You’ll soon be able to order goods directly from TikTok. According to reports, the social networking corporation intends to open an online store selling made-in-China goods to US customers.
The “TikTok Shop Shopping Center,” which is the name of the main marketplace on the platform, has a nice ring to it and is evidently not a typo.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the e-commerce company will expand its current TikTok Shop service, which allows users to instantly shop from creator or brand profiles, videos, and Lives. Instead of only acting as a platform for other retailers to sell their goods, TikTok will now be the retailer of products, handling everything from buying the goods from suppliers to marketing, warehousing, and distributing them.
According to The Wall Street Journal, TikTok’s online store might open as early as August. The expansion of TikTok’s e-commerce presence looks to be an effort to compete with Chinese firms Shein and Temu, which have enjoyed significant success in the US. E-commerce helps TikTok diversify its revenue sources beyond only advertising.
