TikTok Shop, the popular online shopping platform, has announced the launch of their new support scheme, Shop Local, to aid British small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in selling their local produce to a wider audience. The scheme is fronted by farmer and TV presenter Jimmy Doherty and aims to help British businesses reach new customers and create sales opportunities through the platform’s unique ‘discovery commerce’ model.
According to new research commissioned by TikTok Shop, there is a high demand for British goods, with 83% of people stating they would be more likely to buy locally produced products if they were more widely available. Additionally, three out of four people (75%) prefer locally sourced products over imports. However, many SMBs are struggling to keep up with this demand, with over half (52%) stating that running a business is harder now than it was a year ago, and nearly a third (29%) citing difficulty in attracting new customers as their biggest challenge.
In response to this, TikTok Shop is investing £750,000 in support packages for a selection of local British businesses to help them set up and start selling on the platform. This support includes hands-on guidance from TikTok Shop experts, mentorship for staff members, training on how to sell through TikTok Shop LIVE, and subsidised marketing support. Additionally, the chosen businesses will receive featured promotion across TikTok Shop, introductions to TikTok creators, and PR and marketing support from TikTok to promote their business off-platform.
Jimmy Doherty, co-host of Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast, is excited to work alongside TikTok Shop and help select five local British businesses to receive this dedicated support package. One of the first chosen businesses is Jimmy’s Farm Shop, which is now live on TikTok Shop (@jimmysfarmhq) and receiving support from the platform to reach new audiences, just in time for the key Christmas trading period.
Jan Wilk, Head of TikTok Shop UK, explains that unlike other digital shopping platforms, TikTok Shop is based on discovery commerce and does not require businesses to have a large following or budget to be seen. She believes that the Shop Local scheme, with the support of Jimmy and Jimmy’s Farm, will help British businesses find great success on TikTok Shop.
To be eligible for the scheme, businesses must be UK-based, have less than 250 employees, and sell locally produced goods. To enter, they simply need to create and share a TikTok video demonstrating their offering to their local community, using the hashtag #ShopLocalComp and tagging @TikTokShop_UK. The winners will be selected and contacted by 12th December for participation.
According to NielsenIQ, TikTok Shop was the fastest-growing online retailer in 2024, with a 131% increase in the number of shoppers and a 180% rise in revenue. With the demand for local products rising, TikTok Shop is investing further to help British businesses unlock growth opportunities through their platform.
For more information on eligibility and participation, businesses can visit https://pressat.co.uk/.
