TikTok Shop Expands into France, Germany & Italy on March 31

On March 31, TikTok will officially launch its e-commerce platform, TikTok Shop, in France, Germany, and Italy, further expanding its presence in Europe. Although TikTok has experienced growth in the U.S. market, its American operations face uncertainty due to the parent company, ByteDance, being pressured by the U.S. government to divest TikTok’s American business.

TikTok Shop has been operating in the UK since 2021 and entered the U.S. market in September 2023, achieving strong performance during the holiday shopping season. However, potential restrictions from the U.S. government pose risks to the platform’s long-term prospects in America. To mitigate these challenges, TikTok Shop is accelerating its expansion in Europe, with France, Germany, and Italy as its latest targets.

TikTok Shop is partnering with local European sellers to diversify its product offerings. According to TikTok Shop UK, the platform expects to expand more quickly in France, Germany, and Italy compared to its initial launch in the UK. During that time, the model was still experimental, requiring extensive promotion to educate sellers about platform features. Today, TikTok Shop has refined its operations and successfully promoted live shopping in multiple markets.

This European expansion features partnerships with prominent retailers such as Carrefour in France, online fashion retailer About You in Germany, and cosmetics brand Cosnova. These collaborations highlight TikTok Shop’s deepening penetration into the European market.

TikTok Shop's live shopping and short video-based commerce allow consumers to purchase items directly while watching content and receive recommendations from trusted creators. While the platform has focused on discounted items, it has also ventured into premium product categories. For example, a luxury shop in the UK sold second-hand Hermès Birkin bags via TikTok Shop, demonstrating its appeal to diverse consumer groups. Furthermore, TikTok Shop is enhancing its digital shopping experience with tools like “Shop Tap” for influencer product recommendations, “Shop Ads” for promotional campaigns, and “Fulfilled by TikTok” for warehousing, order fulfillment, and logistics.

TikTok’s UK market success has laid the groundwork for its expansion into other European countries. The platform has attracted over 200,000 sellers in the UK, making it the country's second-largest online retailer for beauty and health products. After entering Spain in December, TikTok Shop also plans to expand into Latin America and other regions. Although the platform has had to adapt its strategy in certain markets—such as revising its approach in the UK after early challenges—it continues to actively pursue global growth.

In the U.S., TikTok Shop's growth has been remarkable, with sales during Black Friday tripling compared to the previous year. The U.S. now ranks as TikTok Shop's largest shopping market outside of China. However, if TikTok fails to comply with potential “sell it or ban it” legislation in the U.S., the platform could face a nationwide ban. This has driven TikTok to expand into other markets more rapidly to reduce its reliance on the U.S.

In contrast, Douyin, TikTok's Chinese counterpart, has already turned its e-commerce business into a major revenue driver, generating $490 billion in GMV (gross merchandise value) in 2024, compared to TikTok's global GMV of $30 billion. Motivated by this immense potential, TikTok continues to invest in its global e-commerce strategy, aiming to enhance the shopping experience, expand its market presence, and attract more sellers to achieve a broader commercialization strategy.