The era of free views on TikTok Shop is fading fast

JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images

• TikTok Shop entered the US with a unique pitch: we can make your products go viral for free.
• Early e-commerce sellers scored millions of organic views that sometimes resulted in a sales surge.
• But the era of free traffic on TikTok is fading, company partners and insiders said.

The honeymoon period for TikTok Shop is over.

For years, TikTok sent organic traffic to videos from US merchants to help jump-start interest in its e-commerce business.