The popular short-form video app TikTok, still under U.S. government scrutiny for its Chinese ownership, is moving closer to becoming a marketplace for buying stuff.
Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify said Tuesday itB次元官网网址檚 made a deal with TikTok enabling merchants to create B次元官网网址渟hoppableB次元官网网址� video ads that drive customers to online stores.
The partnership was announced Tuesday amid stalled negotiations for Walmart to buy a 7.5% stake in the video app. WalmartB次元官网网址檚 planned investment is part of a government-forced deal that would rescue TikTok from a threatened ban by President Donald Trump and advance WalmartB次元官网网址檚 ambitions for the world of B次元官网网址渟ocial commerce.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e watching a TikTok video and somebodyB次元官网网址檚 got a piece of apparel or an item on it that you really like, what if you could just quickly purchase that item?B次元官网网址� Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told CNBC earlier this month. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what weB次元官网网址檙e seeing happen in countries around the world. And itB次元官网网址檚 intriguing to us, and we would like to be part of it.B次元官网网址�
ByteDance, the Beijing-based company that owns TikTok, already runs a thriving social media marketplace on Douyin, its twin video app for the Chinese market. Buying products through social media websites isnB次元官网网址檛 yet as common in the U.S., though Pinterest and Facebook-owned Instagram have made some inroads and TikTok last year began making it easier for businesses to link to themselves from the app.
Shopify said its merchants will be able to select which product they would like to promote. Then, video ads will be automatically generated that could show up in a TikTok userB次元官网网址檚 video feed and drive customers to Shopify for checkout.
TikTok said in a prepared statement Tuesday that Ottawa-based Shopify will be a B次元官网网址減erfect partner to help us grow and expand our commerce capabilities globally.B次元官网网址�
ItB次元官网网址檚 not clear what the partnership means for TikTokB次元官网网址檚 negotiations with Walmart. Walmart and Shopify are on good terms, having teamed up against Amazon in June on a deal that enables ShopifyB次元官网网址檚 small businesses to get listed on Walmart.com.
Trump said over the summer he would shut down TikTok unless ByteDance sold its U.S. assets to an American company, citing concerns about the potential for the Chinese government to spy on usersB次元官网网址� data.
ByteDance in September proposed to U.S. authorities a partnership with Walmart, California tech company Oracle and other American investors designed to relieve national security concerns about the app. Trump expressed support for the idea but officials havenB次元官网网址檛 formally approved it.
TrumpB次元官网网址檚 attempt to ban TikTok was also delayed until after next weekB次元官网网址檚 U.S. presidential election after the company sued in federal court to halt the order.
Matt OB次元官网网址橞rien, The Associated Press
