TikTok Shop is rapidly transforming the retail landscape, merging the vibrancy of social media with the traditional appeal of high street shops. With resources available for anyone to join the 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses already on board, TikTok Shop is fostering a new era of commerce. Predicted by experts to see a surge in live content in 2025, this platform is redefining how products are sold and marketed online. Sellers find success through engaging personalities and quality products, attracting buyers to watch as orders are packed live on camera. The British Retail Consortium is carefully observing this trend, given TikTok Shop's ambition to seamlessly integrate social media sales with physical retail.
Live shopping on TikTok is described as "an extension of the brilliance of brick and mortar stores," according to Jan Wilk, head of TikTok Shop. This innovative approach allows sellers to reach a broad audience while creating communities through human connection, a feature unmatched by other online platforms. Notably, TikTok enforces strict rules to maintain its ecosystem, prohibiting sellers from redirecting to other platforms and restricting certain products.
Despite the rise of online shopping, the UK's high streets experienced a surprising increase in footfall last month. According to the British Retail Consortium, foot traffic rose by 6.6% in January compared to the same period last year. This uptick suggests that while digital retail is booming, consumers still value the tangible experience of in-store shopping.
Entrepreneurs like Shoned Owen have capitalized on TikTok's potential. Her fake tan products have seen a doubling in sales since she began selling them live online. Owen attended a workshop in 2024 where experts predicted that live content would explode on TikTok in 2025, prompting her to seize the opportunity.
"I think people are craving live content. I attended a workshop in 2024 and it was predicted that live content was going to explode on TikTok during 2025," Shoned Owen remarked.
"I thought, I've got to jump on this trend," she added.
Laura Mallows of Mallows Beauty exemplifies the platform's impact. She reports making more in an hour through TikTok's live shopping than spending an entire day in her physical shop. This success led to the closure of their flagship store in Cardiff, opting instead to leverage TikTok's live shopping stream. Her skincare products now enjoy shelf space in major retailers like Superdrug and Boots.
TikTok Shop handles order fulfillment for sellers, presenting a unique dilemma for those thriving online but still desiring engagement with real-world shoppers. However, this digital success often translates into increased popularity for products on the high street, creating a beneficial "halo effect" for businesses.
Sara Jones, TikTok's Welsh spokesperson, predicts that 2025 will mark the year of "smart shopping" by consumers, indicating a shift towards more informed and efficient purchasing decisions facilitated by platforms like TikTok Shop.
"Those retailers that are going to do really well this year are going to be the ones that harness digital technology to encourage people back both to the high street, but alongside their online offering," Jan Wilk stated.