ATLANTA — Social media influencers are having a growing impact on holiday shopping, with consumers increasingly turning away from celebrities and toward smaller, non-celebrity accounts for gift ideas, trends and savings.
Emory University business professor Reshma Shah says economic pressures are shaping how people shop this holiday season.
“People are thinking about how can I give creative gifts, experiences, things that maybe don’t cost so much money,” Shah said.
Shah said influencers can quickly turn an unknown product into a popular trend through word of mouth or viral videos. She noted that many shoppers are using social media to find affordable products that still offer good value amid inflation and tariffs.
As consumers build their holiday wish lists, Shah said many are drawn to new, collectible and readily available items when browsing social media.
“The shiny new dime is where people are going,” she said.
While social media plays a major role in influencing purchases, Shah said many shoppers still prefer buying items in person rather than directly through social commerce platforms.
“We don’t have a TikTok store, we don’t really have an Amazon marketplace, but people can go to Walmart, they can go to Target, so retail media networks — they’re not working as much, the TikTok social commerce,” Shah said.
TikTok Shop has said it was the fastest-growing online retailer last year, but Shah expects growing skepticism toward influencers in the years ahead as consumers question authenticity and paid promotions.
“They’re so prolific, I think people are still having questions about if this is real, are they getting paid,” Shah said. “There are some influencers who are now saying we used to sponsor products, and we don’t anymore because the product doesn’t work.”
Shah said smaller influencer accounts are having a much bigger impact on Gen Z and younger millennials than on other generations, particularly as shoppers look for creative gifts and experiences they can’t find elsewhere.
“Get me something that I’ve never had before or give something to someone that they can’t get at any other time,” she said.
Holiday shoppers are expected to continue turning to social media influencers for gift ideas this season, even as questions around trust and transparency grow.
WSB Radio’s Cheryl Castro contributed to this story.