The news: Ulta Beauty will make its TikTok Shop debut this week, becoming the first beauty and wellness retailer to sell on the platform.

The company’s TikTok storefront will launch on March 17 with a curated selection from more than 15 brands across makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance, as well as over 25 exclusive bundles.

Zoom in: Ulta’s decision to sell on TikTok Shop reflects the platform’s rising influence in beauty purchases and its ability to reach engaged shoppers.

• Among daily TikTok users who discovered new products on the platform through influencers, 1 in 10 reported spending $100 or more on makeup in the past three months, according to a February YouGov survey.
• TikTok beauty spenders show higher awareness of beauty ads than the general population, with brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics, CeraVe, and Ulta among those with the highest ad recall.

Launching on TikTok Shop enables Ulta “to meet guests in the moments that inspire them, reduce friction between content and commerce, and drive incremental growth by welcoming new-to-Ulta Beauty shoppers into our community,” chief merchandising and digital officer Linda Brindley said in a statement to EMARKETER. Equally, it makes Ulta a more desirable partner for brands by giving them the opportunity to reach a larger audience and tap into TikTok’s highly effective ecommerce engine.

The challenge for Ulta may be standing out in a sea of beauty sellers—especially since some of the brands it sells already operate on TikTok Shop.

• The retailer is relying on curation and exclusivity to set it apart, as well as creator partnerships that it hopes will drive awareness and sales.
• Ulta also plans to test formats like livestream shopping and creator-driven educational content to increase engagement.

Implications for brands and retailers: Ulta Beauty’s TikTok Shop launch is a significant coup for the marketplace. The debut could pave the way for similar launches from other major brands and retailers, further legitimizing the platform as a major force in ecommerce. We expect TikTok Shop to generate more ecommerce sales than Target, Costco, Best Buy, and Kroger this year.

However, success on the platform requires a different playbook than brands may be used to. Agility is key: Companies have to be prepared for constant pivots based on real-time feedback from TikTok users, as well as unpredictable spikes in demand. Brands also have to be willing to loosen the reins on content creation guidelines to allow creators more room to be authentic and build deeper connections with shoppers.