Social news
TikTok could soon bring its new e-commerce store to the US 🛍️
As mentioned here previously and in a training session yesterday, TikTok is set to move into selling its own products and it could happen as early as next month.
TikTok is reportedly planning to launch an online retail store in the U.S. as early as next month. This in-app shopping section would feature TikTok’s own line of products, supplied by manufacturers in China, enabling the company to compete directly with major e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Shein, and Temu.
The new store will sell a variety of products, including toys and kitchen gadgets, through the new online store and a dedicated e-commerce tab in TikTok Shop. This is an existing feature where businesses pay a commission to sell their products on the app.
Last week, TikTok confirmed that it's testing a "Trendy Beat" shopping feature in the U.K., where products are sold and shipped by a Singapore-based company owned by TikTok parent ByteDance. Despite initially denying that this new e-commerce offering was being tested in the U.S., TechCrunch found that the company had previously filed a trademark application in the U.S. for Trendy Beat, suggesting that the feature is likely to be expanded to the U.S. version of the app.
TikTok's e-commerce strategy is still in its early stages in the U.S. The company has been testing TikTok Shop since last November, but it has yet to gain significant traction. This is likely why TikTok waited to test Trendy Beat in the U.S. market.
TikTok's e-commerce business has mainly been successful in Asia, where the overall industry has seen the fastest economic growth. The company is banking on Southeast Asia to grow its business; TikTok aims to more than quadruple the size of its e-commerce venture to as much as $20 billion in gross merchandise value in 2023, compared to last year’s $4.4 billion in sales.
techcrunch.com
AI news
ChatGPT App on iOS Now Uses Bing to Bring You More Updated Answers 🤖
OpenAI has announced that paid subscribers of ChatGPT Plus now have access to Bing when they ask questions in the ChatGPT app on the iPhone, providing more up-to-date answers than previously possible. The AI chatbot, which was initially only available via a web browser, arrived on iOS in May, introducing new exclusive features to the app, including voice assistance for prompts and compatibility with Siri.
The latest addition, "Browsing", provides real-time answers to questions about recent topics and events using the Bing search engine. This is a significant upgrade as ChatGPT's original training data doesn't extend past 2021, which could lead to outdated or incorrect information due to lack of reference material.
The integration of Bing with ChatGPT is a natural move given the long-term partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI, which was recently extended with a billion-dollar investment.
The new Browsing feature is only available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, which costs $20 per month. The subscription comes with extra features, such as access to ChatGPT-4, priority access when demand is high, and faster response speeds. Users can upgrade to ChatGPT Plus from the settings in the app.
cnet.com
Videos
Scottish camping pensioner is TikTok hit age 74 🏕️
The article from BBC News is about a 74-year-old Scottish pensioner named Pat McErlean who has become a hit on TikTok due to his camping trips. For two years, Pat has been posting videos about his camping adventures on his YouTube channel, "Wander with Mac", but it wasn't until his content was shared on TikTok by an influential account that his channel went viral.
In his videos, Pat takes viewers on tours of the countryside near his home in Dumfries and Galloway. One of his videos promoted on TikTok has been viewed 12 million times. He has gained a new nickname, "grandad", from the younger audience on TikTok.
Pat's passion for camping was inspired by an Ordnance Survey map he received when he was 10 years old. He created his YouTube channel two years ago to document his camping trips with his dog, Morag. His storytelling style was inspired by Scottish filmmaker John Grierson and presenter Tom Weir.
His channel's success skyrocketed after it was promoted by musician Kristian Keenan on TikTok, who wanted to promote a channel with "little to no views" on YouTube. As a result of this endorsement, Pat's YouTube channel now has more than 400,000 subscribers. Pat has also set up his own TikTok account, "Wander with Mac", which has already garnered more subscribers than the creator who promoted him.
Due to health problems, Pat has had to pause his camping hobby. However, Keenan has helped raise more than £1,000 to assist with the cost of running a campervan.
bbc.co.uk
Social Mind: Social and AI Insights
It's Friday 🥳
This morning I have a scoping meeting with a new client and then I'll be touching base with some existing clients, plus sorting out some Facebook Page admin issues.
Don't forget I can usually help with any admin, restrictions or blocking issues relating to FB Pages, Instagram, Ads, Business Manager etc. (See feedback below kindly published by Claire Etchell aka Naked PR Girl on LinkedIn yesterday.
Have a productive day and an amazing weekend!
JP
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