Most brands assume TikTok Shop behaves the same in the UK and the US.
It doesn’t.
And that misunderstanding slows growth more than any algorithm change.
Here is the reality I see daily across both markets:
UK brands move cautiously.
US brands move decisively.
That one difference explains most of the performance gap.
What we see on the ground:
• US creators treat TikTok Shop like a business. UK creators treat it like a side hobby.
• US brands send 800 samples a month. UK brands debate sending 150 for weeks.
• US sellers adopt Discord instantly. UK sellers still think it is “too complex.”
• US operators invest in retainers, paid collabs, and ad spend. UK operators wait for certainty first.
• US brands build creator communities early. UK brands wait until results slow down.
• US teams value speed. UK teams value permission.
None of this is about the platform.
It is about behavior.
Behavior compounds, and it determines who grows and who stalls.
This week I broke down the full UK vs US comparison, including:
• Why adoption curves differ
• Why creators respond differently
• Why scaling speed changes market to market
• What the highest performers do in each region
• How to structure your strategy depending on where you operate
Here is the full breakdown.
Talk soon,
– Ashley Wright
Founder, Social Tale