TikTok drives rapid development of e-commerce in Southeast Asia

TikTok is vigorously promoting online shopping activities in Singapore and Malaysia , which is just part of its layout in Southeast Asia .

TikTok , a short video platform owned by ByteDance, announced on its official account last week that to celebrate Singapore's National Day on August 9, it will launch a week-long "8.8 Big Sale" event starting Thursday.

In addition to local businesses, Chinese sellers who are keen to expand overseas markets will also benefit . TikTok offers consumers free delivery and coupons with up to 12% off on goods. Merchants participating in the promotion are advised to use English live broadcasts , cater to Singapore's local culture, and post short videos with specific tags.

In addition to Singapore, TikTok recently launched a similar campaign in Malaysia. Chinese merchants are invited to participate in a 12-day promotional event - " Sama Sama! Big Sell! " from July 25 to August 5. Merchants are advised to use specific hashtags to increase traffic. During the event, they need to live broadcast on TikTok for at least one hour every day .

TikTok Shop was launched only in Indonesia and the UK at the beginning of last year, and has now expanded to Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. This makes Southeast Asia the largest coverage area for TikTok's e-commerce business .

The move reflects TikTok's expectations for its e-commerce business in the region, especially in major ASEAN economies .

According to data, China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner since 2009, accounting for 18% of ASEAN's total merchandise trade in 2019.

China's cross-border e-commerce industry has experienced explosive growth since 2020 , when the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated overseas consumers' shift to online shopping .

Data from the General Administration of Customs of China show that China 's cross-border e-commerce exports grew 40.1% year-on-year in 2020 and 15% year-on-year in 2021.

Compared with European and American countries, Chinese sellers have a better understanding of the cultural customs of Southeast Asian countries, and the impact of time differences is not that great. Therefore, Chinese sellers have a natural advantage in deploying live e-commerce in Southeast Asia.

TikTok

Southeast Asia

E-commerce