TikTok aims to surpass 2025 sales despite rising prices

MANILA, Philippines — E-commerce platform TikTok Shop is aiming to post higher sales this year compared to a year ago despite rising prices due to the Middle East conflict.

“On TikTok Shop’s side, we always aim to sustain and even surpass the previous growth rates,” Yves Gonzalez, head of public policy at TikTok Shop Philippines told reporters.

While rising prices stemming from the Middle East conflict are expected to have some impact on how consumers spend, he said that e-commerce is still expected to post growth.

He said that consumers who want to save on fuel costs would no longer have to travel far and can just purchase items through e-commerce platforms.

“As consumers are feeling the pinch of the energy crisis, e-commerce is actually one of the options that’s available to them to be able to save, but at the same time still continue to be able to purchase the things that they want to buy,” Gonzalez said.

For now, he said it is still too early to tell if the crisis has affected sales on the platform.

Last year, local sellers on TikTok Shop posted a 200-percent growth in sales.

Categories that posted strong growth in sales include fast moving consumer goods, cosmetics and clothing.

“We’re seeing that people are more and more going to TikTok Shop to buy these items,” he said.

For this year, Gonzalez said the platform also aims to continue to grow its ecosystem particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao.

TikTok Shop is a platform integrated in the TikTok app.

The e-commerce platform was launched in the Philippines in 2022.