#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt… TikTok’s new shopping features are expected to finish rolling out to users by October. The ByteDance-owned app said 200K sellers have signed up for its Shop tab and 100K creators have joined its affiliate program to make shoppable ads. On the Chinese version of TikTok (called Douyin), users bought $208B worth of products last year. It’s unclear whether that success can cross the Pacific. Meta’s struggled to make social commerce popular in the US, and it’s pulled back features on Insta and FB, like live shopping.
Booster season… The CDC has recommended new Covid shots for Americans over 6 months old. The FDA recently greenlighted Pfizer’s and Moderna’s updated vaccines, and the mRNA shots have started hitting pharmacies. (FYI: Johnson & Johnson’s vax is no longer available after demand dropped off.) Covid hospitalizations rose for over a month, hitting 17.4K for the week ended August 26. That’s still below last summer’s surge, but the CDC expects it’ll continue rising as we enter virus season. Not to mention back-to-school and return-to-office mandates.