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 “hale of hurricane” the revolution brought by TikTok Shop, a platform that has demonstrated 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.
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 American, British and Asian, TikTok users are highly likely to buy directly within the application due to the combination of entertainment, social interaction and ease of purchase in the same place, in an absolutely frictionless journey and that allows you to realize the desire for consumption without the need to leave the platform.
One of the great differentials of this new business model brought by 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 buying. The platform allows creators and brands to directly integrate links to products displayed in the 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, which can reach 10x more results. This is especially the emotional connection that users develop with influencers and organically generated content, which increases trust and credibility in promoted products & not to mention the speed to buy 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 grab consumer attention, the fluidity of navigation and the simplicity of integrated checkout are crucial to reduce the abandonment rate of carts.
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 economy of attention 2024 A scenario in which time spent on social networks directly converts into business opportunities.In markets such as the United States and Indonesia, 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 monthly on the application, its arrival promises to shake up the e-commerce market, which promises to shake up it can generate almost R$ 39 billion in the national territory until 2028 (according to a study released by Santander bank).
The rise of 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 vectors of sales.
E-commerce represents 13% of global retail, and social commerce, driven by influencers and immersive content, is the next wave IS ENHANCED by the effective application of artificial intelligence in hyperpersonalization. Thus, when the user watches a live of a creator testing a beauty product, the purchase can be completed in seconds, without leaving the application. This eliminates friction and enhances impulse sales, which are the heart of retail.
The platform operates in countries such as the USA, UK, China, Mexico and Indonesia, where integrated features such as shopping icons in videos, product showcases and live streams (simplify the consumer journey.In Indonesia, for example, 9 of the 10 largest TikTok Shop stores in 2024 were beauty and personal care, a segment that also dominated the highest-grossing lives in the US. The TikTok strategy includes aggressive incentives to attract sellers, such as 90-day periods without commissions and free shipping, tactics that may be replicated in Brazil to accelerate adoption.
TikTok Shop
In the Brazilian scenario, the arrival of the TikTok Shop in April 2025 occurs in an environment of fierce competition. Giants such as Mercado Livre (which registered 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 every 10 users of TikTok open the app daily, and 56% of online shopping is carried out in the evening, peak time of consumption in the platform 10 years, 10 and the predominant categories T2.
Integration between algorithm, content and checkout is the big difference. While traditional platforms rely on active searches for products, TikTok Shop uses organic discovery: influencer videos, viral trends and personalized recommendations guide the user to purchase. The TikTok search engine is already powerful, but now it will connect directly to the product showcase. Imagine a user searching “incare for oily skin and finding not only tutorials, but the mentioned products, reviews and purchase options in one place.
For sellers, novelty will require creativity. Authentic content and partnerships with creators will be essential to build trust, especially in a market where 48% of consumers distrust traditional ads, according to Opinion Box. In addition, logistics 4 critical point in Brazil & Brazil may 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 in 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 are competing 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-tuned operation, support for sellers and a deep understanding of Brazilian regulatory and tax 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 win not only sales, but loyalty and the increase of its value in the market.