Online stores worried the TikTok ban will ruin their business

Ecommerce marketing platform Omnisend asked their clients how they feel about the possible ban. Many reported they wouldn’t miss TikTok as users, but the ban would negatively impact their businesses.

“For any business, leaving future results up to chance is never a good idea. The potential TikTok ban is just another example of why businesses should never put all their eggs in one basket,” says Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce marketing expert at Omnisend. “When TikTok first launched TikTok Shop in the US, they were funding huge discounts for the store owners (50% to 70%) and succeeded in bringing a lot of businesses to their platform. Many of those businesses are now at risk and that is why the best strategy is to spread your resources across multiple successful channels.”

When TikTok Shop was banned in Indonesia (the second country by total number of TikTok users after the US) in 2023, it left six million online stores out of business.

Most of Omnisend’s ecommerce clients reported that their businesses don’t depend solely on TikTok, but it would still “suck” if the platform gets banned and no influencer integrations would be possible. One company (in the beauty industry) said it would be “devastating.”

Small businesses should consider alternatives to TikTok

“I would suggest businesses take steps toward possible solutions, instead of watching and waiting for what happens,” says Greg Zakowicz. “Even though the possibility of an actual ban is still pretty distant, businesses should concentrate on growing other marketing channels and getting ready for the worst-case scenario.”

The safe option, in his opinion, is trying out more reliable marketing channels such as email and SMS marketing. These channels have shown to be consistently effective for nearly two decades, now bringing business $72 for every dollar spent. Platforms like Omnisend help to make email marketing easy and automatic.

To reach younger audiences, which can normally be found on TikTok, businesses should try other social media platforms typically used by Gen Z, like Snapchat.

Another good option could be Instagram Reels. More than 50% of Gen Zs reported that their top shopping platform was Instagram.

About Omnisend

Omnisend is an email & SMS marketing platform with a suite of features made specifically to help ecommerce stores grow their online businesses faster. One-click integration with major ecommerce platforms, pre-made automation & email templates, and award-winning 24/7/365 live customer support make it easy for brands of any size to sell more—all without the exaggerated cost.

“Great marketing needs to be expensive” is a myth that 100,000+ Omnisend customers are busting every day by growing their businesses with email and SMS marketing