Which platforms offer live shopping?

The main ones in 2026 are TikTok Shop, Whatnot, eBay Live, Douyin and Taobao Live in China, and branded shoppable players on retailers' own websites.

Social and marketplace platforms

• TikTok Shop combines short videos and live streams with an in-app store.
• Whatnot focuses on live auctions and sales of collectibles, trading cards and fashion.
• eBay Live brings live selling to an established marketplace.
• Douyin and Taobao Live dominate in China, where the format first grew at scale.

On these platforms, the platform runs the checkout, collects the payment and pays sellers out after deducting its commission.

Retailers' own live events

Many brands host live sessions on their website or app using shoppable video software. The retailer keeps the customer relationship and the data, and the payment runs through its own checkout and payment provider.

How sellers choose

Marketplaces bring audiences but take a commission and control the customer data. Owned live events require building an audience but keep margin and data in house. Many sellers combine both.

What it means for payment operators

If your merchants run live events on their own sites, they need a checkout that loads fast on mobile, supports wallets and stored cards, and can be embedded next to the video. Smart checkout and omnichannel coverage let them sell live without a separate payment setup.