THE FUTURE IS LIVE: HOW WHATNOT IS CHANGING THE WAY WE SHOP

WORDS EMILIE LOUIZIDES

Formerly the domain of late-night cable TV and impulse phone orders, live shopping has undergone a radical glow-up, and it’s now shaping the future of fashion commerce. At the centre of this transformation Is Whatnot, the largest livestream shopping platform across North America, Europe, and the UK. With its dynamic, creator-first ecosystem, Whatnot is redefining what it means to shop, sell, and connect in real time.

According to McKinsey, live selling could account for 20% of all global online sales by 2026. That’s not a trend—it’s a clear shift that Whatnot’s recent 2025 European Market Report proves is already well underway. In Europe alone, Whatnot has seen a staggering 600% year-on-year increase in sellers joining the platform. These aren’t hobbyists dipping a toe in, they’re entrepreneurs, stylists, vintage curators, sneaker-heads, and fashion visionaries building full-scale businesses through live-streaming. In fact, over half of European sellers now make the majority of their revenue through live sales, and that number jumps to 70% in the UK. Live selling works by blending entertainment, scarcity, and community into a powerful formula: think fashion drops with a front row seat, hosted by creators you trust. It's personal, it's fast, and it's addictive.

A Whatnot spokesperson shares that, “live shopping has become more than a sales channel, it’s an ecosystem. People are building teams, hiring stylists, lighting techs, moderators—over 52% of live-selling business owners in Europe now dedicate teams of six or more people to run their operations. It’s fuelling creativity and job growth across the continent.” Shoppers are more than onboard with 37% of European consumers saying they’re shopping through livestreams more frequently this year, with over 20,000 hours of live shopping watched every single week on Whatnot. The immediacy of it is part of the magic. Live selling taps into the thrill of the drop, the buzz of the crowd, and the intimacy of a face-to-face conversation, all from your phone.

There’s also a growing cross-border fashion economy thriving on the platform. Sales between the UK, France, and Germany have seen a 40% month-on-month growth, making it easier than ever for style lovers to access pieces they can’t find locally, from vintage Dior to rare Jordans to Y2K deadstock.

Thinking about the future of fashion retail, traditional e-commerce may need to catch up. Live selling brings back the human element that fashion has always thrived on: storytelling, energy, interaction. Whether you're a buyer, seller, or somewhere in between, the message is clear: shopping isn’t just going digital—it’s going live. And platforms like Whatnot are leading the revolution, one stream at a time.