Social commerce is picking up speed in Europe - and TikTok is jumping in.

The platform just launched TikTok Shop in Germany, France, and Italy, bringing a fresh dynamic to how people discover and buy products online.

So what is TikTok Shop exactly?

It's a feature that allows users to buy products directly in the app - through videos, livestreams, and a dedicated shopping tab.

For users, it's a seamless experience: You watch content - and if you like what you see, you can buy it instantly.

This move brings TikTok into more direct competition with the traditional e-commerce giant Amazon.

Both platforms are powerful but they offer very different shopping experiences:

- Amazon is about convenience. It's the go-to for fast delivery, product variety, and trusted reviews.

- TikTok Shop is less about searching for something you already want – and more about discovering something you didn’t know you needed.

In the end, it's not necessarily a question of one replacing the other.

Instead, it's about how shopping behavior is evolving, and how brands can meet customers where they are.

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