TikTok is going all in. The company is reportedly planning to launch an online store in the United States in July, as reported by Semafor. Several sources consulted by the media outlet claim that the app would include a new shopping section where TikTok’s own products, manufactured by Chinese brands, would be sold. In this way, TikTok would compete head-to-head with e-commerce giants like Amazon, Shein, and Temu.
Among the products that would be sold in this new online store are toys and kitchen utensils, created by Chinese manufacturers, and TikTok itself would take care of logistics and customer service. This new store would be different from the current TikTok Shop, which allows brands to sell their own products in exchange for a small commission.
TikTok users will be able to search for products both in the new store and in TikTok Shop, through a new tab dedicated to e-commerce within the app. The company hinted at the existence of this future feature in a job listing in Los Angeles, where they emphasized the importance of customers being able to discover promotions and manage their orders as a “central focus.”
The company is thus changing its e-commerce strategy after learning that Chinese manufacturers were facing many issues in providing proper customer service to Western users on TikTok Shop. This problem, along with the long shipping times from China to the United States and the United Kingdom, would be addressed with this new store.
But TikTok Shop is not the only feature that the app offered for selling products. TikTok launched a shopping feature in February that allows brands to sell their products directly through their profiles. Additionally, the company is dedicated to creators, offering them new programs and monetization features such as TikTok Series and TikTok Creative Challenge.
