[Preview of the Weekly] TikTok Replicates E-commerce Monetization Globally, But Live Commerce Abroad Is No Easy Feat (AI Translation)
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- On Black Friday, November 24, U.S. online sales hit a record $9.8 billion, with Chinese e-commerce platforms like Temu, SHEIN, and TikTok Shop overshadowing Amazon's performance. TikTok Shop saw a 215% increase in GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) during the event compared to the previous month and a fourfold increase on Black Friday itself.
- TikTok's e-commerce service is leveraging its nearly 1 billion monthly active users worldwide to diversify revenue streams beyond advertising and live streaming. The company has prioritized its business in the U.S., where it has over 150 million monthly active users, by recruiting staff and focusing on localizing operations to mitigate political risks.
- Political challenges persist for TikTok with concerns over content influencing young voters in democracies and potential bans due to national security issues. Despite these challenges, TikTok continues to expand its e-commerce footprint globally while navigating complex geopolitical landscapes and regulatory environments.
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By Caixin's Guan Cong
11月24日是欧美传统“黑色星期五”（下称“黑五”）购物节，美国当天线上销售额达到创纪录的98亿美元，同比增长7.5%。北美电商霸主亚马逊（Amazon）表现平淡，大促风头几乎被Temu、SHEIN（希音）、TikTok Shop一众中国电商平台抢走。
On November 24, the traditional "Black Friday" shopping festival in Europe and America saw online sales in the United States reach a record-breaking $9.8 billion, marking a 7.5% increase year-over-year. North America's e-commerce giant Amazon had a lackluster performance as Chinese online platforms such as Temu, SHEIN, and TikTok Shop nearly stole the show during the major promotional event.
这是TikTok在美国推出电商服务TikTok Shop后的首次大促，欲基于全球近10亿月活用户量，开辟广告、直播之外的又一大变现赛道；尤其TikTok美国月活已超1.5亿，接近总人口的45%，消费潜力巨大。
This marks TikTok's first major promotion of its e-commerce service, TikTok Shop, in the United States. Aiming to capitalize on its nearly 1 billion monthly active users worldwide, the platform seeks to forge a new major revenue stream beyond advertising and live streaming. Particularly in the U.S., where TikTok's monthly active users have exceeded 150 million—nearly 45% of the total population—the potential for consumer spending is immense.
挟流量、补贴等手段，TikTok Shop“黑五”期间（10月27日—11月27日）在美国市场的整体支付GMV（商品销售总额）环比提升215%；“黑五”当日则提升4倍。今年以来，TikTok Shop美区业务优先级提升，大量招聘人员，上线后发展势头超过早落地两年的英国区，从10月底“黑五”预热开始，TikTok电商负责人康泽宇就带着团队从新加坡亲赴美国备战。
Leveraging traffic and subsidies, TikTok Shop saw its overall Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) in the U.S. market increase by 215% month-over-month during the "Black Friday" period (October 27 to November 27); on Black Friday itself, the increase was fourfold. Since the beginning of this year, TikTok Shop has prioritized its U.S. operations, hiring a large number of employees. After its launch, it has outperformed the UK region, which had been established two years earlier. Starting from the end-of-October Black Friday warm-up, Kang Zeyu, the head of TikTok's e-commerce division, led his team from Singapore to the United States to prepare for the event.
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