TikTok tests U.S. membership plan to strengthen e-commerce sales

Traders Union
All News
Business & Wealth
TikTok tests Shop Plus in US

Highlights

TikTok is testing TikTok Shop Plus in the U.S. with monthly fees of $6, $10, or $15, offering Amazon Prime-style benefits like free shipping and product discounts.
The membership is designed to convert more shoppers within TikTok’s platform and counter users switching to Amazon, using exclusive deals such as $10 off a $57 hair product.
EMARKETER forecasts TikTok's U.S. e-commerce sales will exceed $23 billion in 2024, while Amazon's U.S. sales are projected to surpass $500 billion by 2026.

TikTok Shop Plus targets buyer retention

As first reported by Business Insider, TikTok is testing TikTok Shop Plus at several monthly price points, including $6, $10 and $15, based on screenshots of the service. The offering mirrors Amazon Prime-style benefits, with member perks that include free shipping, product discounts and coupons on selected items.

Examples viewed by the outlet show the service applying meaningful savings to consumer products. A hair product listed at about $57 is offered to Plus members for $47 with free three-day shipping, while a beauty product priced near $50 carries a $5 member discount.

TikTok did not respond to a request for comment. A former TikTok Shop staffer says a membership product could help the company stop shoppers from discovering items on TikTok and then moving to Amazon to complete their purchases, allowing TikTok to capture more final conversions inside its own platform.

Amazon-style strategy shapes U.S. expansion

TikTok Shop Plus fits into a broader pattern of product decisions that bring the ByteDance-owned platform closer to established U.S. e-commerce rivals. Like Amazon, TikTok offers merchants its own shipping and fulfillment services and has emphasized faster delivery options aimed at making the shopping experience more convenient for buyers.

Other major U.S. retailers, including Walmart and Target, also run paid membership programs built around free shipping and special discounts, underscoring how loyalty schemes have become a standard competitive tool in online retail. TikTok's overlap with Amazon is also reflected in hiring, as the company recruited dozens of Amazon employees when preparing its U.S. launch in 2023.

TikTok remains far smaller than Amazon in U.S. e-commerce, but the business is growing. EMARKETER, a sister company of Business Insider, forecasts TikTok's U.S. e-commerce sales could top $23 billion this year, while Amazon is expected to generate more than $500 billion in U.S. sales in 2026.

Agency partner Kierra Butcher says some brands now launch products first on TikTok Shop, highlighting the platform's growing role as a marketplace. That suggests TikTok is building a longer-term strategy to deepen shopper loyalty and move closer to the scale achieved by its Chinese sister app, Douyin.

Our earlier article on Costco’s record gasoline demand explained how the retailer’s below-market fuel pricing is used to boost warehouse traffic and strengthen membership loyalty. We noted that members who buy gas tend to visit more often, spend more overall, and renew at higher rates—highlighting how discounts can support retention and recurring fee revenue.

This material may contain third-party opinions, none of the data and information on this webpage constitutes investment advice according to our Disclaimer. While we adhere to strict Editorial Integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners.