TikTok to let users shop through videos on the app via Shopify deal
TikTok users will soon be able to buy items directly through the short videos on the app – something they had only been able to do through ads until now – with Kylie Cosmetics one of the first brands to offer the service.
The move has been brought about via a partnership with e-commerce platform Shopify, which said that Shopify merchants with a TikTok For Business account would be able to add a shopping tab to their TikTok profiles to create a “mini-storefront” that links directly to their online store for checkout.
The shopping tool, which is still being tested, is available to Shopify merchants in the US, the UK and Canada, and will roll out to more regions in the coming months. Shopify already had a deal with TikTok that let merchants create “shoppable” video ads that drive customers to online stores.
Beauty entrepreneur Kylie Jenner explained why her brand would be one of the first to go live. “I built my business on social media; it’s where my fans go first to look for what’s new from Kylie Cosmetics,” said Jenner.
“I have so much fun creating TikTok videos, and I love sharing posts of my fans using the products. That’s why I’m excited for Kylie Cosmetics to be one of the first to let customers shop directly on our TikTok!” she added.
Shopify president Harley Finkelstein added: "Creators are paving the way for a new kind of entrepreneurship where content, community, and commerce are key. By enabling new in-app shopping experiences and product discovery on TikTok for the first time, Shopify is powering the creator economy on one of the fastest-growing social and entertainment platforms in the world."
Shopify and TikTok have also partnered to bring product links to Shopify merchants, which can be used to tag products in organic TikTok posts. The TikTok community can choose to shop directly from the merchant’s storefront or click a tagged product in a merchant’s TikTok video, which will take them to the merchant's online store for checkout.
