Anyone who works anywhere within the retail industry should be not only intrigued, but all over TikTok Shop.

And here’s why.

TikTok Shop was the fastest-growing e-commerce platform in the UK in 2024. The number of shoppers that year jumped by 131% driving an 180% year-on-year rise in revenue.

Crucially, 44% of TikTok users in the UK have already bought something directly on the platform. That’s not a little test-and-learn behaviour. That’s a cultural shift. Millions of people are shopping in-feed, in real time, without ever leaving the app.

Then consider that it’s a completely new kind of commerce.

It’s neither ecommerce nor social commerce, really – it’s an entertainment platform. That just happens to sell you things.

Beauty, unfiltered

TikTok Shop has completely redefined beauty marketing – and in doing so, unlocked a powerful new relationship with Gen Z.

Young consumers are rejecting the notion of glossy perfection in favour of raw, real, unfiltered utility. Beauty content that doesn’t show you the product – it shows you how to use it.

Gen Z aren’t rejecting beauty as such. They’re just not buying into the “ideal”. They want makeup that makes them feel like themselves – not someone else. And TikTok is full of creators who deliver that in under 20 seconds, straight from their bedrooms.

That authenticity is what gives brands like Made by Mitchell and Glow Hub their cult status on TikTok Shop. It’s lo-fi, lo-touch, high trust.

Glimmers > grand gestures

One of the most fascinating behavioural trends bubbling away on TikTok right now is the rise of the glimmer.

What’s a glimmer? A little flicker of joy in the everyday. Your dog blinking slowly at you. Someone saving you a seat. A perfect cup of tea.

These tiny moments of dopamine are the balm to our burnout – and TikTok is full of them. That means it’s also full of potential for brands that understand how to tap into it.

Not every piece of content needs to scream “BUY ME.” Sometimes it just needs to make someone feel something. A moment of calm. A hit of nostalgia. A smile.

That’s the magic of ‘glimmer marketing’ – and TikTok Shop is where it can turn into real-world sales.

Sport, but make it shoppable

TikTok Shop is also making plays in the sports world – with livestreams acting as the new fan forums.

Younger audiences are shifting how they consume sport. It’s less about watching 90 minutes on a sofa and more about jumping into conversations, memes, and merch drops.

Livestream shopping during matches, or pre/post-game sessions with athletes and influencers, makes the experience two-way – and monetisable.

It’s live commentary meets QVC. And it works.

The Takeout:

TikTok Shop is no longer just an experiment. It’s a new frontier.

A shoppable entertainment platform.
A creator-led sales channel.
A trend engine that turns attention into action – in seconds.

If you’re in retail, marketing, ecommerce, or brand building – this isn’t a side hustle to ignore. It’s a whole new playbook.

And it’s still being written.