In its press release, TikTok claims that Malaysia recorded a total of RM279 billion in e-commerce income in the third quarter of 2021 alone. And the figure is a jump of 17.1% from the same quarter the year before. So it makes sense that it wants a piece of the e-commerce pie, while also making it “more convenient for our creators to reach our buyers, and vice versa”. According to the company, TikTok Shop will mainly benefit Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) “who have yet to set up a physical brick-and-mortar store” due to the high initial investment costs. Through this, sellers will be able to “tap into a full e-commerce experience” all within TikTok. The twist being that sellers will have to also be content creators to a certain extent. As for general users, the charm of TikTok Shop is allowing you to shop while you watch videos within the same app. And you can use the same search function for both. The platform also currently has its Raya Sales going on which will last until 30 April. The promotion involves free shipping vouchers and discounts up to 99%, including discount coupons.
