The data: TikTok Shop is gaining significant momentum in the US, with gross merchandise volume (GMV) skyrocketing 103% YoY to $11.8 billion in H1 2026, per a new Momentum Works report.

• Those findings dovetail with separate information showing TikTok Shop accounted for roughly 2% of US online retail spending in July, up considerably from 1.2% a year earlier, per Consumer Edge data cited by Business Insider.
• Our forecast points to similarly rapid growth. We expect TikTok Shop’s US sales will rise 48% this year to $23.41 billion, lifting its share of US ecommerce sales to 1.7%.

Zooming in: A small share of power users account for an outsized share of spending on TikTok—roughly 5% of the platform’s customer base made at least 20 purchases in Q2 but accounted for 30% of the spend, per Consumer Edge. The presence of power shoppers shows TikTok’s success with turning engagement into repeat purchases rather than one-off impulse buys.

At the same time, TikTok Shop is broadening its reach. While it remains popular with younger audiences, its fastest YoY growth is coming from consumers ages 35 to 64, per Consumer Edge data.

• Existing strength with Gen Zers shows how recommendation algorithms are influencing ecommerce, with product discovery originating often from what For Your Pages (FYPs) predict consumers will want.
• However, growth among millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers gives TikTok Shop a larger runway for more mainstream adoption.

Why it matters: TikTok Shop’s growth is difficult for brands and retailers to dismiss as a Gen Z or social-commerce niche. The platform is both deepening spending among its most active users and widening adoption across age and income groups, creating more opportunities for brands to turn discovery directly into transactions.

TikTok is also taking steps to deepen those shopping habits, including by testing a paid membership program that offers free shipping, discounts, and coupons, similar to Amazon Prime and Walmart+.

Paid memberships are a proven way to increase purchase frequency and loyalty, which could become crucial as TikTok’s buyer growth slows. As acquiring new buyers becomes harder, getting existing shoppers to buy more often becomes increasingly important.

Recommendations for retailers and brands: TikTok Shop’s momentum shows the power of algorithmic commerce and the opportunities for social shopping across generations.

• Test creator and content strategies that tailor to both younger and older consumers rather than assuming a youth-only approach.
• Use first-party data, such as behavioral and transactional information, to personalize products and promotions.