After months of testing, TikTok is betting big on ecommerce. The platform launched its Shop feature in the United States this week.
TikTok announced the update with a post on their blog, saying, “TikTok Shop will now bring shoppable videos and LIVE streams directly to For You feeds across the country – and give brands, merchants, and creators the tools to sell directly through shoppable content on the TikTok app.”
Image via TikTok
TikTok shopping has already been available (and extremely popular) in the UK and a handful of Asian countries before this week. They first began testing their e-commerce product in the US back in November 2022.
TikTok Shop allows viewers to shop tagged products in both videos and livestreams or browse products in the new Shop tab.
Brands can display their products directly on their profiles and in TikTok Shop ads.
TikTok is also offering a new “Fulfilled by TikTok” service that allows brands to focus on their products while the platform handles shipping and logistics. This may look a lot like Amazon’s FBA fulfillment service, complete with faster shipping times and fewer customer service issues.
Creators can even get in on the action with TikTok Shop’s affiliate program. Creators who share products in videos and livestreams can connect with sellers and earn a commission on their videos.
TikTok’s embrace of ecommerce comes just one year after Instagram began phasing out its own Shop tab.
