YouTube, Google are not going to be yelling and screaming about this. It's too big. It's happened."

Gary also touches upon the political implications of social media's influence, suggesting that understanding these dynamics is crucial for investors.

[06:48] Gary Vaynerchuk: "The battleground on social will impact every single, every single stock on the market."

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Conclusion

In this episode, Gary Vaynerchuk provides a comprehensive overview of live social shopping, highlighting its ability to disrupt traditional retail and media landscapes. Through real-world examples and insightful analysis, he underscores the importance for brands, influencers, and entrepreneurs to embrace this trend. Gary's discussion serves as a wake-up call for those who may have underestimated the power of social commerce, illustrating its potential to transform how products are marketed and sold in the digital age.

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Notable Quotes

• Gary Vaynerchuk [00:30]: "It's really QVC on social, other than the way the algorithms work in social."
• Gary Vaynerchuk [01:06]: "The algo is going to bring it to you... the algo knows that I like T shirts or vitamins or beauty and I get it, that's going to be a big factor."
• Gary Vaynerchuk [01:29]: "There are unbelievable amounts of people making over $1 million a month already on Tik Tok Live Shopping. So it's not about convincing, it's about the conversation."
• Gary Vaynerchuk [04:39]: "Live social shopping is the only potential thing that Amazon should be working worrying about in their domination."
• Gary Vaynerchuk [05:36]: "Mary Ruth Organics is a brand that's really doing well... Abercrombie and Fitch... They're getting a reboot."
• Gary Vaynerchuk [06:48]: "The battleground on social will impact every single, every single stock on the market."

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This episode serves as an essential guide for anyone looking to understand the burgeoning field of live social shopping. Gary Vaynerchuk expertly navigates the complexities of this trend, offering valuable insights for businesses and creators aiming to thrive in the evolving digital marketplace.

Transcript

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Hey, everybody, welcome back to another bonus episode of the GaryVee audio experience. Today we're sharing a moment from when Gary was on Squawkbox recently where he dives into live social shopping. If you've been sleeping on platforms like whatnot, TikTok shop or even Instagram Live as sales channels, this is your wake up call. Gary breaks down how social commerce is evolving, why it's dominating overseas, and what brands and creators need to do now to catch up. I hope you all enjoy this one.

[Joe Kernen]

So what's a live event? Is this different than QVC shopping?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Not really. Yeah, I mean, it's really, you know, when this is the year, I mean, next year this is gonna be a huge topic for everybody who watches this program and you'll be talking about this. It really is QVC on social, other than the way the algorithms work in social. Now, when a person or a company goes live, they're going to find audiences. The algo is going to bring it to you. So obviously QVC home shopping network in 80s, the consumer had a click and go there. The fact that I'm going to be in my feed and then boom, there's a live shopping event and boom, the algo knows that I like T shirts or vitamins or beauty and I get it, that's going to be a big factor.

[Joe Kernen]

Can I just say, like, you're going to have to sell me on the live events because I already buy a lot of stuff on Instagram.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes.

[Joe Kernen]

Where it's a pretty effective ad, it's flashy, it shows me how it works.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes.

[Joe Kernen]

The video makes me think, yeah, I want this. I don't know if I want somebody talking at me saying, hey, buy this product. You've got this much time to do, you know, sell me on this. Why do I need something more than what's already selling me on Instagram?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Well, I don't really want to sell you. It's been sold. Meaning there are unbelievable amounts of people making over $1 million a month already on Tik Tok Live Shopping. So it's not about, you know, convincing, it's about the conversation.

[Becky Quick]

Those are people, those are vendors. Those are essentially companies selling.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

No, they're influencer.

[Becky Quick]

Influencers are making $1 million a month.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes and yes. Right. So they have a product. Yes, as well to that.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

And hawking a product.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes to that as well. This is, look, this is going to be massive again, this is such a global platform. This has been going on for a decade in China.

[Joe Kernen]

I've literally been, I've Watched the stuff in China.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Right. I've literally been waiting for 10 years for this. Like there's videos of me in 2015 saying this is coming.

[Joe Kernen]

It seems a little hokier than some of the flashy ads I already get that are.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I think you'll appreciate this some print. Let's talk about it. Historically what you're talking about is a print ad. In essence it just happens to be in no video. Great.

[Joe Kernen]

It usually shows me something about the product that's video.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

So that's a commercial. If it's an image that's print. And all this is is qvc. It works. I can speak for myself. I have a Pokemon like brand called Veefriends. We're doing live social shopping. I'm doing seven hours ironically today about it.

[Becky Quick]

You're going to be on for seven hours.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I'm going to be on from 12 to 7 today on whatnot, which is one of the platforms that's emerging. And three Mondays ago we sold $40,000 worth of T shirts in two hours.

[Joe Kernen]

Wow.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

That if I and we're good at this, did my best social non live shopping advertising we would have sold $3,000.

[Joe Kernen]

Okay. I'm. I'm convinced by numbers like that. We just did a shot from the mall. Ramos.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I saw not a whole lot of people There is this one 730 in the morning. Honestly I was back there was a solid amount of people.

[Joe Kernen]

But we used to do like I've been for a long time. It used to be the openings at 6am target.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

Is there an investor play on this? Is there a way and this is changing retail. But is this taken away from Target? Does it take it away from Wal Mart?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

I'm glad you brought this up. The reason I'm so excited to be here is every retail, every cpg, this is, this is going to be over the next decade a consumer packaged good. So if you're Proctor, if you're PepsiCo, I mean this is going to be a major deal because don't forget we have major channel conflict wars between the packaged good companies and the retailers. And the Amazons and the Walmarts are taking media dollars now away from social. The overall impact to consumable products and to retail of this dynamic in social shopping. And now the social Networks taking an 8% rake on every transaction. Six in some cases, but 8% and then a 3% process fee. But again this is going to hit Main Street. If you're a normal store in a small town in Jersey or California on Wednesday at 3pm There is nothing going on to your point? The retail traffic is changing. The fact that you can turn your little boutique into a studio now and.

[Joe Kernen]

Go live shop entrepreneurials, entrepreneurs can do this too. If you're a small business owner you can get right out there.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Ten years ago I used to go on this program and others and talk about influencers going to make money and I got a little. Huh. And now it's a multibillion dollar shopping retailers.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

Does it undermine.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yeah. This. I would argue that live social shopping is the only potential thing that Amazon should be working worrying about in their domination. That's how big this could be.

[Joe Kernen]

That's really amazing. And I guess the who this is disrupting is traditional media who might have been pitching you these ads before.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes. But it's also going to disrupt retail like this. This is another. Don't forget attention ultimately is the ultimate asset. These social platforms have the attention. We're going to now shop in that environment. That's going to affect media, that's going to affect retail and that's going to affect the product service.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

Social media companies make money on this.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes. Again they make good for Twitter and.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

Good for maybe some of these other.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

There's no shot in 2025. I can't wait to come back in six to 12 months when this happens. There's no shot that metta, tick tock, YouTube, Google are not going to be yelling and screaming about this. X will have this. This is too big. It's happened.

[Joe Kernen]

Who is the best at it so far?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

TikTok. And it's not.

[Becky Quick]

Tell us the name of an influencer or two that that you think have made a ton of money from this or leading this.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

You know it's funny.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

And what do they do to be so in front?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

So what I'm paying attention to more is the brand. So Mary Ruth Organics is a brand that's really doing well. They're selling their vitamins. It's kind of a modern vitamin company. You saw it was funny. I was talking to Mona and Dust in the back. You showed the top three things that were selling right T shirts, vitamins and beauty. And I looked at them and said all three categories that are crushing right now on live social Shopping. Abercrombie and Fitch. I don't know if you're paying attention that they're getting a reboot. And then there's also. I think you guys covered this. I don't know if specifically you but Chili's, the restaurant company. There was one TikTok. This is not live social shopping. This is just social. One TikTok that went viral, that represented 40% of its Q3 growth. One tick tock that went viral. It was a triple cheese quesadilla. It wasn't even a limited time offer. Again, Mango gummies. Private label Mango gummies from Walgreens. The Ocean Spray thing, that was well covered.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

I have to go, but I have to make a point. Please. Is that one of the, what do you call, postmortems on the election?

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

Yes.

[Andrew Ross Sorkin]

Was that the Trump administration understood Tick Tock in the way that Biden, the Trump campaign in a way that Biden didn't. And I think what you're talking about now is investors need to understand it.

[Gary Vaynerchuk]

The battleground on social will impact every single, every single stock on the market.