TikTok Plans to Launch a New E-commerce Marketplace
According to reports, TikTok plans to launch a new e-commerce marketplace called TikTok Shop Shopping Center in August. The platform will help Chinese merchants sell goods such as clothes, electronics, and kitchen appliances in the US. It will offer a full range of services to merchants, including marketing, storage, shipping, and post-sale support, similar to Amazon and TikTok will earn a percentage of sales. In the future, it plans to extend the marketplace to merchants outside of China.
This move puts TikTok in direct competition with Amazon, as well as Chinese-based companies Shein and Temu. In 2022, Shein and Temu sold an estimated $800 million of Chinese-made goods in the US. TikTok already has a built-in audience, so the marketplace should launch with momentum, especially if integrated directly into the TikTok app. There is also a high chance that it will enlist creators to promote products through the marketplace, similar to the Amazon Influencer Program. Is TikTok Shop Day, coming soon?