TikTok may appear to be an unstoppable global entertainment engine, but at least one aspect of the company’s offering isn’t exactly taking off: TikTok is dialing back its live commerce plans in Europe and the United States after early launches were just not successful.
TikTok has been trying live shopping in the United Kingdom since late last year, beginning with a multi-brand event named “On Trend” in December of last year. However, reports indicate that those shopping livestreams did not draw large crowds or generate many purchases, and several of the creators participating in early TikTok Shop ventures have dropped out entirely. TikTok had planned to debut Shop in Germany, France, Italy, and Spain by now, and had hoped to launch in the United States later this year, but it is now completely focused on making the product a success in the United Kingdom. It is also available in several Asian nations where the concept is more advanced.
TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, makes a fortune through live online purchasing, which is led by artists and influencers. Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok owned by ByteDance, has seen such live sales grow into massive cultural events that bring in big bucks for retailers, creators, and platforms alike.
However, there is little evidence to suggest that the live e-commerce model will be successful anywhere. Sure, QVC and the Home Shopping Network were once tremendous successes in the United States, and more and more users are purchasing things through Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, but many platforms have tried and failed to make live shopping work. Furthermore, as social shopping grows in popularity, the competition to be the destination for that purchasing will be severe.
