Dive Brief:
- TikTok Shop has added new collectible categories, the social commerce company said in an email to Retail Dive.
- The e-commerce hub is offering 10 new collectible comic and manga categories, including traditional comic books, manga, fan zines and art books. The shop will also feature more items in its sports memorabilia and entertainment categories, such as signed jerseys and other autographed items.
- To list collectibles for sale, TikTok Shop requires merchants to provide details on the condition of the item and its authenticity. The platform is also implementing “strict standards on acceptable authenticators” to prevent the sale of fake goods, per the emailed statement.
Dive Insight:
More than a year after its launch in the U.S., TikTok Shop continues to grow its American customer base. As the company expands its collectible offerings, TikTok Shop now requires authentication for select products and high-value items to “ensure a safe and trusted shopping experience,” the company said.
TikTok Shop is entering a crowded field of competition for collectors. Walmart Marketplace over the summer debuted its Collector shop where merchants can issue pre-orders for collectible releases. Similarly, eBay has been catering to collectible buyers and sellers by introducing a sports trading card event series and a storage vault for high-value collectible items.
Beyond vying for customers in a competitive collectible space, TikTok faces a major hurdle: a possible U.S. ban. On Jan. 10, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments over whether the law requiring TikTok to divest from its parent company, ByteDance, or be banned violates the First Amendment. However, President-elect Donald Trump has requested the court hold off on its potential ban until his administration could resolve the issue, the Associated Press reported Dec. 27.
Last month, TikTok Shop said its sales surpassed $100 million on Black Friday.
