Store links could soon become common on social media apps, as TikTok is testing a feature that would make all posts accessible, the social media company's latest foray into the multi-billion-dollar e-commerce space.
The new feature uses technology to automatically identify items in videos and then encourages viewers to find similar items in the store by clicking through to the product page.
Previously, only verified influencers and brands could tag products when posting content through the app.
Currently, influencers and brands need TikTok's permission to tag products in videos, though the new feature expands product links to all videos, representing a significant expansion of TikTok's e-commerce capabilities. Tik Tok.
A TikTok spokesperson confirmed to Bloomberg that the feature was an initial test.
Last year, the Chinese social platform launched a US version of its store to combine the ease of shopping on Amazon with the product discovery opportunities offered by social sites like Instagram.
The store is a top priority for the platform, which aims to sell $17.5 billion worth of products in the United States this year.
Retailers praised the store for achieving record year-end sales as TikTok offered shoppers discounts and free shipping.
According to TikTok, “more than 5 million new customers purchased items in November,” including Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
While users complained about finding counterfeit products in stores, some said the number of promotional-style influencer posts delayed the experience.
TikTok offers creators commissions for products purchased through their posts, giving them an incentive to market the products.
The platform is testing a new feature for product links in regular users' posts, which could improve the experience for visitors who just want to be entertained.
It's worth noting that this isn't the first time companies have tried to use technology to automatically identify products and provide purchase links.
Rival social media platform Pinterest has a shopping recommendations feature that encourages users to view similar products in specific posts.
Google also offers shopping as a key use case in Google Lens and Circle to Search to help people locate items and provide purchase links.