Amazon is giving more of its users the chance to get inspired. The tech giant’s TikTok-style platform, named Inspire, has now rolled out for all users in the U.S.
According to Insider, individual users can upload to Inspire if they’re enrolled in the Amazon Influencer Program or if they submit a product review. Vendors and sellers can share sponsored photos and videos on the feed by joining Amazon’s Brand Registry. Those posts will be accessible on the Amazon Shopping app, where Inspire is available.
Amazon has been testing Inspire for at least nine months. Along the way, it has partnered with influencers in order to assemble a base library of content for its new feed. Users can select preferred topics such as makeup, gaming, travel, pets, and decor. Once they do, their Inspire feed will shift to show posts that fit their specifications.
Thanks to TikTok’s ongoing popularity, other platforms have hastened to adopt its endlessly-scrolling layout. The list of copycats has included social services like Reddit as well as less-traditional content providers, such as the Swedish shopping app Klarna.
Like Klarna, Amazon is motivated to mimic TikTok’s design because of the commercial potential of short-form video. In Asia, social shopping on apps like Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) is a multi-billion dollar business. That model has struggled to catch on in the West, where companies like Meta and Google have dialed back ecommerce initiatives.
Amazon’s robust affiliate marketing business could help Inspire succeed where similar platforms have struggled. Posts on the feed will be fully shoppable and linked to relevant Amazon listings. Creators could be inspired to share their own favorite products in order to reap Amazon affiliate commissions that range as high as 20%.
The jury’s still out on Inspire, but Amazon has plenty of other products in the works. At its 2023 NewFronts presentation, its execs discussed new content for the Freevee platform and new advertising opportunities for its NFL streaming package.
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