Blog

TikTok will cease TikTok Storefront and its associated Shopify integration within the next two weeks. European merchants will need to sell directly on TikTok Shop in the future to attract customers on the rapidly growing platform.

This change will soon apply to British merchants. Currently, they can still utilize TikTok Storefront on Shopify, just like American merchants. Through integrations, also with BigCommerce, Ecwid and Square, they can easily display their products on TikTok and direct shoppers to their own websites.

TikTok Storefront discontinued globally

This will come to an end on September 12th: TikTok Storefront will then be discontinued globally. Storefront products will no longer appear on TikTok profiles, nor will they be eligible to feature in short videos, livestreams, and ads. TikTok is encouraging merchants to transition from Storefront to TikTok Shop as soon as possible.

TikTok prefers that shoppers make purchases directly on its social platform, rather than being redirected to external websites. With TikTok Shop, the platform aims to be more than just a showcase for other ecommerce sites.

TikTok aims to become a one-stop shop

Precursor

In a statement about the depreciation the company itself hints that TikTok Storefront can be seen as a precursor to TikTok Shop: “Here at TikTok, we are committed to building native, engaging and entertaining shopping experiences that empower you to meaningfully engage with customers and grow your business. As the retail industry changes rapidly, we are committed to enhancing and expanding our product offering to meet your evolving needs. That’s why we built TikTok Shop.”

Showcase and sell

TikTok Shop is an ecommerce solution integrated within the TikTok app. It allows brands to showcase and sell products directly on the social platform through shoppable in-feed videos, live shopping sessions, and product showcase tabs on profile pages.

TikTok Shop empowers merchants to directly sell on the platform

TikTok, the international subsidiary of Chinese company ByteDance, launched TikTok Shop in certain parts of Asia early last year, followed by expansions in the United Kingdom and the United States. A launch in continental Europe does not appear to be on the horizon. Nevertheless, TikTok’s interest in ecommerce is evident, as seen in its initiation of fulfillment services in the UK.