ArrowArtboardCreated with Sketch.Title ChevronTitle ChevronIcon FacebookIcon LinkedinIcon Mail ContactPath LayerIcon MailPositive ArrowIcon Print
China tech

Move over Alibaba, here comes TikTok's 'live' shopping

ByteDance ready to reap $135bn market with direct access to streaming fans

A sales clerk at a Shanghai department store advertises products during a "live commerce" stream. (Photo by Naoki Matsuda)

SHANGHAI -- At a department store here this month, a cosmetics sales clerk touted the virtues of a product designed for sensitive skin. Moments later, customers were flocking to buy.

All this happened not in person, but online in a live video on TikTok. ByteDance, the Chinese startup behind the viral video sharing app, sees it as a tool for challenging Alibaba Group Holding's dominance in China's e-commerce market.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored Content This content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.

Discover the all new Nikkei Asia app

  • Take your reading anywhere with offline reading functions
  • Never miss a story with breaking news alerts
  • Customize your reading experience

Nikkei Asian Review, now known as Nikkei Asia, will be the voice of the Asian Century.

Celebrate our next chapter
Free access for everyone - Sep. 30

Find out more