Discovery commerce reshapes Singapore retail competition

Creator-led shopping is expanding alongside physical retail, forcing SMEs to build content, live-streaming, and data capabilities to compete across channels.

Singapore retailers are adapting to a more content-led shopping journey as discovery increasingly begins with creators, short-form video, and livestreams rather than conventional storefronts alone.

Leon Koh, Fashion Lead and Seller Management Lead at TikTok Shop Singapore, said physical stores remain relevant but are becoming part of a broader omnichannel model.

On TikTok Shop Singapore, the number of buyers rose 60% year on year, while livestream sales nearly doubled, reflecting the growing role of content in both discovery and conversion.

“The traditional storefronts are not disappearing or losing relevance. Instead, it is part of an omni-channel experience where creators, content, commerce, and retail are coming together,” Koh said.

For SMEs, discovery commerce can widen customer reach without tying exposure as closely to traditional marketing budgets. Koh said livestream viewership on TikTok Shop grew 150% year on year, giving smaller retailers more opportunities to showcase products and test different selling formats.

But competing effectively requires new capabilities. Businesses increasingly need skills in content creation, live production, creator collaboration, community engagement, and data analysis.

That is also changing retail roles. Koh said the industry is seeing new positions emerge around social commerce, while existing staff need to combine operational retail knowledge with digital capabilities.

Meanwhile, TikTok Shop has been working with government and industry bodies, including Workforce Singapore and the Singapore Retailers Association, on job redesign and reskilling initiatives.

For retailers, the competitive shift is therefore not simply about adding another sales channel. The challenge is building the people, content, and operating model needed to connect physical stores, creators, and digital commerce into one customer journey.

Koh will speak at the Retail Asia Summit in Singapore on 29 September 2026.