Remember when QVC was the go-to for televised shopping? Fast forward to 2025, and TikTok Shop has taken the reins, captivating Gen Z with its blend of entertainment and instant purchasing. In this blog, we will explore how this platform is revolutionising shopping for the digital generation.

From Television to TikTok

QVC UK made its debut on 1st October 1993, introducing British audiences to a whole new kind of retail experience, one that brought shopping into living rooms via glossy presenters, enthusiastic demos, and a phone-in checkout system that felt revolutionary at the time. For years, it defined a certain kind of impulse buying: slightly mesmerising, a little bit kitsch, but undeniably effective.

Fast forward three decades, and we’ve entered a new era of retail therapy, only this time, it’s vertical, fast-paced, and entirely in the hands of Gen Z. In September 2023, TikTok formally launched its in-app shopping feature, TikTok Shop, in the UK and beyond. This wasn’t just a bolt-on e-commerce tab, it was a fully integrated shopping ecosystem that merged product discovery, influencer marketing, livestream selling, and direct checkout into one seamless scroll. Within months, it had completely reframed how younger audiences engage with commerce.

According to the platform, there are currently over 200,000 businesses active on TikTok Shop in the UK alone, ranging from bedroom entrepreneurs to household-name retailers. From beauty brands and home gadgets to niche snacks and viral tech accessories, everything is now available to buy mid-video.

Why TikTok Shop Resonates with Gen Z

Gen Z doesn’t just want to be sold to; they want to be entertained, informed, and included. They value authenticity, immediacy, and social proof. TikTok Shop taps into all three with unnerving precision.​

• Influencer-led Demonstrations: Products are presented by creators who feel more like mates than marketers — think unfiltered GRWMs, haul videos, or “TikTok made me buy it” moments that feel spontaneous but drive serious conversions.
• Seamless Shopping Experience: Users never leave the app. A single tap can take them from a product demo to checkout, ideal for impulse buys or viral must-haves.
• Community Engagement: Comments, live chat, duets and stitches create a loop of conversation, validation, and user-generated proof that can send products flying off the digital shelves.​

One standout success story is Made by Mitchell, a British beauty brand founded by makeup artist Mitchell Halliday. During a 12-hour live session as part of TikTok Shop’s Summer Sale, the brand sold one product every second, generating $830,000 during the event and surpassing $1 million in sales within 24 hours. This achievement marked the first time a UK beauty brand reached such a milestone on TikTok Shop.​

The Rise of Social Commerce in the UK

The UK’s social commerce market is projected to more than double, reaching nearly £16 billion by 2028. TikTok Shop is playing a central role in driving that surge, with over 200,000 businesses in the UK already active the platform.

And the demand is there: shopping via social media has surged by 32% since 2022, with 68% of consumers aged 16 to 26 saying they’ve purchased through social media in the past year,  a 40% increase in just 12 months. For brands, this isn’t a trend to sit out, it’s an open goal.

With TikTok Shop, the barriers to entry are low, the creative freedom is high, and the exposure potential is massive. Unlike traditional e-commerce, TikTok Shop is inherently content-led. It rewards brands that can think culturally, not just commercially, blending entertainment, personality and product into a format that feels native to the platform, not interruptive.

Here’s where the real opportunity lies:

• Fast feedback loops: TikTok’s comment sections, duets and stitches become built-in focus groups. You’ll know instantly what’s resonating and what needs tweaking.
• Algorithmic advantage: TikTok’s For You feed doesn’t rely on follower counts. A single strong video can go viral and convert.
• Built-in creators: From niche micro-influencers to major UK personalities, TikTok’s creator community is primed to help brands drive discovery and sales in an authentic way.
• Live selling = real-time conversion: Brands that can entertain while they sell, through livestreams or behind-the-scenes content, see a measurable boost in basket sizes and checkout rates.

Put simply, TikTok Shop has democratised digital retail. Whether you’re a high-street staple or a challenger brand with a ring light, if you can capture attention, you can convert.

The Future is Scrollable

TikTok Shop isn’t a passing fad, it’s the future of social-first commerce. For Gen Z, shopping is no longer a separate activity; it’s woven into their daily scroll, shaped by creators they trust and content they crave.

For brands, the challenge now is cultural fluency. To succeed here, it’s not about being the loudest, it’s about being the most relevant. Whether you’re looking to launch your first TikTok Shop or level up your content-to-checkout journey, this is the moment to act.