Also called in-app shopping
Social commerce is buying that happens inside a social platform, rather than on a website the platform links out to.
Removing the jump to an external site removes the largest single drop-off in social selling. Fewer steps means more completed purchases, and the platform handles payment, which reassures buyers who would hesitate on an unfamiliar checkout.
The cost is ownership. The platform takes a commission, sets the rules, and keeps the customer relationship — you often do not receive the buyer's email address, which means no repeat marketing and no portability if the platform changes terms.
The workable position for most creators is both: social commerce for impulse-priced items, an owned page for anything where the customer relationship matters more than the last few percent of conversion.
In practice
A €15 impulse item suits in-app checkout; a €200 course belongs on a page where you keep the buyer's email and can serve them again.
Common mistake
Moving the whole catalogue in-app. The conversion gain is real and it is paid for with the customer list.
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