Even if a U.S. ban is imminent, TikTok Shop is becoming more and more popular with businesses because it provides a delightful shopping experience with live streaming, promotions, and simple purchasing.

At the Waukegan, Illinois, warehouse of her hair-care firm, Sarah Potempa posed in front of her smartphone wearing a sparkling dress and a Santa hat on top of her strikingly pink hair. The moment has come for work.

Potempa is a well-known hairdresser who frequently goes live on TikTok. For six to eight hours at a stretch, Potempa livestreams herself fulfills orders for her well-known Beachwaver curling iron, which she calls "the packing show."

On November 20, the feed had a party vibe, with Potempa stopping sometimes to dance to 50 Cent's "In Da Club" between delivering orders. For the more than 1,000 TikTok viewers who regularly watch Potempa's performances, this is a combination of buying and entertainment.

Beachwaver is one of several merchants that are swarming to TikTok Shop, the video app's buying platform. Since its September 2023 launch, TikTok Shop—Chinese software that allows users to buy things without ever leaving the app—has been a competitive option for companies wishing to expand their e-commerce company beyond Amazon.

Retailers of various sizes advertise a wide variety of items; including treadmills, detox teas, phone chargers, cosmetics palettes, and more, through a special Shop page. Retailers on TikTok usually provide free delivery within a few days along with hefty promotions. Shoppable posts, which resemble regular videos but are actually advertisements for goods offered in TikTok Shop, are commonly seen in the "For You" tab, which is the platform's primary video feed. Users may buy things from such posts without ever leaving there For You feed.

Customers compete to place orders on Potempa's show in order to receive free Beachwaver product add-ons like lipsticks or face washes, a 50% discount on Beachwaver products, and the opportunity to have Potempa read their username aloud as she packs.