TikTok is testing local lifestyle businesses overseas, with its first destination being Southeast Asia. Currently, operations have been launched in Indonesia and Thailand. According to a person involved in TikTok's e-commerce services in Indonesia, the local lifestyle business is still in the internal testing phase, with only a limited number of users able to see related group buying packages in their feeds, and it is mainly focused on food and beverage businesses. He has started to expand the local lifestyle business to seize new business opportunities, and is currently building connections with influencers and building a team.
According to reports, TikTok's local life service business is currently still in the internal testing phase, mainly focusing on food and beverage businesses, and only some users can see related group buying packages in their information feed.
Currently, TikTok's job listings feature a lot of content related to local lifestyle services, with locations spread across Singapore, Jakarta, and Bangkok. Job types include ecosystem management, strategic analysis, product management, and business development sales.
According to sources, TikTok had been considering plans to enter the local lifestyle service business overseas for some time, but building a supply chain locally was difficult, so the company has focused on building the infrastructure.
The characteristic of local life service businesses is that they are highly dependent on accurate geographic location information. Compared with pure content and e-commerce, they are more closely linked to the business systems of local entities. Statistics show that TikTok's global e-commerce gross merchandise volume (GMV) will reach $13.6 billion in 2023, with the Southeast Asian market dominating, accounting for more than 90%.
Given TikTok's strong brand influence in the local market and the similarity of consumer patterns and service demand in the region, Southeast Asia naturally becomes an ideal testing ground for TikTok to pilot and promote its local lifestyle service business. This strategic choice is expected to make the most of TikTok's market strengths in Southeast Asia and promote its rapid growth and market share expansion in the local service sector.
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