If you’ve received a notification saying “TikTok Shop is not available in your region” when trying to access TikTok Shop, it means that the TikTok Shop feature has not yet launched in your country. TikTok Shop is currently only available in certain markets where TikTok has partnerships with ecommerce platforms and payment providers.
What is TikTok Shop?
TikTok Shop is a feature within the TikTok app that allows creators to add “Product Tags” to their videos to showcase and sell products directly to viewers within TikTok. Viewers can tap on product tags to view product details, pricing, images, and more. Without leaving the TikTok app, viewers can also purchase the products through TikTok’s in-app checkout process.
TikTok Shop represents TikTok’s push into social commerce and their goal of monetizing the platform through ecommerce capabilities. It turns TikTok into a shopping destination where creators become influencers and advertisers for products. For brands and merchants, TikTok Shop gives them a major new sales channel to reach TikTok’s massive userbase.
Why TikTok Shop isn’t available in your region
There are a few key reasons why TikTok Shop may not be available where you live yet:
- Limited launch regions – TikTok Shop first launched in select markets in 2021, including Southeast Asia and the UK. The feature has not yet rolled out globally. TikTok is taking a phased approach to launching TikTok Shop in new regions.
- Needs ecommerce partnerships – In order for TikTok Shop to work, TikTok needs to integrate with local ecommerce platforms and payment providers in each market. This requires establishing partnerships in each region.
- Requires localized operations – Managing TikTok Shop requires localized customer service, logistics, returns processes etc. TikTok needs in-country operations to run TikTok Shop smoothly.
- Differing regulations – Each country has its own commerce regulations that TikTok must adhere to. They likely need to set up localized compliance processes before launching in a new market.
TikTok is likely working to build out these capabilities behind-the-scenes in your region before they initially launch TikTok Shop. Expanding to new markets requires significant investment and coordination from TikTok.
Current regions where TikTok Shop is available
As of September 2022, here are the main markets where TikTok Shop is available:
- Southeast Asia – Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia
- Europe – United Kingdom
- Asia Pacific – Japan (launching soon)
TikTok has not announced an official timeline for when Shop will launch in other regions like the United States, Canada, Australia, Latin America, or Africa.
How to get TikTok Shop in your region
There is no immediate workaround to accessing TikTok Shop if it is not available in your region yet. TikTok controls the rollout plan. But here are a few things that may help in getting TikTok Shop to launch faster in your country:
- Contact TikTok – Reaching out to TikTok directly via their Help Center to inquire about timelines for TikTok Shop launching in your region. This shows interest.
- Suggest partnerships – TikTok may be more likely to prioritize markets where strong ecommerce platforms and payment providers exist. Suggesting potential partners may help.
- Sign up as merchant – Signing up on TikTok’s merchant interest form indicates merchant demand in that region, which TikTok wants.
- Follow TikTok announcements – Follow channels like TikTok For Business for any launch announcements in new markets.
The more that users, creators, brands, merchants, and commerce platforms in a region demonstrate demand for TikTok Shop, the more likely TikTok will prioritize launching in that market sooner.
Will TikTok Shop expand globally?
TikTok Shop expanding globally into new markets like North America and Europe is likely just a matter of time. TikTok has called TikTok Shop a “key priority” and their executives have said Shop will be “gradually rolling out to more regions”.
TikTok Shop represents a major revenue opportunity for TikTok in terms of earning commissions on purchases and shopping ads. Given the product’s early success in Asian markets, TikTok is highly motivated to expand it globally, apply learnings, and build it into a robust ecommerce engine.
In 2022 and 2023, industry experts expect TikTok to invest heavily in TikTok Shop. TikTok will need to hire local teams, cultivate partnerships, and develop logistics capabilities to launch the feature responsibly in new markets. This comprehensive approach means the global rollout will take some time.
But TikTok Shop’s eventual launch in your region is likely inevitable given TikTok’s ecommerce ambitions. Checking for updates periodically and staying tuned into TikTok’s business announcements will give you a sense of when Shop may become available in your country.
Alternatives while waiting for TikTok Shop
Until TikTok Shop officially launches in your area, creators and viewers do have some alternative options for shopping via TikTok:
- TikTok affiliate links – Creators can use affiliate marketing links to highlight products in their bios or posts. Viewers can tap to purchase.
- Shopping ads – Brands can run TikTok shopping ads to showcase catalogs, even without TikTok Shop.
- Hashtag challenges – Branded hashtag challenges can showcase products. But commerce still requires leaving TikTok.
- LIVE shopping events – Creators can livestream and sell products through TikTok LIVE. But no native checkout.
While these alternatives exist, having the seamless end-to-end shopping experience of TikTok Shop integrated natively into the app will be a major evolution once available in your country.
The future is social commerce
As consumer shopping habits shift, social platforms want to become the next digital shopping malls. TikTok Shop represents TikTok staking their claim in the future of social commerce.
Their launch strategy for TikTok Shop is strategic, requiring significant coordination in each market before unlocking a native shopping experience. But the long-term trajectory is clear – turning the TikTok platform into a dynamic destination for product discovery and transactions.
The launch of TikTok Shop in your region is imminent given the product’s rising priority. Monitoring for local announcements and demonstrating user demand is key. TikTok Shop brings evolve the TikTok experience into an even more engaging, interactive, and transactional environment in the years to come.