By Madalena Fonseca
Picture courtesy of Unsplash
A new TikTok function will allow consumers to make purchases in the same way that previously was offered only to approved influencers and brands.
TikTok’s new function uses technologies to detect items in a video automatically. Then, it urges users to find similar items in the TikTok Shop by clicking into a product page, according to screenshots and posts seen by Bloomberg on the app.
The shop has received mixed reviews, although in terms of growth of small brands it helped considerably. But some customers say they don’t trust it.
Vitoria Silva, a 22-year-old business student, says that she has had a great experience with the TikTok shop. She bought two items from there and she is happy with her purchases, saying the hairbrush and water bottle arrived quickly and in perfect condition.
Vitoria said she would probably buy a lot more items on TikTok when the new system is rolled out on a greater scale.
“Sometimes when I see some of the influencers on TikTok videos, I can’t see the brands they are wearing unless they identify in the comments or in the post and most of the times they don’t, so it would be great to just press the video and be able to buy any item they are wearing,” she said.
Social media and purchasing platforms
According to Bloomberg, the Chinese social media company launched TikTok Shop in the United States last year, with the goal of combining the convenience of online purchasing platforms like Amazon with the product discovery component of social media sites like Instagram.
TikTok estimates that this shop will produce $17.5 billion in eCommerce volume in the United States this year, according to the article.
A recent report by PYMNTS Intelligence says that social media has emerged as a significant platform for consumers to explore and buy products. The study reveals that 43% of consumers utilize social media to seek out various goods and services.
Furthermore, in a strategic move, retail giant Walmart joined forces with TikTok and Roku in November. Together, they launched a series of interactive videos, which were made shoppable on TikTok, Roku, YouTube, and Walmart’s own social media platforms.
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