UK Small Businesses Thrive on TikTok Shop Amidst Black Friday Surge
TikTok Shop in the UK experienced its biggest sales day on Black Friday, with 27 items sold per second. Sales over the Black Friday–Cyber Monday period increased by 50% compared to last year.
More than 200,000 small and medium-sized businesses in the UK use TikTok Shop. Major retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Samsung, QVC, Clarks, and Sainsbury’s also sell their products via the platform.
Checkout takes place entirely within the app, allowing brands to post content embedded with product links or to collaborate with influencers through affiliate links. Revenue is shared among TikTok, the seller, and content creators.
A successful example includes Sainsbury’s Tu Christmas pyjamas campaign, which generated 6.6 million views through an influencer collaboration, leading to the pyjamas selling out in under a week. Marks & Spencer’s livestreams on TikTok Shop have drawn up to 260,000 viewers, with approximately one sale every 30 seconds during recent streams.
Small businesses like The Fat Butcher are using TikTok Shop to expand their reach by selling products such as fresh turkeys, though artificial intelligence is making search results more challenging for product discoverability.
London-based jewelry brand L’ERA anticipates around £145,000 in revenue this year from TikTok Shop, relying heavily on live shopping through three-hour weekly streams, increasing to six during peak periods. Their largest order exceeded £1,400.
Industry observers note that while TikTok Shop enhances reach and sales for small brands, it also intensifies price competition and creates pressure to continuously produce content, potentially shifting focus from brand building to chasing trends.
