In an interesting turn of events, Amazon and TikTok are calling a truce and partnering to make it easier for consumers to buy products from the marketplace directly within the visual social platform.
TikTok users will now see Amazon product recommendations directly within the “For You” feed. If they want to make a purchase, all they need to do is link their TikTok account to their Amazon account. The end result is designed to be a secure, fast and easy one-time set-up.
Once accounts are linked, Amazon customers can seamlessly purchase items featured in TikTok ads without leaving the app. U.S. consumers also will be able to see detailed product information such as real-time pricing, Prime eligibility, estimated delivery times and, in some cases, even complete descriptions. Amazon accounts can be unlinked from the TikTok experience at any time.
The partnership comes after a year of discussions surrounding consumers’ use of TikTok for product search and discovery. A HerCampus study found that 74% of Gen Z internet users search on TikTok, with 51% preferring it over Google due to its engaging video-based format.
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Rick Watson, Founder and CEO of RMW Commerce, noted on LinkedIn that this move from Amazon “ensures that [the company] is not cut off from an emerging source of product discovery/inspiration.”
He added: “Amazon is increasingly seeing ways to get products in front of its Prime audience and attract new Prime members. Perhaps this also explains why Amazon has been so desperate to sell more cheap items.”
