TikTok Shop now rivals eBay. It’s coming for Amazon next

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There were only so many times that a sports bra could appear between videos of romance book reviews and cooking hacks before my resistance crumbled. The TikTok algorithm knew what it was doing, serving me the same mauve athletic wear top from different creators showing it off in different ways — one woman ready for a workout, another wearing it under a blouse for a casual look, unboxed to see how it comes straight from… somewhere. Eventually, I tapped “add to cart.” Reader, I wear it all the time.

This micro-surrender to algorithmic persuasion is happening millions of times daily, transforming TikTok from entertainment platform to shopping powerhouse. The numbers tell a remarkable story: TikTok Shop moved $19 billion in merchandise globally during the third quarter of 2025, according to analytics firm EchoTik. That puts the two-year-old marketplace within striking distance of eBay’s $20.1 billion, which has been an option for shoppers since dial-up internet was cutting-edge technology.

It’s now a different online shopping world. When eBay launched in 1995, it had to teach people to trust online payments and wait for shipped packages. TikTok Shop arrived in a world where those behaviors were already normalized, allowing it to focus on figuring out ways to make people want things they never searched for. In just 24 months, it has fundamentally altered how millions of Americans discover and purchase products.

The timing is curious. TikTok Shop’s expansion coincided with endless regulatory threats and bipartisan skepticism about the app’s Chinese ownership. Yet American consumers provided the largest chunk of its quarterly revenue — between $4 billion and $4.5 billion, more than doubling from the previous year, an analyst told The Washington Post. The same analyst projected the platform will bring in $15 billion in U.S. sales for 2025, suggesting that uncertainty about the app’s future hasn’t dampened consumer enthusiasm for algorithm-curated impulse purchases.

The secret sauce isn’t particularly secret: TikTok has mastered the art of making shopping feel like entertainment rather than work. Traditional e-commerce requires intention.

You visit Amazon knowing you need to restock your dishwasher tablets. You might remember you need paper towels while you’re there, but the intention comes first. TikTok Shop inverts this entirely. Products appear naturally in your feed, endorsed by creators you trust, demonstrated in real-time, wrapped in stories that make mundane items feel essential. You weren’t looking for anything, but suddenly you need that organizer, that lip oil, that cleaning paste you just watched dissolve years of grime.

This shift represents a fundamental reimagining of consumer discovery. Stanley cups become status symbols that spark parking lot stampedes. Pickle-flavored everything transforms from absurd to essential. Twenty-somethings buy sunrise alarm clocks, silk pillowcases, and portable carpet cleaners after watching satisfying cleaning videos on loop.

TikTok Shop’s timing has been fortuitous in other ways. As Chinese competitors Temu and Shein faced headwinds from the end of duty-free shipping exemptions on low-value imports, TikTok Shop captured price-conscious consumers seeking affordable impulse purchases. The platform’s relentless coupon strategy (orange discount badges follow users from video to video) and its willingness to go toe-to-toe with Amazon during Prime Day show it’s serious about competing on price, not just discovery.

The implications extend beyond individual purchasing decisions. TikTok Shop is normalizing social shopping for American consumers who previously resisted the concept. Beyond the shoppable videos in your main feed, there’s also live shopping with hosts demonstrating products in real-time, answering questions, and dropping flash deals. While this format dominates Asian markets, U.S. adoption has been slower. TikTok is changing that gradually, with about 10% of consumers making livestream purchases in the past year.

Traditional retailers are watching nervously. The platform’s Black Friday sales reached $100 million in 2024, triple 2023’s figure. These aren’t necessarily sales stolen from established players. But they represent new purchasing occasions, like grocery store checkout candy — just with infinite shelf space and personalized selection.

Still, questions remain about sustainability and scale. Can TikTok Shop maintain growth while balancing creator content with commercial interests? Will regulatory pressures eventually constrain operations? What about new tariffs?

For now, the algorithm keeps learning, creators keep creating, and sports bras keep appearing between dance videos. Each purchase reinforces the model, teaching the system what works while training consumers to expect shopping opportunities everywhere. Whether this represents commerce’s future or a fascinating experiment in platform economics, one thing seems certain: TikTok has proven that with sufficient data and clever design, even the most shopping-averse consumers can be converted into buyers.

Even those of us who thought we were immune.