TikTok Shop sees shift from search-led to discovery-led shopping | Asian Business Review

Event News News Jaleen Ramos , Singapore Published: 2 hours ago TikTok Shop sees shift from search-led to discovery-led shopping Live commerce sales growth rose over 70% YoY, with live viewership up over 150%+. Consumers are increasingly discovering products through short videos, creators, and live selling sessions, opening new ways for brands to reach shoppers and create demand. “Traditionally, in the past, shopping journeys often began with a search. A consumer knew what they wanted, compared their options, and then made a purchase,” TikTok Shop Singapore Fashion Lead and Seller Management Lead Leon Koh told the Retail Asia Summit 2026 in Singapore. “However, today, that journey can also go the other way around, where people begin with the discovery in the content feed, making that decision, and ultimately then making that purchase,” he added. Koh said TikTok Shop brings content and commerce together, allowing consumers to discover, explore, and purchase products within the same experience. “This culture of discovery is changing how people encounter brands and products,” he said. He said content feeds are becoming another consumer touchpoint rather than replacing brands’ existing channels. Koh pointed to the broader growth of Singapore's e-commerce market, which grew from $8b in 2023 to $9b in 2025 and is projected to reach $15b by 2030, according to the e-Conomy SEA 2025: Singapore Country Report. As shopping shifts, he said having a good product is no longer enough, with brands needing to earn consumer attention and build relevance. TikTok Shop’s short video gross merchandise value (GMV) in Singapore nearly doubled year on year, whilst its seller base reached approximately 80,000 grew over 125% year on year. Transaction volumes rose over 30%. Growth has spanned fashion and accessories, beauty and personal care, phones and electronics, everyday supplies, F&B, and other categories. “This whole diverse category mix shows how video commerce is becoming increasingly more embedded across a wider range of everyday shopping needs,” said Koh. Live commerce has also grown, with live viewership up over 150%, monthly buyers up over 60% and sales growth up over 70% year on year. Koh said brands can approach discovery commerce through exposure, experience, and enablement. This includes reaching new buyers, testing short-form content, live selling and creator partnerships, and building capabilities in content creation, live hosting, creator collaborations, and data analysis. He said brands should focus on content that converts, live selling sessions that drive interaction, creators and communities, and ongoing performance measurement and optimisation. Koh also pointed to the role of shoppable video and live selling across the shopping journey. Short videos can help products become part of everyday discovery, whilst live selling sessions allow brands and creators to demonstrate products, answer questions and interact with viewers in real time. He said successful sellers need to continuously test and refine their approach rather than rely on a single piece of content or campaign. “Put simply, create content that earns attention, use live to drive interaction, work with creators and communities to drive relevance, and use data to continuously improve,” Koh said. TikTok Shop has also introduced the Go Live Academy for businesses new to live selling and the Merchant Self Live programme for growing sellers. The platform aims to train at least 1,000 local sellers by the end of 2027 and more than 3,000 creators by the end of 2026. Koh said the goal is to equip sellers to make effective use of the platform and build long-term growth. “Content commerce is an ongoing cycle, not a one-off campaign,” Koh said.