A global research study finds TikTok is a key part of consumers’ path to purchase, where are increasingly discovering and buying new products.
The study aims to identify TikTok’s role in and perceptions across the retail consumer journey.
According to results of the study, the impact of TikTok is translating outside of the platform and into the real world.
TikTok is reshaping the traditional path to purchase and driving sales at scale.
Rather than a sales funnel, the path to purchase on TikTok is described as an “infinite loop.” That means there’s no defined start an end point.
Instead, consumers enter, exit, and re-enter the sales journey at different stages based on their needs and wants.
Screenshot from TikTok.com/business, February 2022.It’s important for marketers to be aware of the results of this study, as TikTok’s influence over consumer purchase decisions will likely only go up from here.
Here are the top highlights of the study to take note of.
Key Highlights From The Study On The TikTok Sales Journey
In the following sections you’ll find a roundup of key data points from the TikTok Marketing Science Global Retail Path To Purchase Study, conducted by Material.
TikTok User Statistics
These stats highlight users’ perception of TikTok, along with their wants and needs:
- 44% of daily TikTok users want branded content to be fun and entertaining.
- 49% of users say TikTok is a source for discovering something new.
- 35% of users say TikTok is a source for learning something new.
- 29% of users say TikTok is a source for inspiration.
TikTok Users’ Consumer Behavior
These stats highlight the consumer behavior of TikTok users:
- Users spend 14% more when TikTok is part of the purchase journey
- 37% of users discovered something on TikTok and immediately went to buy it.
- 35% of TikTok users buy something they see on the platform.
- 29% of users say they weren’t able to buy a product they discovered on TikTok because it was sold out.
- 39% of TikTok users say “lifting spirits” is a key factor when they decide to buy a product.
- 44% of TikTok users discover products from videos posted by a brand.
- 44% of TikTok users discover products through ads in their feed.
- 38% of TikTok users interacted with a video posted by a brand while actively doing product research.
- 24% of TikTok users interacted with ads in their feed while actively doing product research.
TikTok Users Post-Purchase Behavior
The following stats highlight what TikTok users do after they buy a product they discovered on the platform:
- 1 in 5 users make how-to or tutorial videos on TikTok.
- 1 in 4 users have posted and tagged a brand.
- 1 in 4 users created a post showing off a product they bought.
- 1 in 4 users commented on a post by a brand.
- 1 in 5 users DM a brand.
- 1 in 4 users followed a brand.
TikTok Users Compared To Other Social Media Users
Compared to users on other social media platforms, TikTok users are:
- 1.5x more likely to immediately go out and buy something they discovered on the platform compared to other platforms’ users.
- 1.5x more likely to convince a friend or family member to buy a product they’ve seen on the app
- 2.4x more likely to create a post and tag a brand after buying a product.
- 2x more likely to comment or DM a brand after making a purchase.
- 1.3x more likely to feel excited or euphoric about product purchases.
- 1.4x more likely than users on other platforms to research products and brands they discover.
For more data on TikTok’s role in consumers’ path to purchase, see the full study.
Source: TikTok
Featured Image: Ascannio/Shutterstock
