TikTok launches new weapon in battle for U.S. dominance

Published 11:28 am Tuesday, September 12, 2023

TikTok is bringing e-commerce to its platform. 

TikTok has taken the U.S. by storm since it started getting really popular in 2019 when in overtook LinkedIn as the fourth most popular social media app.

The short-form video platform sat at 1 billion monthly active users in 2022 — behind Facebook (2.9 billion), Youtube (2.3 billion) and Instagram (1.2 billion) — and is the fastest growing social media platform with the youngest age of average user. 

Related: ‘It’s girl math’: Ulta, fashion brands cash in on viral TikTok term

But if there is one thing Americans love more than short-form social media videos, it’s shopping, and now TikTok is launching TikTok Shop, its e-commerce product Sept. 12. 

TikTok Shoppers will have several options, including the ability to shop products featured by content creators during livestreams, shoppable in-feed video and product showcases. A shopping basket icon on the bottom left corner of the screen gives users access to the goods. 

More than 200,000 sellers have already registered for TikTok shop, according to the Seattle Times, and over 100,000 content creators are participating in the affiliate program that allows users with at least 5,000 followers to create videos that go directly into the “For You” feed. 

TikTok is bringing e-commerce to its platform. 

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Getting on the “For You” section of the platform is the goal of most people looking to be seen on the platform as the algorithmically curated page is the surest way to go viral across social media platforms, not just TikTok. 

About 40% of social media users follow influencers, and 30% have made a purchase after seeing an influencer post about a product, according to Hootsuite. 

Women aged 18-29 are the most likely to make purchases based on influencer content, and 41% of people aged 18-29 have purchased something after seeing an influencer or content creator post about it. 

TikTok skews the youngest among social media platforms, with an estimated 60% of users being Gen Z, meaning a larger portion of its user base is more likely to make a purchase on its platform than its competitors. 

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