TikTok is betting its future on e-commerce. Should it?

TikTok is investing big in shopping, with a third of its US job openings set to focus on e-commerce. Data suggests TikTok Shop is growing steadily in the US but has hurdles to overcome. Live shopping and viral videos are driving up sales, but Shop's long-term viability is uncertain.

TikTok is all-in on shopping . One in three US job openings at the company are for e-commerce roles, per its hiring portal. It's still offering big discounts for first-time buyers, nearly a year after its commerce feature, Shop, launched.

And it's enlisting influencers , live sellers, and others to boost sales. The company appears hell-bent on making shopping take off. And yet the feature, which lets users buy products like curling irons and battery packs via videos, livestreams, and a dedicated commerce tab, is pissing off some users who lament TikTok's pivot from a dance-and-comedy video app to a shopping mall.

Luckily for TikTok, Shop's intrusion isn't driving users away . But the questions remain: Should TikTok bet its future on shopping, and will it make enough money from Shop to justify its overbearing presence in the app? From conversations with e-commerce analysts, TikTok Shop partners, sellers, and creators, it's clear that Shop is growing steadily in the US and driving meaningful sales for some brands. But third-party data and testimonies from Shop partners show a mixed picture of its first six months of the year.

It is by no means a runaway success. First, the good news: Shoppers are sp.