WooCommerce announces a partnership with TikTok that invites all WooCommerce shops owners in the United States to a new program that allows merchants to market directly to TikTok users from a TikTok Shop.
The new program, currently in Beta status, gives store owners access to an audience of over 150 million, 61% of which engage in ecommerce behavior.
WooCommerce merchants have the chance, as early adopters, to directly sell products on TikTok and scoop up sales before the service formally opens to more merchants.
TikTok is a Shopping Channel
While TikTok is generally considered as a place for watching videos, it’s actually highly consumer-oriented.
TikTok statistics provided to Search Engine Journal show that 1 in 4 TikTok users use the platform for product research or make a purchase after watching TikTok.
That’s not surprising considering how influencers with audiences up to the millions publish reviews and tips on TikTok.
Many users turn to TikTok for inspiration on fashion, makeup, sports activities and other topics related to retail.
According to TikTok Insights statistics:
- The TikTok community is 1.5x more willing to purchase something they discover on the platform.
- 95% of TikTok users agree that finance-related topics are very important to them.
- 92% of TikTok users said they take action after watching a TikTok.
- 81% of TikTok users who made a Back to School purchase said the platform played a role in purchases/gifts bought.
- 44% of Gen X TikTok users say the platform helps them discover new things.
- 37% of TikTok users immediately purchased something they discovered through the platform.
- 38% of TikTok users have convinced a friend or family member to buy a product they have discovered on the platform.
- TikTok users spend 14% more when TikTok is part of the retail journey
TikTok Shop and WooCommerce
WooCommerce has an existing relationship with TikTok in the form of their TikTok for WooCommerce ad platform plugin that was launched in 2022.
More recently, WooCommerce launched support for TikTok Smart Performance Campaigns.
TikTok Shop is an expansion of that relationship which will enable merchants to bring their entire inventories into TikTok to sell their products directly to consumers on that platform.
Ways to sell on TikTok:
- In-feed videos
- Livestreams
- Prominent product showcase tab on Woo merchant profile page
Facts About TikTok Shops WooCommerce Partnership
There are no minimums or maximum inventory limits to the amount of products that can be added to the TikTop Shops.
TikTok Shop launched in the US for Alpha testing in early November 2022. TikTok moved its test from alpha to beta in April 2023 in order to allow more merchants to join in the continued test of TikTok Shop in the US.
The TikTok Shop platform is well tested. TikTok first launched TikTok Shop for business in Southeast Asia and the UK and started slowly rolling out support with select US brands late last year.
What Kinds of Products Anticipated To Sell Well on TikTok?
We asked Steve Deckert, VP of Business Development at WooCommerce what kinds of products are anticipated to do well on TikTok.
Steve answered:
“With #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt at over 60 billion views, you’ll find a wide variety of products are actively discussed on TikTok right now.
That hashtag should provide some insights as to what kinds of products are popularly discussed.
We expect our merchant’s products, including fashion, beauty and skincare products, fitness and wellness items, gaming and tech goods, as well as unique home organization and decor solutions, will all find their way into TikTok Shop.
There’s a huge opportunity for diverse brands to find success.
Additionally, food and beverage products may also thrive as TikTok continues to shape culinary trends and consumer preferences.”
Steve underlined the importance of this opportunity to WooCommerce merchants:
“People are changing the way they buy, and Woo is working to make it seamless for merchants to promote and sell on the biggest product discovery channels like TikTok.
Through this Beta, Woo merchants can be among the first to test out this new sales channel, remove steps to purchase, and promote their products to the over 150m monthly active US TikTok users.”
How to Sign Up for WooCommerce TikTok Shops
The TikTok Shop is currently in Beta and available to WooCommerce merchants in the United States.
Beta signifies a software development phase when the product is complete, with all features fully functional.
Users in the Beta phase are the first to be able to try out the fully featured service before it’s widely released.
This represents a huge opportunity for WooCommerce merchants to drive an extraordinary amount of sales.
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Featured image by Shutterstock/Goodmorning3am
