How TikTok Shops Are Breaking Barriers for Small Businesses

Hit that live button and watch your items sell in seconds.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that TikTok has also spun its wheels to offer a space for small businesses to increase their sales.

Yes, there are plenty of online platforms from Instagram ads to Amazon storefronts that you could use to sell your products to a large customer base. But the true game changer in 2024 has been none other than TikTok shops that are sailing through the sea of others like a black horse or a blue whale should I say, lol.

The point is, that creating a TikTok Shop agency can help you attract all that audience that heads to TikTok everyday to stream newly rising trends.

Now, you might wonder how exactly TikTok shops help your small business and how to operate it. Don’t lose me here; let’s find out all the answers to your curious questions.

Why is TikTok Shop Ideal for Small Businesses?

TikTok Shop is a newly introduced feature of the TikTok app that allows you to search and buy products without leaving the platform. It provides a great setup that blends entertainment with shopping in a natural way that entices people to get their hands on your product.

It is specifically ideal for you if you are a small business owner because in all honesty, each platform is saturated and it’s a tough battle to make yourself known. However, for TikTok Shop, the fight for dominance is still in the initial stages making it easier for you to get recognition.

Benefits of TikTok Shop

1.    Authentic Engagement with Customers

We all know TikTok and it’s a fact that a single entertaining video can boost your followers by several folds. You don’t need a large budget for flashy production to catch people’s attention. All you will need is a good studio light, and a camera and you’re all set to make a nice video of your product that resonates with your target audience.

The best thing about TikTok is its authenticity. The relationship between creator and consumer is raw so even unpolished content is appreciated and enjoyed.

You can create videos to show off the use of your products in routine by yourself or other influencers.

For example, If you are a small jewellery-making business. You can make short videos showing the assembly and creation of the jewellery step by step.

Or you can capture some BTS to give a glimpse of your workspace. These videos create a sense of trust and connect with the customers on a personal level.

2.    Selling in Real Time

Another feature unique to TikTok shops is the live streaming. You can host live shopping events where you go live, show the utility of your products and their quality over the live screen and interact with the viewers.

Videos can only show so much and live streams can truly capture the essence of your business. When the product is in action, customers find it easier to make purchasing decisions on the spot.

What I find the most intriguing about selling in real-time is the fact that you don’t have to wait for customers to go through the hassle of finding the link to your Shopify store and finding the product.

With TikTok shops, No one has to click through to a separate website to see or purchase your products. They can directly buy from your TikTok shop’s live stream with a few clicks.

It’s a win-win for both sides.

3.    Maximum Audience Reach with Minimal Costs

Unlike Instagram, Walmart, Shopify or Linktree business profiles, TikTok shops cost you little to nothing. You can reach new customers easily without emptying your pockets and cutting down on snacks.

TikTok’s algorithms have been upgraded to promote content based on engagement and not on follower count.

This means that even if you have just created your account, you still have the chance to be seen by millions of users out there. The key lies in creating engaging content that engages everyone.

There are several success stories where new startups hit massive sales by going viral on TikTok. This is precisely because the TikTok shops allow those viral views to turn into potential sales quickly.

How To Get Started With a TikTok Shop?

Now you know the benefits, but the execution still remains. The most important question now is ‘How can you start your TikTok shop?’

It’s not as much of rocket science as you might think it to be. Just follow the following steps, and you’re all set.

Create a TikTok Shop Account

Start with the obvious!

Create a TikTok business account if you don’t have one already. Moving forward,  set up your TikTok shop account by putting in all the necessary information about your business model and niche. Once all set, hop on to the next step.

Add your Products

The next step is the product listing. Start adding the products that you are selling and add details about them. Here’s a kicker: the higher resolution images you add, the better the response from buyers. Besides the aesthetic aspects, keep your pricing as authentic as possible. The more details you add, the easier it is for customers to trust your shop and make a purchase.

Create Entertaining Content

Content, Content, Content. This is where the real fun begins!

One banger video and your TikTok shop will boom overnight. This is the advantage of TikTok shops. Try to create fun videos that now not only engage the audience but also use your products in a natural way that screams appealing but whispers ‘I didn’t try too hard’.

Go Live

Live shopping events are the best way so far to connect with your audience and introduce your products to them. Online shopping is risky; we don’t know what we’ll receive at the end of the day. But live streams are a great way to show your customers exactly what they’ll get.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, TikTok shops are the future of e-commerce, especially for small businesses. Already saturated online platforms are like sharks in the sea waiting to gobble up the small businesses that are just born and finding their way around the sea.

TikTok shops are a breather and allow small businesses like yourself to build your brand and drive sales. So, If you don’t have a TikTok shop already, take the first step now and explore the opportunities awaiting you.