Lee Parkhurst, Chief Entertainment Officer, Parkhurst Marketing
If you keep following what’s going on in Tiktok, you might feel a little whipped. In one minute, Tiktok is one of the fastest growing e-commerce platforms in the United States, attracting 175 million users. Next, it was banned, unfixed, and banned from hanging on the law at press time.
While Tiktok is fighting for its future, toy and gaming brands must focus on diversity as the social commerce train is not stopping.
Recap Tiktok trigger
In January, the Supreme Court upheld a law requiring Tiktok’s Chinese parent company BYTEDANCE to sell its U.S. operations or face an injunction. The app was dark for 12 hours before President Trump signed an order to postpone the ban for 75 days. Apple and Google removed Tiktok from their app stores, meaning new users can’t download it and current users may soon lose access.
This is important for businesses, because Tiktok is not only another social platform, but also a social shopper. More than 50% of Tiktok users search for products directly on the app, rather than using Google or Amazon. In 2024, the global GMV of Tiktok Shop is approximately US$32.6 billion. The United States is the largest market for Tiktok Shop, generating about $9 billion in GMV. That’s why I’ve been working with brands to open a Tiktok store – because Tiktok is more than just marketing; it’s about selling.
So, what’s next? Brands no longer wait for Tiktok’s fate to decide, but should spend diversification next month. The following are:
1. Lean backward to the meta: If Tiktok is a social trade disruptor, then Meta is still the king of scale. Instagram Reels and Facebook’s Shop integration offers direct checkout, and Instagram only raises the reel limit to three minutes, a convenient time for Tiktok to struggle. Brands can repurpose their best Tiktok content for Instagram and Facebook to maintain high engagement without having to start from scratch.
2. Invest in YouTube Shorts: YouTube is the most trusted video platform, and shorts are Tiktok’s competitor. You’ve seen YouTube shorts and think it’s a Tiktok video. Vertical video is becoming more common among platforms. While viewers tend to be slightly older (honestly, the ones who buy toys!) YouTube searches are more relevant, unlike Tiktok’s brief spread of the virus. YouTube’s creators are also more substantial, making it a smart move to create a video partnership and long-term content visibility.
3. Don’t chase “next tiktok” (also): Newer platforms like Rednote and Bluesky are getting attention, but let’s be realistic: brands should go where audiences have already gone. Tiktok users are still on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Rather than starting from scratch on an untested platform, build a cross-platform strategy that people are already watching and shopping.
The final idea: The world of social sales is developing
Tiktok makes shopping socially exciting and easy. Its algorithms and trends have changed the way toys and games are sold and sold. But the key to success is still the same: Get to know the buyer. No matter what happens in Tiktok in April, socially diversified brands will now remain ahead of the curve. What is the best social sales strategy? A person who does not rely on a platform to survive.
Versions of this feature were originally published in the 2025 Big Toy Book. Click here to read the full question! Want to receive a printed toy book? Click here to get the subscription options!
