# TikTok Shop Sales for Major Brands Doubled in 2025 as Ulta, Sally Beauty Joined the Platform *The social commerce channel is proving viable for established CPG and beauty brands with existing retail distribution.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-08-04. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/tiktok-shop-via-modern-retail-2026-08-04t12-5 Subject: TikTok Shop (via Modern Retail) Tags: tiktok shop, social commerce, affiliate marketing, creator economy, beauty retail, distribution --- Major brands nearly doubled their sales through TikTok Shop year-over-year in 2025, according to Modern Retail, with household names like Ulta Beauty and Sally Beauty entering the marketplace for the first time. The reported sales acceleration marks a shift from early-stage testing to committed channel investment for brands that previously relied on conventional retail. Ulta Beauty and Sally Beauty both launched storefronts on TikTok Shop during 2025, joining a platform that was still considered experimental by many established players twelve months earlier. The timing reflects confidence in the platform's transaction infrastructure and audience intent — not just discovery, but conversion. Modern Retail's reporting indicates the sales growth came from a combination of new entrants and increased velocity from brands already present, suggesting the channel is scaling beyond novelty purchases. The mechanism is straightforward: TikTok Shop collapses the distance between content and checkout. A user watches a product demonstration, reads comments confirming the claim, and completes the purchase without leaving the app. The friction cost of a separate browser tab or a saved cart drops to zero. For physical products with a visual or functional proof point — cosmetics, skincare, kitchen tools, apparel — that condensed path from interest to transaction outperforms traditional e-commerce funnels where intent cools across multiple touchpoints. The platform's affiliate structure amplifies this. Creators earn commission on sales, incentivizing them to produce content that demonstrates rather than merely advertises. A makeup artist showing a foundation's coverage in natural light delivers more conversion power than a banner ad. The brand pays only on completed sales, not impressions. For Ulta and Sally Beauty, this model extends their existing influencer programs into a performance-based channel with built-in attribution. A small physical-product brand can run the same play without a retail footprint or an influencer roster. First, open a TikTok Shop account and list your catalog with clear, benefit-led titles and sharp product photography. Price competitively; the platform's algorithm favors conversion rate, and a **15-20% discount** from your direct site often justifies the platform fee. Second, identify three to five micro-creators in your category — skincare reviewers, home organization accounts, pet product testers — with **5,000 to 50,000 followers** and consistent engagement. Reach out with a commission offer: **10-15%** on sales, plus a free product for their review. Third, provide them with a simple brief: show the product in use, explain the specific problem it solves, and link to your TikTok Shop page. A single video from a credible voice in a relevant niche can generate **$500 to $2,000** in first-week sales for a product priced under **$50**. Fourth, monitor which videos convert and double down. Send those creators additional products or raise their commission to **20%**. The platform's algorithm will surface high-engagement content to similar audiences, compounding reach without additional ad spend. The risk for established brands is channel conflict. If TikTok Shop undercuts retail pricing or trains customers to wait for creator codes, it erodes margin elsewhere. The opportunity for emerging brands is access: a direct line to buyers who are in a discovery mindset, with no shelf space required and no minimum order from a distributor. The brands that doubled their sales in 2025 demonstrated that the channel can scale beyond impulse buys. The question for any physical-product marketer is whether the unit economics work when creator commissions, platform fees, and fulfillment costs stack up — and whether the customer acquired on TikTok Shop has enough lifetime value to justify the entry price. ## The takeaway TikTok Shop converts discovery into transaction by collapsing the checkout path and incentivizing creators to demonstrate, not just promote. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands