Social Commerce is a growing trend that is revolutionizing the way products and services are sold online. New business strand originated in China and strongly accelerated by the pandemic, it now has in its “eye of the hurricane” the revolution brought by the TikTok Shop, a platform that has shown great potential in several countries to boost sales through deep, native integration, between content and online shopping, And that finally arrives in Brazil this April.
The TikTok Shop takes advantage of the immediate behavior of the new generation of digital consumers who seek instant gratification. According to research in different markets, such as the American, the British and the Asian, TikTok users are highly likely to buy directly within the app due to the combination of entertainment, social interaction and ease of purchase in the same location, on a journey that is absolutely without friction and that allows us to fulfill the desire for consumption without the need. to leave the platform.
One of the great differentials of this new business model brought by the TikTok Shop is in the short video format characteristic of the platform and integrated with the virtual store that, in addition to quickly capturing attention, also drives impulse purchase. The platform allows creators and brands to directly integrate links to products displayed in videos, quickly transforming interest into real conversion.
As I recently shared in interviews with some specialized television news, the TikTok Shop recorded a significant increase in sales conversions when compared to other traditional forms of e-commerce, reaching 10x more results. This is especially the case for the emotional connection that users develop with influencers and organically generated content, which increases the confidence and credibility in the promoted products – not to mention the speed of purchase in the app, leveraging the desire to buy on impulse.
Another important factor for the success of the TikTok Shop is the user experience, highly optimized for mobile. In a scenario where every second counts to hold the consumer’s attention, the fluidity of the navigation and the simplicity of the integrated checkout are crucial to reducing the rate of cart abandonment.
TikTok beyond a video platform
TikTok has long transcended its origin as a platform for short videos and dances. Today, it is a phenomenon that redefines the intersection between entertainment and commerce, driven by the attention economy — a scenario in which time spent on social networks directly becomes business opportunities. In markets such as the United States and Indonesia, the TikTok Shop moved US$ 33 billion in 2024, a figure that illustrates the power of this new frontier of social commerce. In Brazil, where users spend more than 30 hours per month in the app, their arrival promises to shake the e-commerce market, which can generate almost R$ 39 billion in the national territory until 2028 (second study released by Banco Santander).
The rise of the TikTok Shop is intrinsically linked to the change in consumer behavior. We live in the era where attention is the most valuable asset, and platforms that manage to capture it — like TikTok, with its precisely tuned algorithm — become natural sales vectors.
E-commerce represents 13% of global retail, and Social Commerce, driven by influencers and immersive content, is the next wave – which is potentiated by the effective application of artificial intelligence in hyperpersonalization. Thus, when the user watches a live from a creator testing a beauty product, the purchase can be completed in seconds, without leaving the app. This eliminates friction and boosts impulse sales, which are the heart of retail.
The platform operates in countries such as the US, UK, China, Mexico and Indonesia, where integrated features — such as video purchase icons, product windows and live streams — simplify the consumer journey. In Indonesia, for example, 9 of the 10 largest TikTok Shop stores in 2024 were for beauty and personal care, a segment that also dominated the lives with the highest revenue in the US. TikTok’s strategy includes aggressive incentives to attract salespeople, such as 90-day periods without commissions and free shipping, tactics that could be replicated in Brazil to accelerate adoption.
tiktok shop
In the Brazilian scenario, the arrival of the TikTok Shop in April 2025 takes place in a fierce competition environment. Giants such as Mercado Livre (which registered a GMV of US$ 51.5 billion in 2024), Amazon and Shopee dominate the market, but the Chinese platform bets on its unique ability to unite content and commerce. Brazil is an ideal laboratory for social commerce: eight out of 10 TikTok users open the app daily, and 56% of online purchases are made at night, peak consumption hours on the platform. In addition, the predominant profile — 62% of users are between 10 and 29 years old, and 57% are women — it aligns itself perfectly with categories such as beauty, fashion and well-being, initial focuses of the TikTok Shop.
The integration between algorithm, content and checkout is the big difference. While traditional platforms rely on active searches for products, the TikTok Shop uses organic discovery: influencer videos, viral trends and personalized recommendations guide the user to purchase. TikTok’s search engine is already powerful, but now it will connect directly to the product window. Imagine a user searching “skincare for oily skin” and finding not only tutorials, but the mentioned products, reviews and purchase options in one place.
For sellers, the novelty will require creativity. Authentic content and partnerships with creators will be essential to build trust, especially in a market where 48% of consumers are suspicious of traditional ads, according to Opinion Box. In addition, logistics — a critical point in Brazil — can be an initial challenge. While in the UK TikTok manages deliveries, here the platform must depend on partnerships with local operators, following the model adopted in Mexico.
The competition, however, does not sleep. Amazon has reduced commissions for its sellers 3% in February 2025, and Mercado Livre expanded its ecosystem with Mercado Pago, which already manages US$ 6.6 billion in credit. Shopee and Temu compete for low prices, while national brands such as Magazine Luiza invest in lives, new features and integration with influencers. In this context, the TikTok Shop will need more than virality: it will require a fine operation, support for sellers and a deep understanding of the Brazilian regulatory and fiscal particularities.
Still, the potential is undeniable. Santander projections estimate that the platform will be able to capture up to 9% of the country’s online sales by 2028. This reflects an irreversible transformation: the retail of the future will not be divided between online and offline, but between experiences that engage and those that cannot retain attention. The TikTok Shop is at the forefront of this change.
Therefore, for brands and sellers, adapting to the speed of this platform, where trends are born and die in a matter of hours, will be crucial. Whoever masters the art of selling without interrupting the user experience will conquer not only sales, but loyalty and the increase of its value in the market.
