A certain short-form video platform called TikTok is now pushing forward with its own efforts in order to expand in-app shopping. The app has reportedly started teaming up with certain brands in Europe for trials.
TikTok Works with Brands to Bring Online Shopping Option
According to the story by Tech.co, TikTok is actually no stranger to ecommerce, having been dabbling in a number of different shopping options over the years. Despite this, the new update could be its largest shift towards the whole in-app shopping just yet.
The trial efforts are now being run with brands which include the clothing label called Hype. This was according to a certain report coming from Bloomberg. The report stated that the platform will allow certain brands to operate dedicated stores and even receive direct orders coming from TikTok users.
TikTok ‘Product Catalog’ Feature
For those that might have seen Instagram’s own “product catalog,” there’s an idea of what the upcoming TikTok feature might be. It is now reportedly a bit refreshing to see that a certain Instagram feature could be copied by its competitor instead of what usually happens which is the other way around.
TikTok told Bloomberg that they have been testing and learning along with other e-commerce offerings and partnerships and they are now constantly exploring. The visual social media platform is reportedly a good fit for naturally advertising makeup and clothing. Although the app’s own youthful demographics, which result in 32.5% of US users from ages 10 to 19, might raise questions regarding the whole ethics of the new integrated socialization being quite close to advertising efforts.
TikTok ‘TV Shopping Channel’
It is now unclear how TikTok’s current e-commerce efforts are now to the raft of shopper features in its February announcement. However, they are likely an iteration of those particular plans. Affiliate product links in certain videos called “Showcases” round up a brand’s product being sold and a TikTok version of a TV shopping channel will then reveal to come some time this 2021.
Sometime earlier, TikTok teamed up with e-commerce giant Shopify for its well-received integration. During the last financial quarter, Shopify reportedly expanded its marketing partnership along with TikTok internationally and added 14 new countries, according to ZDNet.
Read Also: TikTok MLM Ban Explained: What are the Special Community Guidelines For? Pyramid and Other Schemes Also Get Red Flag!
TikTok Online Selling
Bloomberg notes that the potential upsite is quite huge, which compares to TikTok shoppers with another similar app called Douyin from China, as that service hauled what was said to be a massive $26 billion in total e-commerce transactions within just the first year.
TikTok still has quite a rocky road to success which includes a potential long-threatened US ban that hasn’t materialized as of the moment. Another reason would be its still-concerning critiques of the company’s own video suppression practices, according to Slate. The app, however, has already surpassed Facebook when it boils down to user screen time which is definitely no easy feat to beat.
Related Article: TikTok Video Goes Viral for Featuring a Grandma Who Plays ‘Call of Duty’
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Written by Urian B.
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