As the lines between social media and eCommerce blur, platforms like Facebook and TikTok are becoming more than just places to connect—they’re now major shopping destinations. For businesses, this opens up new possibilities but it also raises a big question: Which platform should you invest in: Facebook Shopping or TikTok Shop? 

Each platform offers unique tools and caters to different audiences, making the choice more about what works best for your brand rather than a clear-cut winner. In this article, we’ll go through strengths and drawbacks of both Facebook Shopping and TikTok Shop to help you figure out which one aligns better with your business goals.

facebook shopping vs tiktok shop

Facebook Shopping Overview

Facebook Shopping is a term that encompasses two distinct shopping features on the popular platform – Facebook Shops and Facebook Marketplace. 

Facebook Shops is a comprehensive solution for businesses to showcase their products across Meta – on Facebook and Instagram. It leverages Facebook’s vast ecosystem, integrating with Instagram and Messenger, to create a seamless shopping experience. A Facebook Shop can be fully customized to fit the business’ branding using simple design tools, and sellers can choose to display only certain products or their entire catalog. The Commerce Manager dashboard provides insights about which products sell the most, as well as complete sales performance. 

Facebook Shops should not be confused with Marketplace, a feature that allows anyone, not just brands, to sell through the platform. It only requires a personal account, and transactions take place outside of the platform, anyway the seller and the buyer agree upon. 

In this article, we’re going to focus on Facebook Shops, the only actual eCommerce solution on the platform.

Key Features

  • Shops on Facebook and Instagram: Unified storefront across Facebook and Instagram, allowing businesses to showcase products on both platforms through a single Shop. Products can be tagged in Reels to maximize reach.
  • Integrated with Messenger: Customers can directly interact with businesses through Messenger or WhatsApp, ask questions or make inquiries. Furthermore, customers can be targeted with ads through Messenger.
  • Checkout on Facebook and Instagram: Customers can make direct purchases through Facebook/Instagram Checkout. This is a relatively recent feature that streamlines the shopping experience. It’s important to note here that as of mid-2024 only those shops that have enabled this feature will be supported for web-based shopping and features like product tagging.
  • Audience Targeting and Ads: Utilize Meta’s advanced targeting for ad campaigns, allowing you to reach highly specific demographics.
  • Facebook Marketplace: Sellers can list products on the Marketplace, providing another avenue for product discovery.
facebook shopping

Pros:

  • Large, established user base (Facebook and Instagram)
  • Seamless integration with Messenger for customer service
  • Extensive audience data for targeted ads
  • Trusted, established platform with a variety of ad options

Cons:

  • High competition due to a crowded marketplace
  • More reliant on paid ads for visibility
  • The integrated checkout process is not available to all sellers

TikTok Shop Overview

TikTok Shop is the eCommerce feature of the social media giant TikTok. It offers an entirely native in-app shopping experience, where users can browse, purchase, and check out without leaving the app. It’s tailored for sellers looking to engage a younger, highly active user base through short-form video content. As it grows to become the leading platform for social commerce, TikTok Shop constantly introduces new features, allowing brands to reach the audiences when they’re most likely to engage. Thanks to the viral nature of TikTok, businesses can reach new audiences quickly. Plus, features like Live Shopping boost impulse purchases by creating a sense of urgency and hype. 

Customer experience on TikTok Shop is streamlined and smooth as the entire journey, from discovery through engagement with ads, branded content and influencer collaborations, to the checkout, happens entirely within the TikTok app. 

TikTok is a platform that brings together entertainment, engagement, value and community, and as such, it represents an enormous potential for brands to tap into as their eCommerce offer blends seamlessly with the platform experience.

Key Features

  • In-Feed Shopping Ads: Seamlessly integrates product listings into the TikTok For You Page feed.
  • Live Shopping: Sellers can showcase products via live streaming, allowing for real-time engagement and transactions.
  • TikTok Shop Affiliate Program: Businesses can collaborate with TikTok creators who promote their products in exchange for a commission on sales, all managed through the TikTok Shop Affiliate Program.
  • In-App Checkout: Purchases are made within TikTok without redirecting users to external sites. This significantly reduces cart abandonment and provides a seamless shopping experience that customers are happy to repeat.
  • Powerful Insights: The TikTok Shop Seller Center provides insights on customer behavior, age and gender (for buyers and viewers alike), product fulfillment, video ad performance metrics and more. 
  • Flexible Shipping Options: TikTok shipping options include shipping through TIkTok and seller shipping.
  • Algorithm-Driven Discoverability: TikTok is known for its highly sophisticated algorithm. Products are surfaced based on user interests and behavior, leading to more organic discovery.
  • Pros:
    • Fast-growing network
    • High virality and strong engagement from Gen Z and Millennial audiences
    • Innovative formats like Live Shopping and shoppable video content
    • Organic discoverability through TikTok’s algorithm
    • Vast influencer network
    • Frictionless in-app checkout, leading to a more streamlined shopping experience
  • Cons:
    • Audience skewed towards younger users, which may not suit all brands
    • Some businesses may struggle with creating the short-form video content that works well on TikTok
    • TikTok Shop setup and management of the TikTok Shop Storefront is difficult and usually requires a top TikTok Shop Agency

Facebook Shopping vs TikTok Shop: Key Differences

While both TikTok Shop and Facebook Shops enable businesses to sell directly through social media, they provide significantly different experiences tailored to their unique audiences. TikTok Shop is built for an interactive, video-first approach, thriving on viral content and real-time engagement, while Facebook Shops leverages its established social network and a more traditional marketplace feel. In the following section, we explore the key differences that set these platforms apart, offering insights into which may be better suited for your brand’s needs and eCommerce goals.

  • User Base: Facebook boasts 3.07 billion monthly active users, appealing to a wide demographic. TikTok has a younger, more niche user base with 1.6 billion users. 
  • Shopping Experience: Facebook Shops integrates across Facebook and Instagram. With the recent changes that require shops to conduct checkout only through the Checkout on Facebook ad Instagram feature, it no longer offers the checkout flexibility it once did. TikTok Shop offers an entirely in-app experience, with a focus on short-form video and live shopping. Still, brands can choose to display products in their storefront on TikTok and then link them to their website or another platform where their products are sold. 
  • Ad Formats and Discovery: Facebook relies more on its established ad network for visibility, often requiring paid promotions. TikTok’s algorithm pushes content based on user behavior, making it easier for products to be organically discovered. On top of the “classic” ad formats and placements on TikTok, brands can use TikTok Shop Ads (Video Shopping Ads, Product Shopping Ads, LIVE Shopping Ads) to drive sales, complementing the organic formats. 
  • Content Format: Facebook supports traditional ads, carousel posts, and product listings. TikTok Shop requires a focus on video content, encouraging sellers to embrace storytelling and dynamic product showcases.

Facebook Shopping vs TikTok Shop: Which Is Better for Your Business?

When deciding between TikTok Shop and Facebook Shops for your brand, it’s crucial to start from your business goals, audience, and content strategy. Each platform excels in different areas—TikTok Shop is ideal for brands that thrive on viral, short-form video content, while Facebook Shopping may be a better fit for businesses seeking a more established, traditional setup. Below, we’ve outlined key factors to help you determine which platform is better suited for your brand’s specific needs and objectives.

Choose Facebook Shopping if:

  • You want access to a broad, diverse audience
  • Your business already has a presence on Facebook or Instagram
  • You prefer a more traditional eCommerce approach and rely on paid advertising.

Choose TikTok Shop if:

  • Your target audience skews younger, especially Gen Z or Millennials
  • You are comfortable creating engaging short-form videos or live-streaming
  • Your industry is skincare, beauty, fashion and gadgets
  • You want to leverage creator collaborations and reach customers through authentic content
  • You want to offer your customers native shopping features for a seamless, immersive shopping experience.

Wrapping It Up

Both Facebook Shopping and TikTok Shop offer valuable opportunities for businesses to engage in social commerce. While Facebook provides a broad reach and a trusted shopping ecosystem, TikTok offers innovation in the form of live shopping and organic product discovery. Depending on your audience, product type, and content strategy, one platform may be more suited to your needs. For businesses looking to excel in both, adopting a hybrid strategy could maximize your social commerce potential.

If your business is looking to expand into TikTok Shop, Facebook Shops, or both, GrowMojo can help you maximize your success on these platforms. As an official TikTok Shop partner and a certified Facebook marketing agency, GrowMojo specializes in creating tailored strategies that drive sales and growth. With our expertise in social commerce and our deep understanding of the two platforms, we’re uniquely positioned to help your brand navigate the complexities of TikTok Shop and Facebook Shops, ensuring you reach your full potential. Contact GrowMojo today to take your eCommerce presence to the next level.