TikTok is testing a new product identification feature
More recently, TikTok has acquired a new feature that has opened up the possibility for users to make purchases directly in the application. This functionality is currently unavailable in a number of countries, but support for it should be extended to them in the future.
A further development in this direction is the introduction of a new feature that will identify various objects appearing in the video. As soon as an item appears on the screen, viewers will be prompted to find it (or a similar item) in the TikTok Shop.
When the above changes come into effect, not only approved influencers and brands, but also all other users will be able to link to products from TikTok Shop (in their videos). The process of recognizing things (it can be cosmetics, clothes, home decor, various appliances, and much more) will be carried out without the participation of the authors, on all videos published by them. Thus, product tagging will become a completely meaningless task.
Most likely, artificial intelligence will play an important role in the new feature, somewhat reminiscent of Google Lens, which is also capable of finding similar products on the Internet.
This feature is currently being tested. Not every user can encounter it. It is not known when it will be officially released, and this is because the company is not sure of a positive reaction from the audience, which may not appreciate such an innovation. So far, there are no screenshots available online to show how it works and how intrusively the app offers purchases. Accordingly, you can expect anything from a small button that doesn’t really bother you to clearly visible pointers that clearly indicate certain elements in the video.
TikTok Shop was launched in early fall, and it quickly became overrun with inexpensive products, often fake ones. Despite this curious feature, this online marketplace has proven to be quite a profitable thing, at least in the United States.
