INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Social Commerce
Step into social commerce—where shopping meets social media for a fun, interactive buying experience.
A duet of social media and e-commerce ignites a promising future for the social commerce industry. Influencer marketing, AI-powered recommendations, and livestream shopping propel market growth. As a result, users obtain engaging, personalized, and seamless shopping experiences. And the investor interest rises, contributing to expanding opportunities for startups.
Waveup team aims to discover these opportunities and help social commerce startups transform their projects into viable and profitable ventures. Our expertise lies in building actionable growth blueprints, designing persuasive social commerce pitch decks, and searching for the best M&A options. And of course, we provide end-to-end fundraising support.
Dig deeper into the industry via our social commerce market research.
7x
The social commerce industry is projected to grow sevenfold by 2030.
5.2%
Social commerce is expected to double its share of total e-commerce sales.
96%
Of global Internet users use social media platforms.
Every 2nd
Customer prefers social commerce with small businesses over online stores.
2 hours
Of a TikTok live sale brings more money than a store does in a week.
VENTURE LANDSCAPE
Social commerce startups raised $8B in capital in 2021 across 109 deals
With major deals covering:
- Live commerce
- Omnichannel platforms
- Logistics platform
WAVEUP VIEW
The challenges of social commerce startups
Investor interest and the huge social commerce market potential come with specific risks.
Competing in a crowded market
Startups in social commerce face intense competition. Standing out in the market brimming with constantly emerging startups, confident established players, and a variety of services/products is no cakewalk. It requires building a strong brand, catching up with the industry trends, and fostering customer loyalty.
Building an investment narrative
A well-crafted social commerce pitch deck can be a game-changer for securing funds in a dynamic industry. That’s why startups must know all the ropes of creating a compelling presentation. It needs to emphasize community engagement, efficient unit economics, and a strong value proposition.
Driving growth
Deciding when and how to scale can be complex for social commerce startups. Tech innovations are developing by leaps and bounds. Consumer preferences are shifting almost daily. Plus, the number of competitors is growing. All this makes it hard for startups to pinpoint the right moment and method for expansion.
How we can help
Fundraising advisory
From diligent business analysis to storytelling and financial forecasts, we’re helping founders crystallize and structure key business fundamentals and translate them into compelling investment opportunities.
Due diligence and portfolio support
Evaluating potential investments, conducting thorough due diligence, and supporting portfolio companies on their new fundraising rounds.
Growth hacking
Discovering social commerce market opportunities and developing execution strategies to build actionable and scalable blueprints for growth.
WHO WE ARE
Unlocking your next stage of growth
We turn data into business insights that drive results, helping companies excel in the competitive B2C and B2B spaces across 50+ verticals, discovering and catalizing opportunities for growth.
Our social commerce investment consulting services
Market intelligence
Fundraising support
Pitch decks
Financial models
Investor research
Growth consulting
Go-to-market strategies
Marketing/sales materials
Design support
FAQs
How attractive is the industry to potential social commerce investors?
The social commerce industry is very appealing to potential VCs. It’s due to its market potential, the ability to disrupt the traditional retail industry, and a vast number of innovative solutions.
If you are a social commerce startup, how easy is it to raise funding today?
Raising funding for a social commerce startup is rather easy. Yet, it comes with some challenges, like intense competition and a high capital requirement.
How long does it take to create a pitch deck and financial model for a social commerce startup?
It usually takes us two or three weeks to create a robust social commerce financial model and comprehensive pitch deck. However, there are cases when we need up to a month to finish everything. So, it’s better to negotiate the time frames individually.
What are the key mistakes social commerce startups make in their pitch decks?
Poor investment narration is the most common mistake of the social commerce pitch decks. Plus, an absence of a clear vision and go-to-market strategy. Some presentations don’t show traction, and some lack information about the competitors. All this may deter potential investors from your project.
How competitive is the social commerce market?
The social commerce market is highly competitive. It’s due to the rapid entry of new ventures into the market and engagement of established e-commerce and social media platforms, all fighting for market share.
What services do you provide for investors looking to invest or already investing in social commerce?
Our investor relations pack includes conducting comprehensive due diligence on the social commerce projects, valuing if the investment is worth this opportunity, ensuring full-spectrum fundraising guidance for the partner fund’s portfolio ventures, etc.
Do you provide social commerce M&A support?
Yes, sure! We offer assistance in achieving your M&A objectives within the social commerce sector or beyond. Our services span initial deal sourcing, valuations, conducting due diligence, and facilitating post-deal cooperation, ensuring a seamless and successful M&A process.
Do you make intros to social commerce VCs?
Yes, we can help you contact social commerce VCs if your project meets the requirements, such as round size, team, product, etc. This service is a part of our comprehensive investor relations package, which includes creating a pipeline of investors interested in social commerce, preparing founders for the intro meetings with them, fostering post-deal communication, etc.
Do you have available data or research to purchase on the social commerce market?
Certainly! Our experts offer tailored insights into the social commerce scene, encompassing sector overviews, competitor breakdowns, and thorough market studies. We leverage trusted exclusive databases to ensure you fully understand the nuances of the social commerce sector, touching on aspects like its scale, variety, and competition.
Which growth stage of companies have you worked with in the past?
We assist in guiding social commerce projects through the Seed to Series B growth stages. This main focus, however, doesn’t limit our services. We also help companies in pre-seed and Series C+ stages and cooperate with well-established industry players and investment funds.
Whether you're looking for fundraising support, outsourced M&A advisory, growth strategy consulting, and presentation design, Waveup is your one-stop shop for that and more. Leave your email, and let's discuss your project!