With TikTok Shop, the shopping experience becomes as fluid and instantaneous as the content that scrolls across the application. A user discovers a product in a video, clicks on "buy" and receives it a few days later, without ever leaving TikTok. Live shopping is growing by leaps and bounds, enabling designers to sell directly by interacting with their audience. According to data from TikTok and WGSN, a company featured in the Vintage Altaroc Odyssey 2022, a quarter of users say they are ready to buy almost immediately after seeing a product live. The number of sellers on the platform, meanwhile, jumped 131% in 2024. And that's just for starters: by 2026, TikTok Shop could account for between 10 and 20% of global online commerce.
Shopping becomes a social experience
Commerce on TikTok is based on a strong social dimension, transforming the act of purchasing into an interactive and engaging experience. Far from traditional online shopping, where decisions are often made by individuals, TikTok offers a model where trends emerge from real communities. Purchases become shared moments, influenced by designers and their recommendations, in a logic where authenticity takes precedence over traditional advertising. This approach is proving increasingly popular with Generation Z, who trust content creators far more than brands themselves. WGSN points out that young consumers are 3.5 times more likely to follow a trend launched by an influencer than by a company, illustrating the importance of sincere, spontaneous engagement in marketing strategies.
Live shopping, in particular, redefines the way products are presented and purchased online. Unlike traditional advertising, it relies on real-time exchanges between sellers and buyers, creating a bond of proximity and a feeling of trust. This trend goes beyond simple impulse buying: even luxury brands are finding their way in. Recently, resale platform Luxe Collective made history by selling an Hermès Birkin bag during a live TikTok, illustrating the format's potential for high-end products.
The rise of the "kidult" phenomenon
At the same time, another trend stands out: the rise of the "kidult" phenomenon, where nostalgia and attachment to childhood references influence adult purchasing behavior. Brands like Jellycat, whose plush toys have become cult objects on TikTok, are the perfect example. Other companies are riding this wave, such as Duolingo, which has transformed its mascot into a veritable star of the app, or Loewe, whose viral "real or cake? videos captivate users.
With a platform that stimulates the discovery of new products, designers who turn inspiration into purchase, and users ever more inclined to consume in real time, TikTok is profoundly redefining online commerce. More than just a social network, it's shaping the future of digital shopping.
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