TikTok is shortening the path from discovering a product in a video to buying it.
At Advertising Week New York on Oct. 5, TikTok announced Buy Direct, an in-app checkout tool, and Shopping Assistant, a conversational AI shopping agent. Available through eligibility-based advertiser testing, the tools aim to help brands answer product questions and complete purchases within TikTok.
The new features form the foundation of what TikTok calls its “Agentic Commerce” framework, aiming to eliminate friction across digital retail. TikTok says Buy Direct enables one-click purchases from brands in the For You feed using stored payment methods and saved addresses.
TikTok says Shopping Assistant understands conversational context and remembers users’ needs. Its detailed product page describes a chat window on merchant product pages inside TikTok’s in-app browser, offering answers based on merchant-provided information. Shoppers can then continue to checkout on the merchant’s website within the browser.
To power the backend infrastructure, TikTok partnered with established enterprise and commerce platforms, including Salesforce, Shopify, Shoplazza, and Stripe.
“We are enabling advertisers to create work that feels relevant, move at the speed of culture, and drive meaningful business impact,” said David Kaufman, global head of monetization product partnerships at TikTok.
Expanding beyond the TikTok Shop tab
TikTok Shop launched in the US in September 2023 with a marketplace tab, creator affiliate tools, and shoppable videos and livestreams in the For You feed. Research firm eMarketer estimated that TikTok Shop generated approximately $15.8 billion in US sales in 2025, accounting for roughly 18% of the country’s social commerce market, TechCrunch reported. Additionally, TikTok’s Economic Impact Report noted that 54 million Americans bought a product after watching an in-app video.
The new tools build on TikTok’s existing in-feed shopping model, adding conversational product assistance and another way to buy directly from brands.
Keeping product questions inside TikTok
Shoppers may turn to search engines or tools such as ChatGPT for product research. TikTok’s assistant could keep more basic product questions within the app, although merchant-provided answers serve a different purpose from independent reviews and comparisons.
What businesses and shoppers should check
For businesses considering these tools, faster checkout makes accurate product information, inventory updates, and clear delivery and return terms especially important. Before adopting them, teams should confirm integration requirements and how orders and customer support will be handled.
Interested advertisers can contact their TikTok sales representative about testing eligibility. Shoppers should still check the seller, total price, delivery terms, and return policy before completing a purchase.
Read more: As platforms compete to control AI shopping, Amazon’s block on Meta’s Muse shopping agent highlights how retailer access rules can limit automated purchases.