California Apparel News

Shopify, a global digital-commerce platform that includes a focus on small businesses, recently announced it was going to take a deeper dive into social media.

Shopify is partnering with TikTok, known for its short-form video. The e-commerce platform said it is a “first of its kind commerce partnership” with the social-media site, according to a Shopify statement. The commerce platform unveiled a TikTok channel for Shopify that will allow businesses working on Shopify to advertise on the site’s platform, which has been skyrocketing in popularity in the past few years. TikTok has more than 100 million users in America, said Satish Kanwar, vice president of product at Shopify.

“The TikTok channel means Shopify merchants, even those without a strong TikTok following of their own yet, can connect with these new audiences using content that feels authentic and genuine to the TikTok experience,” Kanwar said.

The partnership will allow Shopify merchants to develop TikTok accounts and launch shoppable video ads. The ads will be developed in templates made available by the channel. Blake Chandlee, TikTok’s vice president of global business solutions, said that this partnership will develop new markets.

“As social commerce proliferates, retailers are recognizing that TikTok's creative and highly engaged community sets it apart from other platforms. We’re constantly exploring new and innovative ways to connect brands with our users, and Shopify is the perfect partner to help us grow and expand our commerce capabilities globally,” Chandlee said.

This partnership also will unveil another collaboration. Shopify and TikTok will team up to put a spotlight on Black-owned businesses with the debut of TikTok’s first co-branded hashtag challenge #ShopBlack, a campaign that will run Nov. 10–15. Shopify also is launching a Black Business Directory to help lead consumers to Black-owned businesses.