The Future of Shopping podcast: Gen Z’s purchase journey and the future of TikTok Shop

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Vogue Business is delighted to announce the launch of our latest podcast series, The Future of Shopping, presented by Worldpay. This podcast is part of our new editorial package, The Future of Shopping, in which we predict how the retail landscape will be shaped over the next decade.

Vogue Business is delighted to announce the launch of our latest podcast series: The Future of Shopping. The Future of Shopping podcast investigates what the new era of shopping will look like, presented by Worldpay.

In each episode, Vogue Business editors will unpack what comes next for e-commerce, social commerce and Web3, what will happen to malls and high streets, and how consumers will shop in the future.

In the ninth episode, we explore Gen Z’s new purchase journey, how it’s being altered by TikTok, and the potential of TikTok as a shopping platform.

TikTok has revolutionised the way young people shop, from the moment of inspiration to the all-important research phase. Last September, TikTok took this even further, launching social commerce marketplace TikTok Shop across the US and the UK, with minimal seller fees and free shipping to entice sellers and brands. It was an interesting move, as Instagram had closed its shopping tab in early 2023, just three years after its launch, following mixed results. While most luxury and premium brands aren’t yet selling on TikTok Shop, many mass market fashion and beauty players from Zara to L’Orèal are seeing strong results.

For the first part of the discussion, senior trends editor Lucy Maguire is joined by executive European editor Kirsty McGregor, to discuss Lucy’s recent reports ‘Gen Z Broke the Marketing Funnel’ and ‘The Guide to TikTok Shop’. In the second part of the session, Lucy is joined by Michelle Miller, SVP of global marketing at viral haircare brand K18. K18 launched on TikTok in 2020, and has made use of the platform’s full suite of features — including TikTok Shop — to catapult the business. Just three years after its launch, the brand was acquired by Unilever in December 2023. Miller joined K18 in 2021 and has been instrumental in shaping its TikTok strategy since.

In this episode, Miller discusses how K18 uses its consumers as creators, to inspire and educate potential customers on how to use its products. She also breaks down why K18 joined TikTok Shop, and how the brand is driving users to buy $70 hair masks in-app, despite some critics believing Shop isn’t suited to premium products.