TikTok has dethroned the big online shopping companies. What started as an app for short videos and viral dances has ended up threatening Amazon itself. Yes, just like you read it: TikTok Shop has entered the market and is already moving more than $32 million a day, just in sales! This addictive platform has already surpassed the previous market leader, Temu, in number of buyers. And it doesn’t seem like a passing trend, but rather something that’s going to completely transform e-commerce. TikTok has proven to be a powerful platform where entertainment meets knowledge, and influencers have managed to captivate their entire audience, but how far will it go? We’ll tell you everything.
What is TikTok?
TikTok is the trendiest platform right now, one that captivates and absorbs you, where you can’t just watch a couple of videos and leave. You go in, and by the time you switch apps, hours may have passed. Maybe it’s so addictive because you never know what video is coming next, and because the platform’s audience and algorithms are so diverse that you can learn about science, literature, cooking, or just watch cats.
And TikTok Shop?
Now TikTok has expanded and stepped into the retail world. Beyond the videos, stories, and livestreams, it has added TikTok Shop, a built-in feature that lets you buy directly from a video. Of course, this has been a total convenience bomb for users.
What makes TikTok Shop so special?
The first time the U.S. heard about TikTok Shop was in 2023, and now it’s said to attract more than 47 million buyers who spend over $32 million daily. These numbers are insane, but this success didn’t come by accident. It’s the result of a solid market strategy. Why? Because TikTok has combined the best of all worlds: competitive prices, a platform where going viral is easy, and prices even lower than Shein or Temu. In 2024, the platform has already seen 11.9 million U.S. shoppers.
Shoppertainment and how it works
That’s what experts are calling this immersive experience, and it’s no surprise the public has embraced it. It’s much more convenient than other social networks that also have shopping spaces. But as we said, TikTok played its cards right and allows you to complete your purchase without ever leaving the app. And of course, the time you save doing that can be used to watch more videos.
Creators turned entrepreneurs
Just like we used to look at toy catalogues or TV commercials when we were kids, now we’re seeing small content creators rise. We know TikTok works with an algorithm tailored to each use, well, the shop works the same way. Based on the content you interact with, TikTok Shop will appear differently, which makes you stop, scroll, or interact, making the algorithm stronger and stronger, as Richard Crone (founder of Crone Consulting) explained.
And you don’t need millions of followers to go viral with a product. A clear example is Lexi Rosenstein, who started with only 5,000 followers and began earning big money through TikTok Shop. Now she’s one of the top beauty product sellers in the U.S.! So, if you run a business, don’t miss this incredible chance to grow your sales.
A fairytale that could end soon
TikTok faces a major threat: it could be banned in the country. A few months ago, panic spread over a potential shutdown due to problems with ByteDance, the China-based parent company that’s now required to hand over its U.S. operations before April 5. So, this fairytale could end soon, unless TikTok finds a buyer.
But the clock is ticking: if TikTok isn’t sold to a U.S. company before April, it may be banned from operating in the U.S. In this article, we explain how this phenomenon works, what makes it so irresistible, and why its future hangs by a political thread.
Let’s hope this gets resolved soon, now that we’ve found our favourite app to spend time (and money) on. While this happens… Keep scrolling!