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Horizon Media Study Finds That Social Shopping is Quickly Replacing Ecommerce

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Millennials and Gen X Growing Group Who Scroll to Shop; Live and Virtual Shopping Driving More Brand Purchases

NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As Gen Z and Millennials increasingly research and purchase products through social media as well through live and virtual shopping, gaming, and automated reality platforms, social shopping is set to outpace e-commerce, putting pressure on brands that face a collapsing consumer purchasing journey. How consumers are behaving and the implications for brands, social media platforms, and retail media outlets are the subject of The Rise of Social Shopping, released by Horizon Media today.

The findings from the WHY Group, Horizon Media’s intelligence center of excellence, and Night Market, Horizon’s commerce affiliate, demonstrate that social shopping is quickly replacing ecommerce. The results show that one in four people today are scrolling to shop.  Among social shoppers, 80% say they make a purchase twice a month and 73% expect to purchase at least once a month in the upcoming year, with Millennials most likely to be frequent shoppers. Those not currently shopping on social are open and ready: 75% of Gen Z, 76% of Millennials and 61% of Gen X feel comfortable purchasing on social media. Marketers need to tap into these platforms to connect with customers where they are to drive additional revenue.

Beyond the Gen Z adopters, Millennials and Gen X are also quickly shifting online buying habits to social platforms including TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram. In addition to live shopping, gaming platforms such as Twitch and Roblox now connect brands to buyers.

More than half of products purchased through these platforms are brand name and purchases span categories – more than 40% include Apparel, Beauty, Electronics, and Personal Care. Impulse buys are big, including trending and seasonal products.

The market opportunity is large:  Social commerce revenue is projected to reach $6.2 trillion globally by 2030 (Statista). Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Tik Tok have already integrated shopping into their user experience and more brands are jumping in to generate revenue.  More than 72% of social shoppers say they could replace at least some of their online shopping with social shopping.

However, the biggest hurdle to more widespread acceptance is scammers and the trustworthiness of online shopping. Brand verification is key and a large opportunity to generate sales. Marketers need to invest and promote safety in their brands.  Once this happens, they will capture more market share.

“We are witnessing one of the most radical shifts in behavior we’ve seen since the adoption of ecommerce,” said George Musli, Chief Business Officer, Night Market. “Social shopping promises a dynamic, personalized experience that can shorten the marketing funnel and blur the boundaries between online and offline retail.  Marketers need to capitalize on the platforms poised for growth. Today gaming experiences are already making an impact, especially among Millennials. Brands that jump in will be in a prime position to grow when uptake expands.”

The Rise of Social Shopping report includes the following key findings:

Social Shopping in Tik Tok, and Beyond

Despite reports that the introduction of Tik Tok Shop would spell the app’s demise, people disagree

Just 12% of social shoppers agree that social shopping on places like Tik Tok is making social media less fun, a figure matched by 13% of non-social shoppers

Beyond Tik Tok, there is significant opportunity across Meta properties and YouTube, especially with older cohorts

Facebook is not only one of the most used platforms but also the most trusted for social and non-social shoppers alike

Marketers can take advantage of introducing new products and promotions by targeting the more than 4 in 10 non-social shoppers that already see social media as a place to gather inspiration or research

Live streaming and virtual shopping are new commerce channels

Live shopping and virtual shopping are gaining traction, adding new dimensions to the experience

This shift in shopping behavior goes beyond Gen Z, with Millennials and even Gen X embracing new ways to purchase through social media, gaming experiences, AR, and VR

Among social shoppers 58% of Millennials have purchase form a livestream and would again, 56% of Gen X are open to trying. This extends to virtual shopping with 48% of Millennials planning to do this again, and 40% of Gen X open. These new avenues can bring incremental sales for marketers promoting their brands in new ways

Social Shopping Excels with Relational Buyers

Shoppers see social commerce as a way to support small businesses, foster community, and promote social good, while social shoppers further associate it with endorsements and personalized recommendations

Social shopping excels in creating connections in a way that traditional online shopping does not

Users are looking for inspiration (55% of the population, 60% of Gen Z). Marketers can help them discover a brand or product they didn’t even know they needed

Timing is Key for Purchases

Impulse buys are big including trending and seasonal products

Brands can encourage immediate buying with reminders to purchase and exclusive offers

Influencer partnerships, trending hashtags and seasonal products can also be instrumental in generating hype for products and services

Marketers can evaluate the content users are browsing and what products they are considering to purchase, and serve an ad that leads to a verified brand page (and contains some other enticements like free shipping) to drive sales

“Social shopping is now officially a part of the online ecosystem, tapping into community in a way that online does not,” Pam Wake, VP, Why Group. “Social offers a rich environment for brands to foster connections, build loyalty and consequently create unique shopping experiences that blur the boundaries between commerce and community.  Marketers can tap into existing fandoms, subcultures and niche communities that are drawn together by shared values, norms, behaviors and identity makers.”

For more findings, as well as recommendations for how brands can translate these insights into action and engagement, access the full report at The Rise of Social Shopping.

Methodology:

We surveyed 1,008 adults 18-59 who use social media and shop online, including n=499 that are current social shoppers (purchasing via social commerce avenues including social media, gaming or AR/VR) and n=509 who are not.

The sample was balanced to the US general population by age, gender, region and income. Surveys were fielded between 4/30/2024 and 5/7/2024.

About Night Market

Night Market, which is part of Horizon, is a multi-service retail and commerce agency that helps clients maximize business performance, growth, and outcomes. We offer a comprehensive range of retail and commerce solutions designed to help ignite and accelerate growth across marketplaces, retail, DTC, and omnichannel.  From media to creative, customer experience (CX), and digital transformation (DX), we combine the right mix of human and technical capabilities to design and deliver experiences across owned, leased, contextual, and experiential platforms that influence consumer perceptions and behavior and drive transactions. Founded in 2020 with a focus on being a business partner and a business driver as much, if not more, than an agency.

About Horizon Media

Horizon Media, the largest U.S. media agency delivers data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands. Founded in 1989, headquartered in New York, and with offices in Los Angeles and Toronto, the company employs 2,400 people and has media investments of more than $8.5 billion.  Horizon Media’s fundamental belief is that business is personal, which drives its approach to connecting brands with their customers and engaging with its own employees resulting in industry-leading workplace satisfaction levels (Glassdoor).  The company is consistently recognized by independent media outlets for its client excellence and has earned several “Best Workplaces” awards reflecting its commitment to DEI and the life and well-being of everyone at Horizon Media.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/horizon-media-study-finds-that-social-shopping-is-quickly-replacing-ecommerce-302257014.html

SOURCE Horizon Media

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Truemed and Highmark Benefits Administration Partner to Expand Access to Root‑Cause Healthcare and Enable Employers to Reach Benefits Goals

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AUSTIN, Texas, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Truemed, the leading platform enabling qualified health purchases with HSA and FSA dollars, today announced a strategic partnership with Highmark Benefits Administration, a trusted provider of comprehensive, compliance‑driven solutions committed to providing A+ benefits administration services to clients nationwide.

The partnership aligns two organizations focused on delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions that help clients achieve business goals while empowering employees to use their benefits confidently and proactively. By integrating Truemed’s medically-necessary qualification process with Highmark’s service‑driven administrative infrastructure, employers can offer a broader range of eligible health interventions while maintaining clarity, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Through this collaboration, eligible Highmark participants can use pre‑tax HSA and FSA funds on evidence‑based, root‑cause health solutions— including fitness and movement programs, nutrition and supplement options, stress‑management tools, and other medically‑necessary interventions designed to help employees proactively improve their health.

“At Highmark Benefits Administration, we understand that managing employee benefits and plan compliance can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Dan Bearden, Founder and Director of Highmark. “Partnering with Truemed expands what’s possible with HSA and FSA dollars while maintaining the clarity and compliance confidence our clients rely on. We’re excited to help participants access more meaningful health solutions.”

“Highmark has built a reputation for exceptional service and operational excellence,” said Justin Mares, CEO of Truemed. “This partnership builds on that foundation by giving eligible participants access to root‑cause health interventions that have been shown to improve health outcomes and chronic condition management. Together, we’re helping employers offer benefits that are simple, compliant, and truly impactful.”

Learn more at: truemed.com/a/highmark

Truemed is for qualified customers. See terms at truemed.com/disclosures.

About Truemed

Truemed partners with consumer health brands and benefits administrators to enable HSA and FSA payments for root‑cause healthcare expenses. Through licensed practitioner review and IRS‑aligned documentation, Truemed helps qualified individuals invest in medically necessary products and services using pre‑tax dollars. Learn more at truemed.com.

About Highmark Benefits Administration

Highmark Benefits Administration provides comprehensive, cost‑effective benefits administration services designed to simplify complexity and support employer goals. With expertise in enrollment and eligibility management, COBRA administration, FSA/HSA/HRA programs, compliance reporting, carrier billing, and employee communication, Highmark delivers exceptional service backed by modern technology solutions. Learn more at highmarkbenadmin.com.

Media Contact:
Tom Dahl
tom@truemed.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/truemed-and-highmark-benefits-administration-partner-to-expand-access-to-rootcause-healthcare-and-enable-employers-to-reach-benefits-goals-302760163.html

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DistrictWON’s uReport Partners with KOIN to Usher Back Local Sports Coverage to Every Community

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PORTLAND, Ore., May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — KOIN 6 is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with uReport, bringing comprehensive, community-driven sports coverage to every high school across the entire metro Portland and southwestern Washington markets.

Through this initiative, KOIN is offering uReport, a human-powered, AI-assisted platform widely endorsed across high schools and colleges nationwide, fully-funded to all high schools in the region. uReport is ISTE EdTech Index Approved and listed in the ISTE Learning Technology Directory, a vetted resource used by educators to identify high-quality digital learning tools.

This partnership empowers schools, students, and communities to create and share stories, highlights, and updates across all sports, while amplifying that content across KOIN.com. uReport is already endorsed by leading organizations including the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association, College Sports Communicators and other groups representing over 17,000 high schools and colleges.

“Local sports coverage has historically reached the biggest schools and the biggest games. uReport flips that. Every school in our market — from the 6A powerhouse to the 1A program with 80 kids — now has a dedicated platform on KOIN.com,” said Tom Keeler, Vice President & General Manager of KOIN.

Key benefits for each school & community include:

A dedicated content platform for every school.The ability to cover every game, every sport at every level and include unlimited pictures and videos.Every school will also be featured on KOIN.com, allowing all schools to consistently make the news!Schools also distribute content onto their own social channels, creating an amazing content library Real-world training for student journalism and responsible use of AI in storytellingA free fan-powered mobile app for real-time contributions from the communityFull customer support for the platform, all year. 

Check out a quick explainer video here: KOIN – Supercharging Your Coverage

KOIN will host three short webinars for Portland market school administrators to learn more. Any administrator is encouraged to participate (administrator, teacher, coach or other, click below to attend):
Tuesday 5/5: 9am PT
Wednesday 5/6: 8am PT
Thursday 5/7: 12pm PT
Schools can self-start and sign-up right now to cover spring events and continue to have access for the entire 2026–27 academic year. Self-start sign-up is easy here: www.ureport.com/koin

For more information, contact uReport Director of Customer Success, Dan McGrath: 216-647-3857; dmcgrath@districtwon.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/districtwons-ureport-partners-with-koin-to-usher-back-local-sports-coverage-to-every-community-302760179.html

SOURCE DistrictWON

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Fuutura Outlines Architecture Built for the Cross-Border Stablecoin Corridors the IMF Now Tracks

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As the IMF’s April 2026 Global Financial Stability Report calls for enhanced regulatory oversight of cross-border stablecoin flows to emerging markets, Fuutura’s compliance-first architecture across identity, payments, and trading is built to support exactly this kind of regulatory oversight

PANAMA CITY, Panama, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fuutura, a blockchain infrastructure company building a compliance-first financial ecosystem for the global market, today set out its position on rising cross-border stablecoin flows to emerging markets, following the IMF’s call for enhanced regulatory oversight in its April 2026 Global Financial Stability Report.

 

 

The IMF’s findings reflect a structural shift in how money moves across emerging economies. Cross-border flows of the two largest dollar-pegged stablecoins, Tether and USD Coin, rose from approximately $12 billion in early 2020 to $316 billion by early 2025, outpacing flows of Bitcoin and Ethereum. A significant share of those flows has been directed toward emerging markets, with cumulative net inflows accelerating since late 2023. The IMF’s concern is that rapid stablecoin adoption in emerging markets, absent appropriate regulation and backstops, could lead to currency substitution, weaken the transmission of monetary policy, increase capital flow volatility, and create challenges for capital flow management measures.

The IMF report also acknowledges that stablecoins, with adequate regulation, could offer improved settlement efficiency, faster cross-border payments, increased competition in the payment space, and broader access to digital finance. The same flows that warrant enhanced oversight also reflect genuine demand for financial services that legacy infrastructure has consistently failed to deliver in emerging markets.

Fuutura is being built to make both possible at once. A compliance by design approach facilitates the very regulatory oversight the IMF is advocating. That same architecture allows the platform to serve users in markets unreached by legacy financial infrastructure. What that looks like in practice is best described by the people who have built it.

“The IMF’s findings lay bare something that anyone working in cross-border financial services across emerging markets has been seeing for years. The flows are real, the demand is structural, and the existing infrastructure has not been built to give regulators the kind of visibility they need to do their work properly. That is the gap our infrastructure is built to address, across cross-border payments, identity verification, and the trading layer that connects users to the global financial system. Compliance is not something we have layered on top of an existing platform. It is part of how the system functions at every level.”

Ellis McGrath, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, Fuutura

The architectural choice that defines Fuutura is the integration of compliance at a foundational level. Most digital asset platforms operate perimeter compliance, with KYC and AML conducted at onboarding and transaction monitoring sitting on top of an existing technology stack. Fuutura’s design records verified KYC and AML attestations on-chain and ties them to the user’s wallet, so that every interaction with the platform is gated by the presence of that attestation at the smart contract level. This applies across the entire ecosystem. Whether a user is opening a wallet, executing a trade on the exchange, or moving funds across borders, the same compliance design governs every interaction. The result is infrastructure where compliance is enforceable on every transaction and auditable by regulators at the on-chain level.

“The platforms that earn regulators’ trust will be the ones that make their work easier. The IMF’s call for proportionate monitoring of stablecoin flows reflects a broader truth about the relationship between innovators and regulators in this industry. Architecture that is open to inspection by default. A company posture that welcomes the questions responsible oversight requires. We believe the future of digital finance depends on builders and regulators working together, and we have designed Fuutura to support that relationship across every product on the platform.”

Oliver Cook KC, Co-founder and Chief Legal Officer, Fuutura

Fuutura is building for a market where existing financial infrastructure has consistently failed to deliver. The cross-border stablecoin corridors identified by the IMF are one part of that market. The broader scope is the millions of people and businesses across emerging economies who require digital identity, secure custody, and access to global financial markets in a single connected environment. The company’s launch marks the beginning of a phased rollout, with further ecosystem development planned as the platform scales across the markets it was designed to serve.

About Fuutura

Fuutura is a blockchain infrastructure company building a compliance-first financial ecosystem facilitating participation in the global financial system from underserved markets with a focus on the Global-South. The platform combines digital identity verification, a wallet, and a trading exchange into one unified ecosystem, giving users access to crypto and tokenised real-world assets through a single environment. Fuutura is pursuing licensing in multiple jurisdictions. Built with KYC and AML integrated at an architectural level, Fuutura is designed to be open to regulatory oversight by design. Fuutura is building infrastructure to extend digital finance to markets that legacy banking has not reached.

Media Contact
Fuutura
pr@fuutura.com

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Disclosures

Digital asset risk. Digital assets are high-risk and their value may fall as well as rise. Trading digital assets involves significant risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.

Forward-looking statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Fuutura, its technology, products, business plans and future conduct, including statements relating to the phased rollout of the ecosystem, regulatory engagement and licensing outcomes, geographic expansion, and market ambitions. Forward-looking statements are identifiable by words such as “building,” “plans,” “intends,” “expects,” “designed to,” “anticipates” and similar expressions, as well as by statements regarding future outcomes, ambitions or strategic direction.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those expressed. These include, without limitation, changes in the regulatory environment across jurisdictions; the availability and timing of licensing or authorisation; developments in digital asset markets; technological and cybersecurity risks; operational risks; counterparty and third-party risks; the pace of product development; and other factors beyond Fuutura’s control.

No offer or advice. Nothing in this press release constitutes an offer to sell, a solicitation to purchase, investment advice, or a recommendation in respect of any digital asset, crypto-asset, token, security, or financial product or instrument. Fuutura’s products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions and may be subject to regulatory restrictions. Access to Fuutura’s platform is restricted to residents of jurisdictions where its services are permitted.

No duty to update. Fuutura undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

This release is not for distribution in the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, or in any other jurisdiction where such distribution would be unlawful.

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View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fuutura-outlines-architecture-built-for-the-cross-border-stablecoin-corridors-the-imf-now-tracks-302760188.html

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