TikTok Shop has officially landed in Italy, opening a new chapter in the eCommerce landscape. After revolutionising the way consumers discover products, TikTok now aims to close the circle: no longer just inspiration and entertainment, but also sales and conversion directly on the platform.
Today, TikTok Shop allows merchants to sell products directly in videos, live broadcasts and sponsored content, allowing users to buy without leaving the app. But how exactly does it work? And what are the consequences for the logistics sector? In this article you will find out everything you need to know about TikTok Shop and how to implement it successfully in your sales strategies.
How TikTok Shop Italia works
The mechanism of TikTok Shop is very simple: the products on sale are shown in the brand’s videos, or in live broadcasts during which the retailer shows products and latest arrivals to its followers and interacts directly with their questions and requests.
During a live show, in many cases users can reserve the desired product with a simple message in the live chat (after registration on a merchant’s Whatsapp number), or from the shop’s website, or even more easily via TikTok Shop. See, click, buy. All in a matter of minutes and by interacting directly with the seller.
In practice, TikTok Shop allows users to discover, evaluate and purchase products directly from video content, without leaving the app.
Souce: https://www.htt.it/tiktok-shop-arriva-in-italia-ecco-come-funziona/
The mechanism thus makes the most of the power of visual recommendation and influencer marketing: a creator wears a sweatshirt in a video, one click, and the user can already have it in the shopping cart. The merchant shows his products live, a message, and the purchase is finalised.
The numbers of TikTok Shop
Over 159 million users across Europe actively use TikTok. France leads the ranking with 25.1 million monthly active users, followed by Germany with 24.2 million and Italy with 22.8 million. Given these numbers, more and more brands are naturally seizing the opportunity to monetise through the channel.
Indeed, the TikTok Shop phenomenon is revolutionising the global retail landscape: according to a joint report by Momentum Works and Tabcut, in 2024 the gross merchandise value (GMV) of TikTok Shops reached approximately USD 33.2 billion globally, more than doubling from the previous year
In particular, the US market experienced significant growth, contributing USD 9 billion to the total GMV, marking a 650% increase in just 16 months since the launch of TikTok Shop in the US in September 2023.
Italy is also a strategic marketplace, especially for the fashion, beauty and accessories sectors.
However, the success of TikTok Shop does not only depend on the viral potential of the content: behind every order there is a logistical challenge that cannot be underestimated.
From viral video to delivery: the challenges of TikTok Shop logistics
The mechanism of TikTok Shop is based on a simple and impulsive dynamic: stimulate the purchase at the exact moment when the user is emotionally involved. This means that the entire purchase path is much faster than in traditional eCommerce. But precisely this speed of conversion poses new challenges in the next phase: delivery.
Unlike the large established marketplaces, TikTok Shop is still a young ecosystem, involving both small local sellers and large brands. And often the logistical structure behind these sellers is not yet ready to support high order flows, nor to guarantee competitive delivery times and modes.
The main issues merchants face are:
- Delivery time not predictable;
- Returns management, particularly in the fashion sector;
- Poor post-purchase experience, with uncertain tracking, lack of customised options and no real points of contact.
These critical issues directly impact customer satisfaction and eCommerce loyalty, and in a social environment, where any customer can turn into a brand ambassador or detractor in a few clicks, logistics is an integral part of marketing.
And this is precisely where Out of Home logistics comes in, exploiting the advantages of Locker and Pick-up Points to offer consumers an optimised shopping experience in its final and most crucial stages: delivery, and eventually return.
Out of Home delivery: the strategic answer for efficient logistics
In this ever-changing scenario, Out of Home logistics, i.e. picking up the order at a physical point such as a Locker or a contracted business instead of at home, is not only a practical solution, but a strategic lever for merchants who want to sell on TikTok Shop (and beyond).
Locker and PUDO (Pick-Up Drop-Off points) are becoming a logistics standard in the most advanced eCommerce countries. Why? Because they respond to three key needs:
- flexibility for the customer,
- efficiency for the seller,
- sustainability for the system.
The concrete advantages of Locker and PUDO for online sellers
More flexibility for the customer
In a world where users shop from their phones while on public transport or on their lunch break, traditional home delivery risks being a constraint.
Lockers, available 24/7, and PUDOs in supermarkets, newsstands and stations allow customers to pick up when they want, where they want. A decisive advantage especially for those who live in cities or cannot receive parcels at home.
Reduction of delivery costs and failed attempts
Lockers and PUDOs allow consolidation of shipments: instead of making dozens of individual deliveries, the courier can deliver many parcels at one point.
This not only lowers costs, but also reduces emissions and urban traffic. It also eliminates ‘failed attempts’ – a major source of inefficiency in last-mile logistics.
Improving the after-sales experience
The delivery phase is a critical moment for brand perception. Offering a smooth experience, with precise tracking and alternative pick-up options, reinforces customer confidence and predisposes them to repurchase.
This is especially important in social marketplaces like TikTok Shop, where loyalty is not a given.
Made simpler
In the fashion industry – one of the strongest sectors on TikTok – returns management is crucial.
Locker and PUDO simplify this process: users can return the product as easily as they picked it up, without having to print labels or wait for couriers at home.
Integrates locker and PUDO with GEL Proximity
Integrating Lockers and Pick-up Points into one’s own online store is no longer only a prerogative of large players. Thanks to GEL Proximity, today also small and medium-sized merchants can offer an extensive network of more than 300,000 Pick-up Points in Europe, managing everything from a single platform.
With GEL Proximity you can:
- Add Locker and PUDO to your eCommerce checkout in just a few clicks,
- Reduce logistics costs and optimise returns management,
- Connecting the infrastructure to marketplaces or headless solutions (e.g. Shopify, PrestaShop, WooCommerce)
- Offer a better user experience, increasing the conversion rate.
A technology designed for merchants who want to grow without sacrificing logistical efficiency. And you, are you ready to get your eCommerce off the ground?
