It has been revealed that the semi-closed loop model in the U.S. TikTok market will close at the end of August, and they will fully develop a closed-loop system. This means that if you want to continue selling on U.S. TikTok shop, you must open a TikTok shop, as the official platform won't allow external links. If this news is accurate, with the launch of the closed-loop model, the landscape of U.S. TikTok e-commerce will undergo significant changes. Is this the right move for TikTok? Only time and the market can tell. For businesses, the decision of whether to get on board or not poses a major dilemma. Shoplus  backed by comprehensive data monitoring of the U.S. TikTok market, delves into trends in product categories, influencer marketing strategies, and opportunities in the second half of the year. This offers businesses insights for their future endeavors.

Clear Growth Trend in GMV and Number of TikTok Shops

Hobbies and Collectibles Emerge as viral Category

According to Shoplus, the  U.S. TikTok market GMV has shown a notable month-on-month increase starting from August, rising by 27.9% compared to July. The sales share in the U.S. market has also risen from 4.6% to 6.95%. The reason behind this lies in the robust growth of U.S. TikTok shop, with the number of shops increasing from 7,308 in July to 8,605 as of the end of August, marking a 17.7% month-on-month rise. Although there is still a significant gap in GMV between the U.S. and Southeast Asian markets, the enormous potential of the U.S. market, backed by a large and high-quality user base, indicates that everyone is eager to seize a slice of this substantial opportunity.

Focusing on the best-selling product categories in the U.S. market, Beauty and Personal Care, Women's Clothing and Lingerie, Hobbies and Collectibles, Mobile and Electronics, and Kitchen Utensils are the top categories in terms of sales share. Among them, Beauty and Personal Care, along with Women's Clothing and Lingerie, account for nearly 20% of the GMV. In terms of specific subcategories, during July and August, Beauty Perfumes, Beauty/Personal Care Appliances, and Skincare ranked in the top three, aligning closely with the overall trends on the TikTok platform.

Hobbies and Collectibles is one area worth mentioning because it comes in third with a 6% sales share, which is unusual in other regions like Southeast Asia. According to Mintel's "2023 Global Consumer Trends Insight," 60% of American consumers like to associate with businesses or brands that share their beliefs. This consumer trend suggests that personalised products may be possible. Items like cutting-edge electronics, handicrafts, creative artwork, etc. that are connected with certain cultures or demographics are considered personalised products. These are included in Shoplus's category for hobbies and collectibles.

US Influencer Places a Strong Emphasis on Narrative Marketing

According to "2023 Global Consumer Trends Insight," 37% of American social media influencer followers are curious about specialised video bloggers. Only 5% of social media users in Germany follow full time bloggers, compared to 20% who do so for a living. Trends in consumer preferences show how influential marketing has been. Similar to how China has its own "Li Jiaqi," the U.S. market needs prominent people. Participating in the TikTok shop design and influencer marketing in the US is crucial. Statistics from Shoplus show a definite upward trend for American TikTok influencers. Professionals Services, Government, Health, Authority Advisors, Fashion Styling, and Vlogging thrive in their capacity to market goods and services, whether in terms of follower growth or sales distribution. Professional services industry takes the top spot among them, accounting for 15.94% of GMV and 18.83% of follower growth.

While live shopping is experiencing a worldwide surge, it may encounter challenges in Western markets like Europe and the United States. This is a significant point that must be kept in consideration. Since live streaming is less common in the American market, it's crucial to concentrate on short-form video content marketing when building a presence in American TikTok shops. The secret to success in this situation may lie in using narrative marketing to tell engaging product stories. This strategy is used in several well-liked TikTok shopping videos in the United States, according to Shoplus monitoring. Users are more likely to watch videos with storytelling aspects for longer periods of time, which ultimately increases the efficacy of sales.

Opportunity to the end of the year: Holiday Marketing

On Black Friday in 2022, TikTok Shop saw a 126% increase in GMV. For American customers, "Black Friday" signaled the start of the year-end Christmas shopping season. The holiday season has a significant potential for increased sales, and this year is expected to be no exception. Halloween, Christmas, Black Friday, and New Year's are all peak times for U.S. e-commerce to experience rapid sales growth. Businesses should carefully consider their product choices and marketing plans for the upcoming few months, creating a thorough battle plan. Which items are likely to become bestsellers? Which item will sell the most? You may already refer to this! The top-selling categories in the U.S. market for July have been gathered by Shoplus.

Shoplus offers a variety of features, and it is an all-in-one TikTok analytics tracker. It offers a complete solution that addresses everything from picking influencers, choosing trending products, analyzing competitors, and tracking trending content. Your businesses are given realistic marketing strategy analysis with an all-inclusive approach, helping you to quickly spot opportunities.