TikTok Expands Live Shopping Efforts to New Markets

TikTok is ramping up its live-stream shopping initiatives as part of a broader push to expand its e-commerce footprint beyond China. With live shopping already a dominant revenue driver in its home market via Douyin, TikTok is now focusing on increasing adoption in other regions.

TikTok plans to extend its e-commerce operations to Italy, Germany, and France, with additional launches expected in Japan and Brazil later this year. This expansion follows the platform’s recent TikTok Shop rollout in Mexico, signaling a deeper move into Latin America.

Despite its massive success in China – where Douyin generates $500 billion in annual sales, up from the $374 billion of 2023 – TikTok’s shopping features have faced challenges in gaining similar traction elsewhere. However, interest is growing. The company reported a threefold increase in sales on Black Friday 2024, largely driven by live-stream shopping events. Additionally, TikTok has seen rising engagement with its in-stream shopping tools in Southeast Asian markets.

Beyond e-commerce, live-streaming itself is becoming increasingly popular on TikTok. In 2024, over 100 million creators hosted live streams, with 46 million streaming for the first time. The platform also recorded 269 billion live-stream chats, highlighting strong user engagement.

As TikTok faces regulatory uncertainty in the U.S., its live-stream shopping strategy could help offset potential revenue losses. The company is also offering guidance to brands on how to leverage live shopping effectively, reinforcing its commitment to making the format a mainstream e-commerce tool.

While live-stream shopping remains an emerging trend in Western markets, TikTok’s continued push suggests that businesses may want to explore its potential as part of their digital marketing and sales strategies.