While Americans once turned to traditional stores or basic online shopping sites to buy their favorite products, a surprising new player has jumped into the retail game and is quickly winning over millions of shoppers. TikTok, the app famous for dance videos and funny clips, has quietly transformed into one of America’s biggest shopping destinations.
TikTok has quietly evolved from an entertainment app into one of America’s most powerful shopping platforms.
The numbers tell an impressive story. In 2025, over 71 million Americans are expected to buy something through TikTok, which represents a massive 24.5% jump from the previous year. That means nearly half of all TikTok users in the United States have made at least one purchase on the platform.
By 2026, experts predict that one in every two social media shoppers will buy something on TikTok.
TikTok Shop has grown at lightning speed. Sales skyrocketed 407% in 2024 and another 108% in 2025, reaching nearly $16 billion. To put this growth in perspective, the platform went from handling just $15 million in sales in July 2023 to over $1 billion by July 2025.
The number of stores on the platform exploded too, growing from about 4,450 shops to more than 231,000 in just two years.
What are people buying on TikTok? Beauty and health products dominate the platform, making up nearly 80% of all sales. Skincare routines, makeup tutorials, and wellness trends that go viral often translate directly into purchases. Fashion and accessories come in second, followed by food products and household items. Americans now spend approximately $32 million daily on TikTok shopping, demonstrating the platform’s massive daily commerce volume.
The platform now controls about 18% of all social commerce in America, and that share is expected to climb to 24% by 2027. While Facebook Marketplace and Instagram still handle most social shopping, TikTok is catching up fast.
What makes TikTok different is how shopping feels natural and fun. Instead of browsing through endless product pages, users discover items through entertaining videos from creators they trust. This approach has attracted over 475,000 registered shops to the platform, offering more than 70 million products across hundreds of categories. The success of these products often stems from user-generated content that resonates with audiences better than traditional advertising campaigns. This strategy mirrors how successful entrepreneurs built their companies through hard work and innovation rather than relying on traditional methods.
TikTok has successfully turned window shopping into a form of entertainment.
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