TikTok is continuing its push toward being a shopping destination by onboarding more brands for its Shop initiative, which lets companies sell their goods directly on the app with a full checkout experience. TikTok began testing Shop in the U.S. this past November, and we now know a few more brands that are part of this initial testing phase. Brands such as Casper, The Honest Company, and Toray have all signed up to join TikTok’s growing list of merchants. This gives app users access to products from various categories, including clothing, beauty products, and home goods. With so many choices available on Tik Tok, shoppers can easily find what they’re looking for and make quick purchases without leaving the app.
Many people use TikTok app to watch short videos and take funny photos, but now some well-known brands are joining the platform. Users can now shop for these brands’ products by tapping on the shopping bag icon on their profiles. This is a great way for users to find new clothes and makeup brands, and it will sure to bring in more customers.
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TikTok is an app that allows users to make and share videos with friends. The company confirmed TechGround that TikTok Shop in the U.S. is “still in the testing phase,” but didn’t give any information about when a wider launch might take place. However, some reports have speculated that a wider launch could be near, as TikTok has been adding new features to the app regularly.
TikTok has been able to market products through ads on its app for some time now, but the ordering process was previously conducted through an in-app browser. With TikTok Shop, the checkout process occurs directly within the app which makes it feel more like a native experience and eliminates any potential confusion. This is also how Instagram Shop works
Given that TikTok Shop has been available in select markets for nearly a year, it seems that the company believes there is a market for the platform here in the United States. However, given its lack of traction in other parts of Europe and future reports indicating plans to drop the venture here, it remains to be seen whether or not TikTok will pullShop from U.S. shores altogether or if tests will continue into 2019.
While some may see the young app as simply a way to amuse themselves, for TikTok Group Inc., there is much more to it. Behind the simplicity of its application lies a suite of advanced shopping features that are slowly but surely being rolled out to serve both hardcore and casual users alike. With its partnerships with top retailers like Amazon and Instacart, TikTok Shop is quickly becoming one of the most advanced shopping platforms available on mobile devices.
As TikTok continues to work on its shopping features, its competitor apps are scaling back on their e-commerce efforts. Instagram removed the shop tab in January and announced this month that it is dropping the live shopping efforts. Facebook also shut down its live shopping feature in August 2022. Amazon, meanwhile, experimented with live shopping in various markets. In May last year, YouTube introduced new live streaming features that allowed two creators to stream together. These changes underscore how important it has become for app developers to focus on differentiating their products while keeping shoppers engaged and spending money within their respective platforms
One potential concern is that the schemes may not be delivering on their promises. In Asia, social commerce accounts for 60-70% of ecommerce sales, but reports suggest that in the U.S., social commerce accounts for just 5% of e-commerce sales. Additionally, there is little evidence that these experiments are working to drive significant amounts of online commerce in Western markets as they have in Asian markets.
In recent years, social media influencers have come into prominence as a key marketing tool for brands and businesses. Influencers use their large online followings to promote products to their followers, hoping that they will recommend the product to other people and generate sales. This phenomenon has proven particularly effective in marketing to young adults, who are more likely than older adults to be influenced by those they know. As a result, many major brands now use influential social media users as part of their marketing strategy. While the effectiveness of using influencers is difficult to measure with precision, it seems likely that some of the advertising clicks or sales generated by influencer campaigns are attributable to their influence
Now that the phrase “TikTok made me buy it” has become popular on social media, in-app shopping features built into the app could be a major driver of impulse sales. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has 7.4 billion views and 42.6 billion accumulated mentions on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. With so many people using TikTok for frivolous purposes like watching short videos, in-app purchase features could help brands track their customers’ shopping habits and determine which products are most likely to move off shelves due to an urge inspired by a TikTok clip.
