Meta has officially partnered with Shopee to usher in a new era of integrated shopping experiences for Facebook users across Asia and Latin America. This collaboration introduces a suite of innovative tools aimed at helping consumers discover, interact with, and purchase products directly through Facebook, seamlessly connecting Meta’s social ecosystem with Shopee’s extensive e-commerce network.
Shopee, which operates in markets such as Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Brazil, becomes the first marketplace to join Meta’s Facebook Affiliate Partnerships program. This initiative empowers content creators to tag Shopee products in their Facebook posts and Reels, allowing followers to click through and finalize their purchases directly on Shopee.
The rollout of these features marks a significant milestone for both companies as social commerce gains momentum globally. Users in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Brazil will be among the first to experience this enhanced shopping capability, with plans for expansion into additional markets in the near future.
Collaborative Ads and Live Shopping Pilots
One of the standout innovations from this partnership is the launch of Collaborative Ads, a format that allows brands and sellers to promote products from Shopee catalogs during Facebook Live sessions. This feature transforms live broadcasts into interactive marketplaces, facilitating real-time shopping without the typical friction associated with switching between platforms.
Currently in beta testing across Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, this live shopping tool enables viewers to click on tagged items during live sessions, completing their purchases directly on Shopee. Meta and Shopee plan to expand the beta phase to other regions later this year, further advancing the integration of live-driven e-commerce.
Opportunities for Agencies and Adtech Partners
Meta’s collaboration with Shopee invites agencies and SaaS providers to play a crucial role in assisting sellers to navigate the Facebook commerce landscape. Meta-certified marketing agencies and adtech firms are being positioned as essential partners for brands looking to set up Collaborative Ads, manage product feeds, and create live-selling content that aligns with Facebook’s algorithmic preferences.
Software platforms that specialize in feed management and social commerce analytics are already exploring integrations aimed at synchronizing Shopee catalogs with Meta’s systems. These integrations seek to automate product tagging for creators and provide actionable insights on performance across both platforms.
Unanswered Questions and Future Outlook
While the technological ambitions behind this partnership are clear, details regarding its economic model remain murky. Meta and Shopee have not disclosed critical information such as affiliate payout structures, attribution windows, or early conversion data – all vital elements for fostering creator adoption and boosting advertiser confidence.
Recently, Shopee reported that its affiliate creators produced over 100 million videos and livestreams in 2024, effectively tripling the previous year’s output. However, without Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) figures specifically tied to this Facebook integration, it remains uncertain whether this surge translates into genuine monetization or simply reflects increased content creation.
Nonetheless, the potential for growth is substantial. Social commerce across Southeast Asia is projected to surpass $100 billion by 2028, positioning Meta and Shopee at the forefront of this anticipated boom.
