Sean Gallup
Sean Gallup
TikTok (BDNCE) is making a further push into U.S. e-commerce with a quiet rollout of TikTok Shop, a chance for Americans to make purchases directly through the video-focused app.
That builds on some reported plans last month to build product fulfillment facilities in the United States, a move that would give the Chinese-owned company a stronger competitive facing with retail giant Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN).
TikTok Shop is now available just ahead of Americans’ key shopping season, and the company is inviting “select” U.S. businesses to take part, Semafor reported – which means Chinese live-streamers will have to keep directing shoppers to third-party sites for now.
Such live-stream shopping (akin to home shopping TV networks in the U.S.) makes up a $400B industry in China, and TikTok has reportedly told international sellers that they eventually will be folded into TikTok Shop.
Last month TikTok had posted more than a dozen job openings focused on an international e-commerce fulfillment system, saying “By providing warehousing, delivery, and customer service returns, our mission is to help sellers improve their operational capability and efficiency, provide buyers a satisfying shopping experience and ensure fast and sustainable growth of TikTok Shop.”