TikTok’s two new features to expand direct shopping opportunity

TikTok has launched two new features to further expand the opportunity of direct shopping along with watching videos. Among the new facilities are an artificial intelligence or AI-based shopping assistant and the arrangement of buying products from inside the app while watching videos.

The popular video sharing platform announced the two features on Monday (October 5). TikTok has informed that the new ‘Shopping Assistant’ will be a conversation-based AI service. It will assist in various areas from searching for products to taking the decision of shopping by understanding the need and preference of the user.

If information about any product is sought, the AI assistant will be able to give information related to its features, stock status, size or measurement and supply. This AI system will also assist the user in selecting products as per need and in the process of buying. It will also have the capability of giving advice about suitable products by analysing the interest and preference of the user.

On the other hand, due to the ‘one-click’ shopping facility, if any brand’s product is preferred while watching a video in TikTok’s ‘For You’ feed, it can be bought directly. There will be no need to go to a separate website and search for the product anew. As a result, from watching the video to knowing information about the product and completing the shopping can be done on the same platform.

TikTok is working with various e-commerce and digital payment institutions to launch the new service. Among the partners are Salesforce, Shopify and Stripe. Although the e-commerce activities of the institution had so far remained mainly centred around ‘TikTok Shop’, the opportunity of direct shopping is being increased in other parts of the app as well through the new initiative.

The scope of commercial activities of TikTok is also increasing rapidly. In a recent economic impact report of the institution, it has been said that the activities of TikTok have created economic activities of about 81 billion dollars for the businesses of the United States. In the same report, about 54 million American users have informed that they have bought some product or other after watching TikTok videos.

TikTok Shop was launched in the United States in September 2023. According to the calculation of market research institution eMarketer, products worth about 15.8 billion dollars were sold through TikTok Shop in the country in 2025. This sale was about 18 percent of the total social media-based commerce or social commerce sales of the country. Through the new AI and direct shopping facilities, TikTok now wants to further expand the scope of digital commerce along with video entertainment.