TikTok Shop has attracted more than 200,000 UK small and medium businesses to its e-commerce platform, alongside major retailers including Marks & Spencer, Samsung, QVC, Clarks, and Sainsbury’s, according to The Guardian. The platform, launched in Britain in 2021, recorded its largest UK sales day on Black Friday, reporting 27 items sold every second.

Sales during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday period increased 50% compared with the previous year, according to The Guardian’s report. TikTok Shop became the UK’s fastest-growing online retailer in 2024, according to the company’s first “UK Shopping Report.”

The service allows brands to sell directly within TikTok through videos and livestreams with embedded product links, as well as through a dedicated shop tab on brand profiles. Brands can post their own content with product links or enable influencers to promote items using affiliate links.

Checkout occurs within the app, with revenue divided among TikTok, the seller, and any creator who drove the sale. The platform’s design supports impulse buying behavior, as described by Danielle Dullaghan, social strategy director at global marketing agency Iris.

Retail Performance

According to The Guardian, Sainsbury’s, among the first major supermarkets to launch on the platform, sold out of Tu Christmas pyjamas within one week following a sponsored collaboration with influencer Rachel Spicer that generated 6.6 million views.

M&S reported strong results from TikTok Shop livestreams, with one recent broadcast attracting 260,000 viewers and generating approximately one sale every 30 seconds.

London-based jewellery brand L’ERA, operated by Lara Mar and her daughters Talia Mar and Angele Sofia, projects approximately £145,000 in TikTok revenue for the year. “It has almost doubled year on year, and many of our online customers originally discovered us via TikTok,” Mar said.

The brand conducts three three-hour livestreams weekly, increasing to six during Black Friday and Christmas periods. L’ERA’s largest single TikTok order exceeded £1,400.

The Fat Butcher, an online meat delivery service based in Newcastle, added fresh turkeys to its TikTok Shop offerings this year as businesses seek increased reach amid AI-driven changes to search result visibility.

Sector-Specific Trends

Beauty brands demonstrated strong commercial returns, according to Dullaghan, with Wonderskin Lip Stain selling one unit every five seconds on TikTok Shop following significant order increases between March and May.

Fashion collectibles showed substantial growth, with POP MART’s Labubus vinyl toys generating 1.1 billion video views in 2025 and experiencing an 819% increase in orders between March and May. Comfort-focused denim from brands including RELA RELA and KatchMe recorded a 27% increase in orders during the same period.

Technology products demonstrated strong performance, with the Ninja Blast Cordless Blender recording a 1,800% increase in orders and the Shark Steam Mop surging 5,800% between March and May.

Platform Challenges

Business consultant Jules Brim noted the costs associated with the platform. “TikTok Shop has exploded, and for some small brands it’s been a game-changer in terms of reach and sales,” Brim said. “But what we don’t talk about enough is the cost. It can create a race to the bottom on pricing, put pressure on small businesses to produce constant content, and shift the focus from brand building to chasing trends.”

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