The TikTok logo on a smartphone. Pic: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg
Rome: Social media giant TikTok announced on Thursday that it will launch an interactive e-commerce platform in Italy, France, and Germany on March 31.
The company, known for pioneering the short video format, said the new platform will enable users in the three countries to purchase products from local brands and distributors directly through its smartphone app.
This marks TikTok's first e-commerce venture in Europe, following its success in China and other markets. The company has chosen the three largest economies in the European Union as the initial launch destinations.
The platform will feature "shoppable videos" and "live videos," allowing users to buy products showcased in their personalized feeds. TikTok said this "e-commerce discovery model" aims to provide a more tailored shopping experience.
"It brings the interaction between sellers and consumers back to the center of the experience, recreating the proximity and dialogue typical of traditional commerce," the company said in a statement.
According to TikTok, the platform has 22.8 million users in Italy, meaning more than one in three Italian residents are active on the app.
