On April 4, 2020, a line will be formed outside Walmart in Quincy, MA, as the store implements new capacity restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic. People wait outside with masks and walk away.
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TikTok is venturing into live streaming events that can be purchased, starting with a Walmart partnership this week.
The retailer announced that it will host a one-hour live stream on Friday at TikTok, where users can purchase Walmart fashion items presented by TikTok creators without having to leave the app. Once the event is over, users will be able to purchase featured items by visiting Walmart’s TikTok page to shop.
This is the first time TikTok will host a live broadcast in the United States
“It provides us with a new way to connect with users and reach new leads, while bringing our own brand of fun (with the help of fashion-loving TikTok creators) to the platform,” said William White, Walmart’s commercial director, in a statement. . It is unclear whether there will be a revenue share on sales made through the app. A Walmart spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Technology giants and social media companies have invested heavily in making their platforms easier to buy. Last year, Amazon launched Amazon Live, where the hosts talk and demonstrate the products sold on Amazon. Google R&D launched Shoploop and Facebook has made shopping more prominent on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
But the live broadcasts that can be bought, similar to QVC, have struggled to take off in the United States, despite their strong popularity in Asia. Walmart and TikTok’s shopping test this week indicates they see opportunity and momentum in the space and want to leave an early mark.
TikTok had already made its way into the e-commerce space. Last year, the app began testing new social commerce features as it allowed some users to add links to their profiles and videos. Retail giant Levi’s was one of the first retail brands to use TikTok’s new “Buy Now” feature to direct users to the merchandise.
By partnering with Walmart, both companies could increase their e-commerce operations, while giving the brick giant an advantage with TikTok’s young user base. Walmart, which had been in talks to acquire some of TikTok’s operations in part, had indicated it wanted to shop on the platform.
“If you watch a TikTok video and there is someone who has a piece of clothing or some item that you really like, and if you could buy it quickly?” Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told CNBC in October. “That’s what we’re seeing happening in countries around the world. And it’s intriguing for us and we’d like to be a part of it.”
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