Software and technology
February 11, 2021
TikTok is gearing up to launch a livestreaming shopping feature. Image credit: Getty
By Katie Tamola
Short-form video sharing platform TikTok is exploring an expansion of its livestream shopping events as social media moves in a more transactional direction.
{"ct":"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","iv":"38235f26cd0b8f78147988e3a39030d7","s":"aa4283f24888c344"}
Share your thoughts. Click here