TikTok plans US e-commerce push to take on Facebook: Report | HT Tech

TikTok plans US e-commerce push to take on Facebook: Report

TikTok, which is owned by China’s Bytedance Ltd., unveiled a partnership with WPP Plc last week that offers access and marketing capabilities on the viral-video platform to the London-based advertising agency’s network and clients.

By:BLOOMBERG
| Updated on: Feb 08 2021, 07:35 IST
TikTok takes on Facebook
TikTok takes on Facebook (Pixabay)
TikTok takes on Facebook
TikTok takes on Facebook (Pixabay)

TikTok is planning an aggressive expansion into e-commerce in the U.S., the Financial Times reported, citing people who have seen the social media app's plans for new features it will introduce this year.

Among those features is a tool that allows TikTok's most popular users to share links to products and automatically earn commissions on sales. TikTok is also rolling out “live-streamed” shopping, a mobile phone version of television shopping channels, where users can buy goods with a few taps. It's also seeking to let brands show their catalogs, according to the report.

ALSO READ: TikTok is now available on Android TV, but you can't use it yet

TikTok appears to be about to skip a desktop experience “and go straight into commerce,” Jack Smyth, creative technology officer at Mindshare, which is part of WPP, told the newspaper. TikTok is well placed for live-streamed commerce “to capture the dissolving distinction between content and commerce,” Smyth was quoted as saying.

ALSO READ: ByteDance to call it a day in India after permanent TikTok ban: Report

The tools will step up TikTok's competition with Facebook Inc. for e-commerce spending, according to the FT. TikTok also is said to have plans this year to build out the capability of brands to place their own ads online rather than through a sales representative, the FT said.

TikTok declined to comment to the Financial Times.

Former President Donald Trump's administration labeled TikTok a security threat, banned the service last year and supported a proposed deal for Oracle Corp. and Walmart Inc. to buy 20% of TikTok.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 08 Feb, 07:35 IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS