One-third of Americans have shopped at TikTok Shop, according to survey
Less than a year after it launched in the U.S., the e-commerce site founded by video-focused social media platform TikTok appears to be flourishing — particularly with one group.
Since TikTok Shop opened for business in the U.S. in September, 33% of Americans have already made a purchase on the platform, according to a survey by e-commerce marketing company Omnisend. The company attributed the meteoric rise largely to Gen Z, as 56% of respondents have shopped at TikTok Shop in the past year —almost two times more than other generations. Thirty-six percent of Gen Z shop there at least once a month
“With Gen Z rapidly entering the workforce and emerging as a formidable economic force, their unique preferences and digital fluency are reshaping the online retail landscape,” said Greg Zakowicz, senior e-commerce expert at Omnisend. “By launching an e-commerce platform and targeting Gen Z consumers, TikTok has entrenched itself deeper into the U..S economy, strategically arming itself against the threat of a ban."”
[READ MORE: TikTok launches e-commerce in U.S.]
Beauty products (31%) and clothing (29%) rank as the most popular items to purchase at TikTok Shop. Respondents said that they appreciate the prices (36%) and quality (35%) of items listed on the platform.
On the negative side, overall, customers rate TikTok Shop seven out of 10, which is considerably lower than competitors such as Amazon (8.4) and Walmart (8). Respondents main complaints about TikTok Shop are long delivery (25%) and too much advertising (20%).
“The personalized shopping experience and access to unique items have allowed TikTok to find its niche in the crowded e-commerce market,” said Zakowicz. “However, as our research has shown, TikTok’s reliance on advertising its shop in the main ‘feed’ has already started to annoy users of its principal feature. Clearly, it’s a fine line between promoting your new venture and preserving your main one.”
TikTok Shop has proven itself to be a good platform to sell products, especially if the brand already have a notable social media presence or have a successful e-commerce business and wants to expand its audience,” added Greg Zakowicz.
“If you are just starting out though, more established platforms such as Amazon or Walmart could be a better option because of their vast logistics network and access to a huge customer base,” he said. At the end of the day, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, and diversify your point of sale.”
