Are US TikTok users turning to TikTok Shop?
As TikTok continues to expand its footprint beyond into commerce, YouGov set out to understand just how many American TikTok users are engaging with TikTok Shop – TikTok's integrated e-commerce platform. Using the YouGov Surveys: Serviced tool, a nationally representative sample of 1,070 US adults was surveyed in May 2025, including 415 adults who use TikTok.
The survey explored their purchasing behavior on TikTok Shop over the past year and revealed the types of products purchased, spending habits, and what factors influenced their buying decisions.
A third of TikTok users have made a purchase
Among US adults who use TikTok, three in 10 (30%) reported that they have purchased something from TikTok Shop in the past 12 months. More men than women said they’ve made a purchase (33% vs. 28%). Consumers aged 35-54 were the most active, with 41% saying they had bought from TikTok Shop compared to 26% of those aged 18-34 and 23% of those aged 55 and over.
What are people buying from TikTok Shop?
Among those who had purchased from TikTok Shop (111 US adults of 415 TikTok users), the most common items were fashion products such as clothing and shoes, chosen by 38% of shoppers. Electronics and gadgets followed closely at 35%, with home products also proving popular at 33%.
Other purchased categories included food and beverages (32%) and beauty products like skincare (24%), accessories (19%), video games (18%), and children’s toys (14%).
What influences TikTok Shop purchases?
Discounts and promotions were the most influential factor for purchases, cited by over half (52%) of TikTok Shop buyers. This was followed by advertising on TikTok itself, which influenced 45% of shoppers.
Some 35% also pointed to convenience and ease of purchase and 34% stated product reviews and ratings important factors. Roughly a third (32%) said they were drawn by unique or exclusive products.
Influencer or celebrity recommendations were cited by just 12%, suggesting that while influencer culture remains a part of TikTok’s ecosystem, price and convenience are the stronger drivers of purchasing behavior.
How much are shoppers spending?
Two in five TikTok Shop buyers reported spending less than $50 (22% spending less than $25 and 20% between $25 and $50). Similarly, 18% said they spent between $51 and $100, and another 18% between $101 and $250. A further 20% said they spent between $251 and $500 over the past year, while just 2% reported spending more than $500.
This suggests that while many transactions are smaller impulse buys, a sizable portion of users are willing to make larger purchases through the platform.
Methodology: This survey has been conducted using an online interview administered to members of the YouGov Plc panel of individuals who have agreed to take part in surveys. Emails are sent to panelists selected at random from the base sample. The e-mail invites them to take part in a survey and provides a generic survey link. The total sample size of this survey was 1070 US adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 13th - 14th May 2025. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US adults (aged 18+).