Social commerce is changing the landscape of ecommerce, and TikTok is at the center of it all. TikTok combines entertainment, community, education, and shopping in its platform. For small businesses, TikTok, specifically the platform’s ecommerce solution TikTok Shop, can serve as a beneficial sales or marketing channel. If you are a small business owner, the TikTok Shop statistics we have compiled below can help guide you in using the platform for your business.
Key takeaways:
- TikTok Shop is huge and the TikTok Shop stats below prove it. Everyone and anyone is using it—55 million in the US have shopped on the platform so far!
- Product discovery is huge for TikTok users. Tie it with solid marketing and you will most likely boost TikTok Shop sales.
- The US has the largest number of TikTok users worldwide.
TikTok Ecommerce Statistics: Shops, Products, and Revenue
With its launch in the US in September 2023, TikTok Shop has been generating waves among platform users and sizable profits among early adopter sellers.
1. TikTok Shops generated $11.09 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV) in 2023
Beauty and personal care recorded the highest GMV among all categories, generating $2.49 billion and accounting for 22.5% in total TikTok Shop GMV. Womenswear and underwear followed second, with menswear, food and beverages, and health closing out the top categories.
Categories | GMV | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
Beauty & Personal Care | $2.49B | 22.50% |
Womenswear & Underwear | $1.39B | 12.56% |
Menswear & Underwear | $893.54M | 8.06% |
Food & Beverages | $759.84M | 6.85% |
Health | $600.42M | 5.42% |
2. TikTok generated $65 million in revenue from iOS in the US in the last quarter of 2023
In the last quarter of 2023, TikTok revenue from the iOS app generated $65 million in the US. China took the top spot with $303 million while Japan ranked third with almost $29 million.
3. TikTok Shop in the US generated $363 million in consumer spending two months after its launch on September 2023
Since its US launch, TikTok Shop has generated $363 million in consumer spending. This is a 72% increase from $260 million in October.
(Source: The New Consumer)
4. The womenswear and underwear product category have the most number of TikTok Shops
Womenswear and underwear have the highest number of shops on TikTok, accounting for 5.64% of the total TikTok Shop count. Beauty and personal care together with home supplies come in close, accounting for 5.59% and 5.13% of the total store count, respectively.
5. The US has over 31,000 TikTok Shops
TikTok Shops in the US amount to 11.83% (31.29K) of the total TikTok Shop count worldwide. APAC countries—Indonesia (20.52%), Thailand (18.29%), Vietnam (17.54%), and Malaysia (12.94%)—take the top spots.
TikTok Shopping Trends: Shopping Behavior
Knowing the shopping behavior of TikTok users on the platform is crucial in crafting your TikTok ecommerce marketing strategy. It’s important to take note of the following TikTok stats.
6. More than 55 million TikTok users in the US have shopped on platform
In 2023, an estimated 37% of TikTok users in the US—55.5 million—made purchases either through links on the app or directly on the platform. It is expected that this will increase by 67% by 2026, with US TikTok social shoppers reaching 39.5 million.
7. 37% of TikTok users are in the top third of spenders on social platforms
A study by Material on TikTok Marketing Science shows that 37% of TikTok users are in the top third of spenders, a 61% increase over other platforms. And those that include TikTok in their purchase journeys spend 1.6 times more than those that do not include TikTok in their journey.
8. TikTok users are the most susceptible to impulse buying
According to StyleSeat, more than half (55%) of TikTok users made impulse purchases on the platform in 2022, making TikTok the top social channel for impulse purchases. Instagram and Facebook came in second and third, 46% and 45% respectively.
Twenty-eight percent of the TikTok users agree that the platform inspired impulse purchases, more than any other platform.
See also:
9. More than 70% of TikTok users buy something they stumbled across in their feeds
A majority of TikTok users (71.2%) said they have shopped for something when they stumbled across them in their feeds. This further confirms TikTok’s study that two out of three users are likely to buy something while on the platform.
10. 4 in 10 TikTok users say ‘lifting their spirits’ is the key motivator when making purchases in the platform
According to a TikTok trends report, four in 10 TikTok users say that “lifting their spirits” is key in motivating them to make a purchase.
TikTok also reports that feelings of joy for TikTok shoppers extend post-purchase. Fifty-percent of them feel joyful, excited, or happy about the products they purchased, which is 25% higher than on traditional social platforms.
11. Half of TikTok users have bought something after watching a TikTok LIVE
An Ipsos study revealed TikTok LIVE drives shopping, with 50% of TikTok users buying something after watching a LIVE. The study further showed that one in five users watch TikTok LIVE, and of that group 62% watch it every day.
See also:
- What Is Livestream Shopping? Retailers’ Guide to Live Commerce
- Livestream Shopping Statistics to Know
12. A third of TikTok users buy products because everyone is talking about it
TikTok is great at community building, too. Sixty-percent of TikTok users feel communities on TikTok are supportive and inclusive. This is where “hype” and virality factor in with TikTok trends—31% of TikTok users buy to fit in with the community or simply because everyone is talking about it.
13. 65% of TikTok users rely on TikTok creator recommendations and reviews for purchasing decisions
A majority (65%) of TikTok users say they base their purchasing decisions on online reviews and creator recommendations they see in the platform. This also applies to those people who bought something outside TikTok—72% say they still refer to creator reviews they trust on TikTok for research, more than any other platform.
14. Videos posted by other TikTok users have more weight than videos posted by brands or creators in the TikTok buying journey
TikTok’s global research study with Material reveals that when it comes to which video plays an active role in influencing purchasing decisions, TikTok users prefer videos posted by another user (42%) than by a Creator (39%) or by a brand (38%).
See also:
- User-generated Content for Ecommerce: Ultimate Guide
- How to Use User Generated Content for Marketing (+ Examples)
TikTok Shop User Demographics
TikTok has a wide, international customer base with the US having the most TikTok users. And, they’re active too, with US adults spending close to an hour on TikTok every day. As a TikTok Shop seller (or someone keen on being one), knowing who is using the app the most and how they are using it can clearly help how you market your products. More importantly, you can determine if your target audience is in the app.
15. TikTok has 1.9 billion global users
Since its launch in the international market in 2017, TikTok has registered approximately 1.9 billion users worldwide. It is estimated to reach 2.25 billion users in 2027.
In the US, TikTok has 150 million users as of March 2023, up from 100 million users in 2020. According to TikTok, its latest advertising audience figures suggest that 19.4% of people aged 18 and above around the world use TikTok today
16. 68% of adult Gen-Zers in the US are likely to purchase on TikTok
More than two-thirds (68%) of US adult Gen Zers are more likely to make a purchase on TikTok, along with YouTube and behind only Instagram.
17. Almost 3 in 5 TikTok users discover new products on TikTok
A TikTok study shows that 55% of its users utilize the platform for brand and product discovery.
TikTok users discover more new brands or products on the platform through celebrities or public figures (48%), creators (25%), and trending topics or hashtags (23%) than on other platforms.
Interestingly, among age groups, 50% of Gen X-ers use the platform to research or learn more about new products. In fact, 35% of them have bought a product because they saw it on TikTok (2021).
Related: Gen X Consumer Behaviors: Gen X Shopping Habits
18. 18% of TikTok users are Gen Z and female
According to the latest TikTok user statistics in January 2024, 18% of TikTok users are women aged 18 to 24 years old and 15% of women aged 25 to 34 years old.
And while it might look like TikTok is predominantly used by women, the platform also has a healthy balance of male users. As of April 2023, 53.4% of TikTok’s global users are female and 46.6% of TikTok’s global users are male.
Related: Gen Z Consumer Behaviors: Understand Gen Z Shopping Habits
19. US adult consumers spend close to an hour a day on TikTok
A eMarketer study shows that the average time spent daily on TikTok has risen dramatically since 2019, with US adults spending an estimated 58.4 minutes daily on the platform.
In fact, TikTok surpassed YouTube in 2021 for time spent on the platform everyday among US adults.
(Source: eMarketer)
20. The US has the highest number of TikTok users worldwide
As of April 2023, the US has the highest number of registered users aged 18 and above, with 116.5 million active TikTok users.
Indonesia, Brazil, and Mexico came in next with the following figures:
- US: 116.6 million
- Indonesia: 113 million
- Brazil: 84.1 million
- Mexico: 62.4 million
21. Two-thirds of US teens 18-19 years old use TikTok
According to a Statista survey, seven in 10 respondents aged between 18 and 19 years old use TikTok (67%), with usage decreasing as the age group increases. Fifty-six percent of those aged between 20 and 29 years old use the platform.
(Source: Statista)
Research from Pew confirms this, going as far as showing that two out of every three US teens use TikTok daily, with 16% saying they use it almost constantly.
22. Social media users in the US spend a majority of their social media time on TikTok
TikTok is the top social media platform used by US consumers as of February 2023. TikTok users in the US spend 32% of the time they allot for social media engagement with the platform, with Facebook and Instagram only getting 20% each of social media time allotment.
TikTok Shop Trends for Marketing
23. Brands experience a 41% increase in viewer trust when they advertise on TikTok consistently over an extended period of time
A TikTok study comparing trust scores for brands from December 2018 to December 2022 showed that users trust brands that advertise on TikTok consistently. This is primarily due to TikTok content being known as authentic.
And it is reported that after seeing an ad on TikTok, viewers are 41% more likely to trust the brand (vs before seeing an ad on TikTok) and 31% more likely to be loyal to a brand (vs before seeing an ad on TikTok).
24. TikTok ads are more memorable than TV ads
TikTok ads are gaining traction among other platform ads. An in-person setting study shows that TikTok In-Feeds ads are 23% more memorable than TV ads.
25. TikTok drives higher credibility, trust, loyalty, and likelihood to recommend than other platforms
TikTok’s study shows that after three weeks of ad exposure, TikTok users change their views about brands. Brands experience higher credibility (19%), higher trust (14%), higher loyalty (9%), and have a higher likelihood of being recommended (19%).
TikTok Shop Stats Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Click through the sections below to get answers to your most frequently asked questions about TikTok Shop statistics.
Latest data from TikTok shows that there are more than 200,000 TikTok Shops on the platform. In the US, there are more than 30,000 TikTok sellers.
TikTok Shop has a gross merchandise volume (GMV) of $11.09 billion.
In the US, 55.5 million TikTok users have bought either via links on the app or directly through the platform in 2023.
Bottom Line
Retail businesses, whether they are brick-and-mortar or online stores, will benefit from including TikTok in their store’s marketing strategy. On top of including the platform in marketing efforts, selling on TikTok will help promote products, increase visibility, and boost store sales.
Use the TikTok Shop statistics in this article to make better strategic decisions in your marketing efforts on social media.
