How TikTok Shop is winning over major brands
On this week’s episode of the Modern Retail Podcast, co-hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels are joined by Modern Retail’s platforms reporter, Allison Smith, to dig into why TikTok Shop is becoming a more legitimate sales channel in the eyes of bigger brands.
Less than three years old, TikTok Shop now makes up roughly 20% of all social commerce sales, according to data from eMarketer. The rest of the category is dominated by Meta. Last year, the company drove $500 million in sales during the four-day stretch from Black Friday to Cyber Monday.
In response, more established legacy brands and mid-sized companies are popping up on TikTok Shop. Smith reported this March that sales from big-name brands — those with at least $30 million in annual revenue — increased 97% year-over-year on TikTok Shop.
Here’s a rundown of their conversation.
Affiliate and incentives powering acquisition
To help boost their presence on TikTok Shop and get eyes on their products, some brands are launching affiliate networks that use creators to drive sales. Companies like Portland Leather Goods have marshaled hundreds of fans into their affiliate channel and are seeing it drive first-time customer growth.
TikTok Shop has also deliberately courted companies to join by offering co-branded partnerships where it picks up the share of a major discount or free shipping offer. At one point, it had a program called Project Horizon to incentivize agencies to onboard large brands, driving at least $10 million in annual sales on competing platforms. But as the platform matures, such incentives might be less common.
Small versus big brands
Early successes on TikTok Shop often came from digitally-native startups. And their playbook that relied on UGC, live shopping or flash sales may not be a fit for major multinational companies like Samsung, Disney, Ulta and others that are newer to the platform. They may also not be able to post as frequently or authentically as a founder-led brand can, due to the approvals and processes that corporate marketing typically involves.
But those larger companies may have an edge when it comes to price competition. And they also may see more of a halo effect on their other sales channels if they’re showing up in front of TikTok Shop buyers who aren’t quite ready to add to cart.
Discovery and awareness over retention
Despite the success any brands are seeing, the trio discusses how TikTok Shop won’t be for everybody. Companies are still losing margin by selling on a different platform, meaning they have to make sure they can handle a potential hit. There’s also the question of whether TikTok Shop sales could cannibalize the growth they’re seeing in other channels, whether direct-to-consumer or Amazon.
Still, there’s evidence that TikTok Shop is growing at a rate that requires brands to pay attention and determine if it plays a role in their customer journey. EMarketer’s research from December also shows that TikTok Shop sales are poised to surpass $20 billion in 2026 and reach over $30 billion in 2028. The podcast concludes with a discussion on whether it’s a “must-have” or “nice-to-have.” As with many retail choices, the answer depends on the brand’s unique positioning.