TikTok sellers grew 200% last year

TikTok Shop Philippines said on May 13 that local sellers on its platform posted 200% sales growth in 2025, giving the company a fresh conversion claim even as executives warned that higher fuel costs and broader price pressure are making consumers more cautious. Yves Gonzalez, TikTok Shop Philippines' head of public policy, told reporters the company still aims to surpass its 2025 performance this year. The sales figure was repeated in TikTok's own January 16 newsroom post, which said Filipino sellers and creators used live commerce, creator partnerships and training programs to expand their reach. At the same time, TikTok's 2026 trend report said users are moving toward "real curiosity, conviction, and care" and away from impulse-driven buying. ### If shoppers are under pressure, why is TikTok still reporting growth? A 200% increase in seller sales in 2025 is the figure TikTok Shop Philippines is using to argue that e-commerce demand is holding up despite inflation-linked strain on household budgets. Gonzalez told reporters that consumers facing higher fuel costs may turn to online shopping to avoid transportation expenses while still buying what they need. (bworldonline.com) BusinessWorld reported that Gonzalez said TikTok Shop's aim in 2026 is "still to surpass the 2025 numbers." ABS-CBN separately quoted him saying it was too early to say whether the platform was seeing any slowdown, but that online commerce still showed "a lot of growth and potential." ### What does TikTok say is driving those sales? (bworldonline.com) TikTok's January 16 newsroom post tied the growth to creator partnerships, live selling and seller education. The company said Filipino micro, small and medium enterprises, along with creators, used digital tools and capacity-building programs to reach more buyers nationwide. (bworldonline.com) More than 100 live sessions hosted in 2025 by creator Lauren Young were cited by TikTok as one example of how creators are being used to move goods on the platform. TikTok also highlighted creator Papanan, saying he recorded the highest gross merchandise value by a creator in a single day this year, and pointed to local brand Dood as a seller that expanded through creator collaborations and live commerce. (newsroom.tiktok.com) ### Why does "discovery-centric" shopping matter here? Gonzalez told reporters that buying on TikTok has become "more discovery-centric than searching-centric," a distinction that matters because products are being surfaced through livestreams and short videos rather than through a shopper entering a specific search term. BusinessWorld said he described that model as "discovery commerce." (newsroom.tiktok.com) TikTok's own 2026 trend report framed that shift in user terms rather than retail language. The report said "impulse will lose to intention in 2026" and that shoppers will reward brands that justify "the why to buy" first. That language suggests TikTok is telling marketers that conversion still happens on the platform, but content has to earn trust and attention before it asks for a sale. (bworldonline.com) ### What does outside research say about Gen Z's ad preferences? EMARKETER said Gen Z favors user-generated content over professional productions and that "the old model of interruption marketing falls flat with this audience." The research note also said social platforms function as primary hubs for product discovery, recommendations and information for Gen Z users. (ads.tiktok.com) TikTok's trend report used different language but pointed in a similar direction. The company said audiences in 2026 are seeking connection, curiosity and presence, "even when it's a little messy," and described a broader move away from passive consumption toward more intentional engagement. ### What does TikTok plan to do next in the Philippines? (emarketer.com) About 90% of TikTok Shop sellers in the Philippines are local players, Gonzalez said, making local merchant recruitment and training a central part of the company's next step. BusinessWorld reported that TikTok Shop has reached 25,000 MSMEs through its Unlad Lokal initiative and trained 17,000 MSMEs in 2025 across Metro Manila, Cebu and Naga City. (ads.tiktok.com) ABS-CBN reported that TikTok Shop Philippines director for ecosystem development Erin Tagudin said the company will make more investments in Visayas and Mindanao in 2026. Gonzalez also said the platform wants more regional creators and sellers, arguing that recommendations from local influencers can help products travel within those markets. (abs-cbn.com) (bworldonline.com)