TikTok Unveils First Shoppable Livestream with Ntwrk
Retail Dive | August 24, 2020
TikTok this week will host its first shoppable livestream in a collaboration with Ntwrk, a home shopping network targeting Generation Z. The companies are selling a limited-edition fashion collection designed by artist Joshua Vides.
Vides' collection includes clothing inspired by "fit check" videos that TikTok users share of themselves wearing new outfits. T-shirts and hoodies have messages like "not going anywhere" and "here to stay" in support of TikTok, the Chinese-owned social video app that faces a possible ban in the U.S. because of national security concerns.
By letting people buy products directly through its app, TikTok can help to convert passive viewers into active shoppers and further open its platform to retailers and direct-to-consumer brands. Support for social commerce is key for mobile marketers who seek to reach shoppers as the coronavirus pandemic drives a surge in e-commerce.
Social media apps have become more popular for shopping as they seek to connect advertisers with consumers, especially younger consumers who are more elusive to traditional media outlets like linear TV. Ninety-two percent of millennials and 97% of Gen Zers said social media is their top source for shopping ideas in a survey by installment payment service Afterpay. That power to influence shoppers makes social media platforms an almost indispensable channel for mobile marketers.