TikTok ‘shoppertainment’ drives mega-sale hit

Videos on the platform are used not just to entertain but also to drive e-commerce.

Retailers went from product discovery to purchase in a flash by making entertainment part of the shopping experience at TikTok's mega-sale events this year.

Short videos, time-sensitive offers, user-generated content, and influencer partnerships have emerged as key strategies for brands looking to drive engagement and sales on the online platform, Matty Lin, general manager of Global Business Solutions at TikTok Southeast Asia, told Retail Asia.

“Livestream selling has also become another powerful driver of consumer engagement and purchases in Southeast Asia,” he said. “On TikTok, this presents a significant opportunity for brands to enhance product discovery and boost sales, especially during high-impact periods like Mega Sale.”

Malaysian fashion brand ZUCCA used TikTok's content sponsorship packages, boosting the number of e-shoppers who bought stuff by 9.5%, Lin said.

The gross merchandise value —  a business metric that measures the total value of sales over a period of time — of brands that go live with TikTok’s LIVE Shopping Ads, which help people on TikTok discover and watch their LIVE videos, more than doubled compared with those who did not use the feature, he added.

Lin also pointed to trends like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, which has amassed more than 10 million posts globally, as significant drivers of awareness and sales. 

“Going live helps brands to speed up order growth, provide stable gross merchandise value and higher [return on ad spend], where we have seen LIVE contribute to over 40% of our top-tier sellers’ gross merchandise value,” he added.

He urged brands to conduct live sessions for at least three hours daily, noting that well-structured scripts can boost 10-second view rates by over 56%, whilst curated product assortments could increase conversion rates by more than 78%.

Lin said sellers should tailor their videos depending on whether their target audience is a bargain hunter, effortless, inspirational or purposeful shoppers. “Catering to each persona requires distinct creative approaches.”

Lin added that shop-focused ads could also make one’s product more visible and result in more engagement. “The ultimate goal is not just to drive awareness but also to convert engagement into sales,” he added.

Brands should strive to turn their products into high-demand, best-selling “Hero” stock keeping units (SKU) with more than 30 daily orders for the past 30 days, he said. The most successful products, or “Super Hero” SKUs, surpass 100 daily orders.

For brands selling on TikTok Shop, Lin said increasing online presence through the Shop Tab,  which takes users straight to its shopping portal in one touch, is critical. “Users browsing the Shop Tab are high-intent shoppers, and by running [Product Shopping Ads], brands can ensure their listings are featured prominently, engaging users at a crucial point in their shopping journey.”

‘Relatable and credible’

Brands that run TikTok’s Product Shopping Ads, a tool that lets them add shopping options to videos, for one, could hit their first sale seven days faster than those who don’t use the feature, Lin said.

Almost 60% of top-tier sellers leverage creator content to boost their gross merchandise value, Lin said.

The creator economy is now a profitable alternative to traditional marketing. Influencers provide businesses with higher returns by reaching target audiences directly, according to a GlobalData report.

Lin noted that 57% of users seek authentic product reviews and 50% look for product demos, making trust essential for consumer engagement on TikTok.

“Creators play a key role in fostering this trust, as their content is often seen as more relatable and credible,” he said. “Brands can collaborate with creators via the TikTok Creator Marketplace and leverage this authenticity to strengthen their connection with audiences, turning trust into meaningful engagement and higher conversion rates.”

Brands should also customise their sales strategies to align with Southeast Asia’s varied cultures and shopping behaviours, Lin said.

Seasonal shopping peaks, like Ramadan in Indonesia and Malaysia, present unique opportunities for engagement. TikTok data showed a 75% year-on-year growth in sales of Indonesian food products during this period.

"Southeast Asia is a melting pot of cultures, each with its unique preferences and buying behaviours,” he said. “Brands need to take into consideration these market nuances and adapt their sales strategies accordingly.”