TikTok is one of the world’s most important and influential social media platforms. The app was launched in September 2016 and has significantly impacted the social media landscape, in which Facebook and Instagram primarily govern.
Like other social media platforms, TikTok is continuously supervised by state regulators because of the predominant concern about the related use of the personal data it gathers from its users. The majority of TikTok ownership is controlled by the Chinese technology company ByteDance. This is “used” as one of the additional reasons for raising concerns about the level of protection of personal data gathered, stored, and shared by the platform operator.
The social media platform TikTok developed a TikTok shop to increase its impact, reach, and profit margin. The TikTok shop represents an electronic marketplace through which marketplace sellers could sell their products to customers residing in different parts of the world.
TikTok’s e-marketplace is integrated with the original social media platform, combining “two” different types of digital platforms to create social commerce. As an e-marketplace, TikTok shop is primarily defined as a content-driven e-marketplace. This is one of the significant differences between TikTok shops and Amazon or Walmart.
TikTok has been active in different world regions, such as Asia, the U.S., the U.K., and recently Ireland. To expand its reach into European markets, it has decided to open the Germany-based TikTok warehouse services for sellers.
E-commerce fulfillment by TikTok shop as an all-around service for marketplace sellers has been a massive success in all countries where it’s available. The first country on its agenda for TikTok shop expansion in Europe was the United Kingdom, where, in the first year, the platform hadn’t reached its preliminary target. Now, it has more than 200,000 registered vendors, which shows its success.
TikTok Shop
TikTok leveraged its global presence and enormous popularity among its users, especially younger generations, to introduce e-commerce features via TikTok shop to enhance its presence and services.
The content-driven e-commerce model, founded on combining entertainment with online shopping, offers a unique blend for its customers and vendors. Current and future marketplace sellers using TikTok logistics and supply chain services have multiple benefits. Unquestionably, one of the most impactful elements that e-sellers could leverage is access to a wide and continuously expanding user base.
Leveraging the TikTok users database, very successful personalization of the content, and robust algorithm that connects the vendor with the right target audience strengthens the chances for significant profit margins for the registered vendors.
TikTok Shop Germany
To expand its reach to European customers, TikTok plans to establish its presence in Germany by developing its TikTok shop logistics solution. The development and implementation of the Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) Germany service is a pivotal move to reach out to EU customers by establishing the logistics center in the leading country for e-commerce shopping.
The possibility of offering this service to different types of businesses, mainly SMEs or sole traders, will create competition with e-marketplaces that provide similar services.
Since the last week of February, 2025, the possibility of registering for the TikTok Shop has become a reality for businesses and sole traders with a place of business in Germany. The only requirement for a registration is to open a TikTok account and input business-related information. The type of business that could be registered as the e-merchant for the TikTok shop in Germany is being a previously registered legal person or operating as a sole trader.
Still, it remains unclear when TikTok will launch the TikTok fulfillment service in Germany. After making it possible for sellers based in Germany to register on TikTok shops and share many job ads for its operations in Germany, it’s just a matter of time before TikTok expands its presence in the EU by providing this service for its sellers.
The project of establishing an FBT shipping and storage Germany service unquestionably indicates the strong willingness of the predominantly social media app to enter a highly competitive e-marketplace framework dominated by Amazon.
One critical difference between Amazon and TikTok regarding tools for attracting an audience and bringing them closer to the desired product is that Amazon operates through an entry-search model. At the same time, TikTok is a social commerce platform. Through personalized videos and messages, it reaches potential customers faster.
The social media platform TikTok, through the development of its TikTok Shop and the integration of this e-commerce marketplace service with its core business activity, has successfully pioneered a content-driven e-commerce model.
The plan to establish a Fulfillment by TikTok service in Germany, the leading EU e-commerce market, transparently shows the importance of expanding TikTok’s operations to the European Union. The launch of the FBT service in Germany will surely make the EU e-commerce market more competitive.
Aleksandar Delic
1stopVAT Indirect Tax Manager – E-Commerce