Evolving E-commerce with Tiktok

By now advertising on social media is as common as ever. We’re bombarded with advertisements as we scroll through our feeds, so much so, that Forbes reported that we see between 4k-10k each day! Now, Tiktok reigns as the number 1 most downloaded app, knocking off Facebook-owned apps, and the first to reach 380+ million first-time installs. With that said, let’s talk about the advertising benefits of the platform.


This is the new wild west for marketers. The app, back in May according to Bloomberg, started pushing e-commerce through the platform. TikTok’s Chinese-only cousin, Douyin, amassed up to $26 billion through e-commerce in its first year, so it made sense for Tiktok to expand this section of their app, and not just for competition but also revenue. They did just that, with their recent partnership with Shopify.

How it works

Firstly, this is for Shopify merchants with a Tiktok For Business account, which you can find here in the Shopify app store. With a free download, you can install 1-click pixel installations for performance tracking, promote products with campaigns, target a massive audience, and more! You can run campaigns while setting a budget, and all ad spend is billed to the TikTok ad account.

  • Your consumers can find the Shop page for your brand on your profile. Below is a screenshot we’ve taken from one of the major brands that are testing this option. From your profile page, users have a small shopping bag option to tap on.
Kylie Cosmetics Tiktok Profile
  • From within the Tiktok app, consumers can scroll through available products. If they select one they’d like to purchase, they can tap the “Checkout on Website” button on the product page, and be taken straight to your website through Tiktok, where they can checkout!

Ecommerce in videos

The platform did something that’s not that different from IG Shoppable Post. In your business account’s TikTok videos, you can add a shoppable tag for the product, which then takes you to the product page on the platform. While you can post videos on Instagram feeds and reels, Tiktok got the product up and in front of the consumer first, and allows businesses to link it right there, with no additional effort to the consumer. They’ve perfected seamless shopping with virtually no interference on social media. 

Kylie Cosmetics Tiktok Product Tag

Select availability

The Shopping pilot, for right now, is only available to Shopify merchants within the US and UK. However, over the next few months, they’ll be rolling out to other countries and regions. If you’re a Shopify merchant, you can request early access to the pilot via Shopify’s TikTok channel.

Additional Services

Just as with any other platform, Tiktok offers ad services as well. Instead of basic ads though, the app has a few different options for what type of ads you want to do for your company. The most noticeable ones though are what they call “Brand Takeovers” and the In-feed ads. 

Brand Takeovers

Right when you open the app up, for an entire day, you’ll see the same advertisement a few times as your first video. This can give your brand major exposure but will come at a hefty price for the day, depending on if it’s a holiday or not. 

In-feed ads

In-feed ads are the basic format for ads on the platform. They’re the auto-playing videos people will swipe through on their “For you” page (also known as FYP). These are the small ads, aiming for engagements, such as likes, comments, or follows. Users can even “stitch” with your ad, which is like reposting a video on their account if the ad entices users to engage that way.  

At James Ross, we have 30+ years of experience in following through with creative solutions for clients. We’ve worked on multiple social media platforms with organic and paid advertising, so make sure to contact or email us here to get started about your e-commerce strategy, on more than just Tiktok!