TikTok Shop Launches in U.S.

The team at PMG is excited to announce that we are TikTok Shop launch partners just in time for the holiday season. As the home to viral, community-driven trends like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, TikTok is “creating a new shopping culture” that combines the power of “community, creativity, and commerce” into a seamless shopping experience, as shared in a TikTok blog post announcing the news. As part of the rollout, TikTok Shop integrates directly into the in-app experience via the new Shop Tab and curated in-feed shoppable videos and LIVE streams in the For You Feed to spur organic product discovery. 

After months of testing, TikTok Shop has officially launched in the U.S., making it easier than ever for TikTok’s over 150 million U.S. users to find and shop their favorite brands directly in the app.

TikTok Shop offers a unique experience for brands, merchants, creators, and users with, 

In-Feed Video and LIVE Shopping: Users can shop tagged products directly from TikTok Shop’s in-feed videos and LIVEs in the For You feed. 

Product Showcase: With TikTok Shop, brands can curate custom product collections on their TikTok profile page, allowing users to browse product tiles, read reviews, and purchase products directly in the app. 

Shop Tab and Shop Ads: The new Shop Tab provides a product marketplace for customers to search and discover new products, brands, and promotions. Product recommendations are showcased via shoppable content and product listings, with Shop Ads allowing brands to promote their TikTok Shops and products beyond the Shop Tab. 

Our take? PMG’s Head of Integrated Media, Carly Carson, said, “Within this new end-to-end shopping experience on TikTok, we are excited to test creator-led shoppable content, where authentic product reviews allow for greater credibility. For advertisers wanting to activate TikTok Shop, it’s important to think about the volume of content brands are able to share. We recommend keeping content fresh and relevant across organic posts and paid activations on the platform and using this time to test new campaign ideas.” 

The New York Times reported that more than 200,000 sellers have already signed up for TikTok Shop, with 100,000 creators creating content and LIVE streams as part of its affiliate program. TikTok Head of U.S. Ecommerce Operations, Nico Le Bourgeois, shared that TikTok Shop is planning an extensive shopping activation on TikTok and across the internet during Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year with ad buys and exclusive offers in-app like free shipping and more deals and savings. While livestreaming shopping hasn’t seen similar success in the U.S. compared to the APAC market, TikTok has added a variety of features and programs, like shopping buttons and creator-led livestreams, that show signs of promising growth and rising popularity among U.S. users. 

While it’s early days for TikTok Shop, as a TikTok partner, we’re eager to see how TikTok Shop comes to life for advertisers and creators. As PMG recommends for all new platforms and features, we advise advertisers to take a test-and-learn approach by experimenting with the product features and testing optimization levers, content types, and content publishing frequency to determine how TikTok Shop can play a role in their social commerce strategy.