TikTok is trialling a feature that has the ability to make all posts on the app shoppable, as first reported by Bloomberg. The move is part of the company’s plans to turn TikTok Shop into a multi-billion-dollar e-commerce company in the United States. TikTok confirmed that the feature is currently undergoing limited testing, but did not provide any further details.
The new quiz feature automatically identifies items in videos and directs viewers to “find similar items on the TikTok Store.” In the past, only verified influencers and brands had the ability to tag products. The new feature will bring e-commerce links to more videos on the app.
The news comes as Bloomberg reported earlier this month that TikTok is looking to grow its TikTok Shop business in the US tenfold to as much as $17.5 billion this year. With this goal, TikTok will be looking to take on not only Amazon, but also Chinese-owned companies like Temu and Shein, both of which have become popular in the United States. But TikTok has something these other companies don’t, which is a hugely popular social media network that has the potential to reach millions of buyers.
During the Black Friday and Cyber Monday season in November, more than 5 million new US customers purchased something through the TikTok store. For context, the social media app currently has about 150 million users in the United States
The TikTok Store, which officially launched in the US in September 2023, allows creators to tag products to allow users to purchase products from in-feed videos and live videos. The new feature will bring TikTok Shop links to regular content on the app, which may not be a welcome change for some.
New data reveals that TikTok’s growth has started to slow, raising questions about whether TikTok Shop’s e-commerce efforts are to blame. In 2022, the number of monthly active users on TikTok grew by an average of 12% year over year per quarter, but that number fell to 3% year over year per quarter in 2023. The slowdown comes on the heels of release TikTok store in the United States
People have been discussing online whether The TikTok store has “destroyed” the appwith some lamenting that TikTok Shop was turning the app into an app “A wasteland full of ads.”
In addition to providing TikTok Shop links to more videos on the platform, TikTok is also exploring other ways to boost its e-commerce business. the information Today it was reported that TikTok plans to open studios in Los Angeles where creators can live stream and sell products. Creators currently record promotional videos in their settings at home, but some will soon have the option to film and broadcast content from TikTok-operated studios.