TikTok Shop fuels rapid growth for UK SMEs through live commerce

A recent academic study found that electronic word of mouth, online reviews and micro‑influencers together explain 62% of purchase decisions on TikTok Shop, underscoring the platform’s power as a social‑proof driven marketplace. The research, led by Farel Abisha Raya, surveyed 100 users and identified e‑WOM as the strongest influence.

In the United Kingdom, more than 300,000 small and medium‑sized enterprises now sell on TikTok Shop. Live‑shopping sessions, which allow sellers to showcase products in real time, have risen 55% year‑on‑year, with over 6,000 sessions daily. Entrepreneurs such as Daisy Kelly of Glow For It and Manny Malik of Malik Butchers report single‑day sales of £100,000 and £8,000 respectively, crediting the platform’s “halo effect” for expanding their customer base beyond the app.