TikTok to partner with TalkShopLive for U.S. live shopping – FT

(Reuters) -TikTok is due to enter a partnership with Los Angeles-based TalkShopLive to launch its live shopping platform in North America by outsourcing its operation, the Financial Times reported on Saturday citing two people familiar with the operations.

The companies are still finalizing the arrangements, the FT report said, adding that no contracts have been signed so far.

TikTok did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment while a representative for TalkShopLive declined to comment.

Bytedance-owned TikTok’s live shopping platform TikTok Shop is available in Asian markets including Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. It was launched in the U.K. last year, according to the report.

TikTok Shop allows users to buy products through links on the app during live broadcasts, and the Los Angeles based TalkShopLive app works on a similar concept. TalkShopLive describes itself as a “live streaming, social buying and selling platform”, on its website.

TalkShopLive signed an agreement with U.S. retailer Walmart last year to provide shoppable content through embeddable videos across Walmart.com.

The reported partnership comes at a time when TikTok, which counts the United States as its largest market, is facing scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers questioning the Chinese-owned app’s safeguards of user data.

(Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Josie Kao)