Exclusive | TikTok Shop expands to Spain and Ireland amid global e-commerce push

The short-video app and its owner ByteDance is under pressure to search for new revenue sources amid slowing growth

Reading Time:2 minutes

TikTok Shop is pushing into Spain and Ireland as soon as December, according to several merchants. Photo: AP Photo

Published: 9:00pm, 27 Nov 2024

TikTok is gearing up for a European expansion of its e-commerce business, as the Chinese-owned short-video service seeks to broaden its online shopping footprint globally amid slowing growth and geopolitical challenges.

ByteDance-owned TikTok in recent months has been inviting vendors to join its online shopping platform in Spain, which is scheduled to launch in December, according to two store owners approached by the platform.

One of them, who focuses on make-up and skincare, said the invitation came in August and some Spanish TikTok stores are already open for business. The platform is set to activate next month the “yellow shopping cart” icon, which appears in short videos and live streams, allowing influencers to curate and promote items sold in different TikTok stores, the owner said.

Merchants are also being encouraged by TikTok to join its e-commerce service in Ireland, although it is unclear when that would launch. On the company’s official seller page, Ireland has been listed as an “invite-only” market along with Spain.

A TikTok Shop advertisement in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Wency Chen

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.