TikTok And Whatnot Push Live Shopping Into The U.S. Mainstream

According to CNBC, live shopping is gaining traction in the U.S. as TikTok and Whatnot expand the format, with Whatnot recently reaching a $20 billion valuation. Beachwaver CEO Sarah Potempa said the company generated about $8,000 in sales during the first four hours of a TikTok livestream in late July, and about a quarter of its $1 million in TikTok Shop sales so far in 2026 came from livestreams. TikTok Shop said live shopping sales more than doubled in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, while the number of live shopping sessions rose more than 60% and total live hours increased more than 80%. Whatnot said it reported $8 billion in global sales for 2025, with a majority coming from the U.S., and TikTok Shop president of strategic initiatives Patrick Nommensen said QVC has become a successful merchant on the platform.