TikTok To End 'Storefront' Integration With Shopify, Other Vendors

4/16/24, 8:34 PM TikTok to End 'Storefront' Integration With Shopify, Other Vendors
US MARKETS LOADING...
TECH
TikTok is moving to control all

aspects of e-commerce on its app as
it kills the 'storefront' integration
with Shopify and other vendors
Dan Whateley and Madeline Stone Share Save
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https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-end-shopify-integration-drive-sellers-tiktok-shop-e-commerce-2023-8?r=US&IR=T 1/8
TikTok is sunsetting an e-commerce feature tied to third-party platforms like

Shopify as it looks to own the shopping experience from beginning to end.
Lesia_G/iStock/Getty Images
TikTok is sunsetting storefronts, a feature that let

Shopify sellers sync product catalogs to its app.
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The company is pushing merchants to instead switch to

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its own e-commerce tool, TikTok Shop.
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The move shows how TikTok wants to own all aspects of
shopping — and box out third-party platforms.
TikTok is shutting down its Shopify-integrated

"storefronts" feature next month as it looks to control all
aspects of in-app shopping and drive sellers to use its e-
commerce platform, TikTok Shop.
Storefronts first rolled out in the US and UK in August 2021

as a way for merchants to feature products in a dedicated
tab on their TikTok accounts. The tool let Shopify sellers
sync product catalogs to TikTok where users could click on
linked items to purchase them on Shopify. TikTok
storefronts could also be integrated with online stores on
BigCommerce, Ecwid, and Square, meaning merchants
using those vendors will also lose access to the feature.
Early adopters of the feature included makeup brand Kylie

Cosmetics and wedding-band maker Manly Bands.
Storefronts
Jump to will disappear on September 12, per an FAQ
page on TikTok's website. The company wrote that it's
Main content
discontinuing the product because it's "committed to
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building native, engaging, and entertaining shopping
Account
experiences that empower you to meaningfully engage

with customers and grow your business."
Purchases that happen on TikTok Shop aren't redirected to

third-party platforms like Shopify, which means TikTok
will have primary visibility into all aspects of the customer
journey.
"TikTok Shop is entirely contained within the TikTok app,"

the company wrote on its website. "Product discovery,
product details, checkout, and post-payment activity — is
powered and performed all within the TikTok App,
creating a seamless shopping experience from beginning to
end."
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TikTok has leaned heavily into social shopping in recent

months as it lays out plans to own more of the e-commerce
process, including order fulfillment and logistics. It's tried
to woo sellers with free shipping and other subsidies. It
paid cash bonuses to influencers to tag products in videos,
and has started selling goods directly in the UK. The
company is even looking to build out a team around pre-
sold luxury items like bags and sneakers. There are few
areas of e-commerce it doesn't want to break into.
The company's owner ByteDance knows social shopping

can be a massive business. It operates a similar video app
in China called Douyin, which has driven tens of billions of
dollars in e-commerce sales, multiple outlets reported.
TikTok began testing e-commerce features in the US as
early as 2020, when it enabled creators to add in-video
shopping
Jump to links for Shopify and merchandise company
Teespring, now called Spring.
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While TikTok is boxing out Shopify and other third-party
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merchant tools from its Shop checkout feature, the
company still wants to work closely with outside platforms

on advertising. TikTok announced last week that it was
improving its API integration with Shopify to make it
easier for sellers to track potential buyer actions on
marketing campaigns.
A Shopify spokesperson told Insider the company had no

news to share about its TikTok partnership when asked
about storefronts. TikTok declined to comment.
Shopify merchants can use the company's APIs to connect

with TikTok Shop and share product, shipping, and finance
data between the two platforms. But since TikTok Shop
does not currently link back to Shopify for checkout,
Shopify could miss out on revenue if its merchants choose
to set up shop with TikTok and direct sales there instead of
their main Shopify store.
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TikTok's clearest competitive edge might be winning over
Main content who are interested in e-commerce. However,
influencers
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Rick Watson, the CEO and founder of RMW Commerce
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Consulting, doesn't consider TikTok Shop too much of a
threat to Shopify. Some influencers who are interested in

directly selling their own products may choose to "test the
waters" on TikTok Shop, but many would also likely set up
a Shopify store because the platform allows merchants to
sell in more places, Watson said.
"There is really no precedent for a social-media-marketing

e-commerce site to threaten one of the major e-commerce
platforms, and I don't expect it to happen this time either,"
Watson said.
August 23, 2023: This story has been updated with

clarifying details about how Shopify merchants can
integrate with TikTok.
Read next
TikTok eCommerce
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TikTok To End 'Storefront' Integration With Shopify, Other Vendors

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4/16/24, 8:34 PM TikTok to End 'Storefront' Integration With Shopify, Other Vendors

TikTok is moving to control all

TikTok is sunsetting an e-commerce feature tied to third-party platforms like

TikTok is sunsetting storefronts, a feature that let

The company is pushing merchants to instead switch to

TikTok is shutting down its Shopify-integrated

Storefronts first rolled out in the US and UK in August 2021

Early adopters of the feature included makeup brand Kylie

experiences that empower you to meaningfully engage

Purchases that happen on TikTok Shop aren't redirected to

"TikTok Shop is entirely contained within the TikTok app,"

TikTok has leaned heavily into social shopping in recent

The company's owner ByteDance knows social shopping

company still wants to work closely with outside platforms

A Shopify spokesperson told Insider the company had no

Shopify merchants can use the company's APIs to connect

threat to Shopify. Some influencers who are interested in

"There is really no precedent for a social-media-marketing

August 23, 2023: This story has been updated with

Stock quotes by finanzen.net Reprints & Permissions

International Editions: INTL AT DE ES IN JP MX NL PL

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