SA takes shopping tips from TikTok ahead of festive season

Goodbye to good old Christmas shopping gift registries, hello TikTok?

Your Christmas gift this year could come straight from TikTok as South Africans are increasingly drawing shopping inspiration from the social media platform.

Redseer’s Holiday Season Shopping Report 2023 revealed that TikTok was the number one digital media channel for product discovery in South Africa.

#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt

Boasting the highest influence among social media platforms, TikTok presents lucrative opportunities for both brands and businesses.

According to Redseer’s report, 60% of shoppers are likely to make immediate purchases after discovering products on the platform.

TikTok has made it easier for users to discover new products, share recommendations and opinions, while engaging in conversations about products and purchases – sparking a global trend.

The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt amassed more than 70 billion views on the platform, bearing testament to the platform’s undeniable influence among shoppers.

ALSO READ: TikTok merges entertainment and education

Numbers don’t lie

As a significant part of the product discovery process, TikTok is used by 40% of SA consumers to search for products, while nearly 50% of buyers indicate they discovered new products from trending videos on the platform.

Meanwhile, 44% of consumers interact with videos on the platform when deciding to buy a product.

With the festive season fast-approaching, people are slowly starting to explore gift ideas for their loved ones – and turning to TikTok is seemingly the best bet.

• 55% of TikTok users use the platform for inspiration year-round.
• Usage typically increases by 1.2 times during the festive season, up to 64%.
• 95% of SA TikTok users are inspired to make purchases based on content they came across on the platform.
• 70% of users expect to increase spending during the holiday season.

ALSO READ: One billion users –Bans have not halted TikTok’s growth

Community of spenders

Social media has become a global community, connecting people from all walks of life.

Although the comments section can sometimes be a breeding ground for trolls, it’s also an excellent space for constructive feedback and input.

Redseer’s study also revealed that peer reviews in the form of “digital word-of-mouth” are central to TikTok’s digital journey, with 66% of TikTok users influencing their respective [physical] communities to make purchases based on content they saw on TikTok.

Furthermore, 20% of consumers prefer searching for products on TikTok for better reviews and recommendations, over other platforms.