TikTok is expanding its e-commerce features with a new AI-powered shopping assistant and an in-app checkout option that lets users purchase products directly from brands.
The company says its new Shopping Assistant is a conversational AI agent designed to help users discover and buy products without leaving TikTok. It can understand the context of a conversation and remember a user’s preferences and needs while helping them shop.
The assistant can provide real-time information about products, including details, shipping options, sizing, availability, and assistance with completing a purchase. TikTok is positioning the tool as a way for users to get answers to shopping questions while they are already browsing content on the platform.
TikTok is also introducing a new checkout feature that allows users to purchase products directly from a brand through their For You feed with a single click. The feature could make it easier for users to move from discovering a product to completing a purchase without being redirected to another website or service.
By combining AI shopping assistance with direct payments, TikTok is bringing more parts of the shopping process into its video feed. The approach could also help the company keep users on its platform when they want product information, rather than sending them to external AI services such as ChatGPT.
TikTok says the new shopping features are being developed with commerce and payment companies including Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe.
The expansion also moves TikTok’s shopping strategy beyond TikTok Shop, its dedicated in-app marketplace. The company is now integrating shopping capabilities more broadly throughout the platform, including its main For You feed.
TikTok’s influence on online shopping has continued to grow. The company’s latest Economic Impact Report says activity on the platform contributed $81 billion to U.S. business GDP, while 54 million Americans reported purchasing a product after seeing it on TikTok.
TikTok Shop launched in the U.S. in September 2023. Market research firm eMarketer estimates that the platform generated approximately $15.8 billion in U.S. sales during 2025, accounting for around 18% of the country’s social commerce market.
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TikTok Adds AI Shopping Assistant and One-Click Checkout
