300,000 small businesses from the UK on TikTok Shop

Over 300,000 small businesses from the United Kingdom are now selling on TikTok Shop, according to the platform. It did not release the total amount of sellers in the country, but it said that the amount of new sellers joining has increased 200 percent year on year.

TikTok introduced its popular shopping feature in the United Kingdom, at the end of 2021. At the beginning, interest from British shoppers was somewhat underwhelming. Because of that, the platform delayed further expansion plans. But in 2024, revenues increased 180 percent.

Increase in small businesses

By the end of 2024, TikTok Shop announced that more than 200,000 businesses were active sellers. In order to reach and support more small and medium-sized, it launched Shop Local in the United Kingdom last year. The five winners of the program received 150,000 British pounds in support.

‘This is a huge milestone and it shows the scale of opportunity’

It seems that this initiative has helped in reach more local small businesses in the United Kingdom. “Reaching 300,000 UK small businesses on TikTok Shop is a huge milestone and it shows the scale of opportunity, whether you’re an established retailer or a founder making your very first sale”, said Jan Wilk, head at TikTok Shop UK.

Success on other channels

While the amount of sellers was increasing, the amount of sales generated through TikTok Shop Live sessions also rose 55 percent. According to the platform, over 6,000 live shopping broadcasts take place on the app in the United Kingdom every day. According to TikTok Shop, independent retailers are increasingly using live commerce to reach shoppers beyond their own local communities. They also use it to answer product questions and build direct relationships with customers.

The platform said that there is also a trend which they have named the ‘TikTok Shop halo effect’. This means that strong sales and visibility on the platform helps brands grow on other channels. It has lead to wholesale partnerships, listings with larger businesses and expansion into physical stores or more product categories.