Indonesia entrepreneurs cash in on TikTok live selling spree
- Region is a bright spot for the Chinese-owned firm after months of intense scrutiny by other nations over users’ data security and alleged ties to Beijing
- CEO Chew Shou Zi announced plans to invest billions of dollars in Southeast Asia, where it counts 325 million users, of whom 125 million are in Indonesia
An Indonesian live-streamer stood in a room crammed with clothes in Jakarta, hawking colourful garments to hundreds of viewers on a TikTok livestream for a local fashion brand.
“For the Vitamin C kind of girls, you’ll fulfil all of your nutrient needs with these orange pants,” 25-year-old Christine Febriyanti told the sales session.
Her pitch is part of a clamour for TikTok shopping in Indonesia, where users spent more money on the app than anywhere else in Southeast Asia over the past year.
The region is a bright spot for TikTok, owned by Chinese tech firm ByteDance, following months of intense scrutiny in the United States and other nations over users’ data security and the company’s alleged ties to Beijing.
TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi announced plans last week to invest billions of dollars in Southeast Asia, where it counts 325 million users, of whom 125 million are in Indonesia.
As TikTok Shop grows in popularity, with Indonesians buying more than a third of goods sold in Southeast Asia over the past year, entrepreneurs are flocking to the platform to promote a range of tech, fashion and home-made products.