TikTok Shop aims to beat 2025 sales

TikTok Shop said on May 17 that it wants to beat its 2025 sales in the Philippines this year even as higher prices linked to the Middle East conflict weigh on consumer budgets. Yves Gonzalez, head of public policy at TikTok Shop Philippines, told reporters the company still expects e-commerce demand to grow. The push comes after TikTok Shop said local sellers recorded 200% sales growth in 2025. It also comes as TikTok expands its merchant base in other markets, including Ireland, where the platform moved this month from invite-only access to an open model for eligible businesses. ### What exactly did TikTok Shop say about its 2026 target? Yves Gonzalez told reporters that TikTok Shop aims to “sustain and even surpass” its previous growth rates, according to Philstar’s May 17 report and ABS-CBN’s May 13 report from the same Manila briefing. Both reports said the company was referring to sales performance after a 200% increase by local sellers in 2025. (philstar.com) Philstar reported that TikTok Shop is seeking higher sales this year than a year earlier, while ABS-CBN said Gonzalez described the company as aiming to exceed the prior growth rate. Gonzalez also said it was still too early to tell whether the current crisis had already slowed sales on the platform. ### How is the company explaining growth while prices are rising? (philstar.com) The Middle East conflict was cited by Gonzalez as a driver of higher prices and energy costs that could make consumers more cautious about spending. He said e-commerce could still benefit because shoppers looking to save on fuel and travel could buy goods online instead of making longer trips to stores. (philstar.com) ABS-CBN quoted Gonzalez as saying online commerce was still showing “a lot of growth and potential” despite the pressure on household budgets. Philstar reported the same argument, saying TikTok Shop sees e-commerce as an option for consumers trying to manage transport and fuel costs. ### Which products and regions is TikTok Shop prioritizing? (philstar.com) Philstar said fast-moving consumer goods, cosmetics and clothing were among the categories showing strong sales growth on TikTok Shop in the Philippines. Gonzalez also said the company wants to keep expanding its ecosystem in the Visayas and Mindanao. (philstar.com) ABS-CBN reported that TikTok Shop has trained 25,000 micro, small and medium enterprises under its Unlad Lokal program and has worked with local government units in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Cebu, Davao and Naga. Erin Tagudin, TikTok Shop Philippines director for ecosystem development, said the company would make more investments in Visayas and Mindanao in 2026. (philstar.com) ### What changed in Ireland this month? TikTok Shop Ireland said on May 15 that it was opening the platform to all Irish businesses after operating on an invite-only basis. Business Plus and Irish Country Magazine both reported that the company described the move as a shift to an open-access or open-platform model. Katey McElroy, head of TikTok Shop Ireland, announced the change at a creator matchmaking event in Dublin held with Guaranteed Irish, according to both reports. (abs-cbn.com) Business Plus said more than 150 creators and 25 brands attended the event at TikTok’s EMEA headquarters. ### What numbers did TikTok cite in Ireland? Business Plus reported that the number of Irish creators in TikTok Shop’s affiliate program has grown 600% since launch in late 2024. (businessplus.ie) The publication also said TikTok had paid out more than 2 million euros in commissions to Irish influencers over the past 18 months. Irish Country Magazine separately reported that TikTok said its affiliated creator program had grown 600% since launching in December 2024. (businessplus.ie) Business Plus also cited Nielsen IQ data showing shoppers aged 46 to 61 made up the largest share of Irish TikTok Shop customers at 37%, ahead of 30-to-45-year-olds at 34% and 18-to-29-year-olds at 27%. ### What happens next for TikTok Shop’s expansion? (businessplus.ie) TikTok Shop Philippines said its next push in 2026 will include more investment in Visayas and Mindanao and continued training for sellers and creators outside Metro Manila, according to ABS-CBN and Philstar. In Ireland, the next step is merchant onboarding under the open-access model announced on May 15, with TikTok Shop and Guaranteed Irish continuing recruitment of brands and creators after the Dublin event. (businessplus.ie) (philstar.com)