- TikTok Shop opens access to all Irish businesses, moving from invite-only to open platform as it enters its next chapter of growth in Ireland
- The number of Irish creators on TikTok Shop's affiliate programme has grown by 600% - generating a viable income stream as more brands and creators opt for performance-based partnerships over traditional upfront costs
- TikTok Shop's Creator Matchmaking event with Guaranteed Irish brings a modern and trusted matchmaking service to pair Irish businesses with local creators to supercharge sales across Ireland
- Irish businesses of all sizes are reaching new customers through Shoppable Videos and LIVE Shopping as the number of sellers grows by triple digits
The number of active creators on TikTok Shop Ireland has grown by 600% since launch and is now supercharging growth for Irish businesses on the platform. Driving that number is TikTok Shop's creator affiliate programme where Irish creators recommend Irish products to their communities and earn a commission only when a sale is made. This removes the hassle and restrictions typically encountered with traditional e-commerce partnerships like upfront costs, contracts, and guesswork in favour of genuine, reciprocal collaboration.
TikTok Shop allows creators to work directly with brands and small businesses all across Ireland, sharing their favourite products with their communities through Shoppable Videos and LIVE Shopping sessions. Today, TikTok Shop Ireland announced it is opening access to all Irish businesses, moving from an invite-only model to an open platform, meaning any Irish brand can now tap into this opportunity, reaching new customers and partnering with creators who bring their products to engaged audiences across the country. In the last six months alone, creator led shoppable video sales and LIVE shopping sessions have increased by double digits, with Irish creators embracing both formats to drive sales in real time.
On May 14th, in partnership with Guaranteed Irish, TikTok Shop Ireland brought that model to life in Dublin with its Creator Matchmaking Event - E-commerce's answer to Lisdoonvarna, pairing Irish brands with the right creators so that sales and stories find each other. Twenty-five Irish brands and over 150 creators from across the country came together at TikTok’s EMEA HQ in Dublin to network and make real business connections, the starting point for partnerships that will play out through shoppable videos and LIVE shopping sessions in the weeks ahead.
"It was Irish businesses and Irish creators backing each other, building something together." said Katey McElroy, Head of TikTok Shop Ireland.
The results of those partnerships are already reshaping Irish commerce. Since launching in December 2024, the number of Irish sellers on the platform has increased by triple digits, with more than €2 million in commissions paid directly to Irish creators. Many Irish creators use TikTok Shop as a flexible, supplementary income stream alongside their everyday lives. Spanning 18-60+ year olds and communities from Cork to Donegal, they represent a new kind of Irish micro-business.
"It is really important to me to only recommend products I truly believe in," said content creator Tracey Dylan (@traceydylan23). "What started as sharing my story has grown into a real and consistent source of income through TikTok Shop, and a community built around those shared recommendations."
Speaking at the event Seán Leddin, Founder of Fíor Jewellery (@fiorjewellery_) said "From our Limerick base, TikTok Shop has given us a way to reach customers all over Ireland who genuinely connect with the story behind our brand. When a creator shares that story authentically, you see it immediately in the response. Working with creators on the platform through the affiliate programme has become one of the most powerful tools we have for growing both our community and our sales."
That community appetite for Irish products is reflected in the data, too. The hashtag #ShopIrish has doubled on the platform over the past year, while #Claddagh content has grown by 200%, reflecting a genuine and growing consumer desire to discover and support homegrown brands. New data from Nielsen IQ shows the audience of Irish shoppers on TikTok Shop is broader than many expect, with those aged 46 to 61 accounting for the largest share of shoppers at 37%, followed by 30 to 45 year-olds at 34% and 18 to 29 year-olds at 27%.
Guaranteed Irish: Backing Local at Scale
Now in their second year of partnership, TikTok Shop and Guaranteed Irish are together bringing a modern and trusted matchmaking service to Irish brands, with TikTok Shop's affiliate programme pairing local businesses with creators who are the right fit for their brand and only recommend products they truly believe in. Together, they have already supported hundreds of Irish businesses through training, events and hands-on platform guidance.
’Through our partnership with TikTok Shop, Guaranteed Irish is helping members access new opportunities in ecommerce and digital retail,” said Bríd O'Connell, CEO of Guaranteed Irish. "For an Irish brand, being matched with the right creator is vital. The TikTok Shop Creator Affiliate Programme gives our members a way to put their products in front of engaged Irish audiences through voices those audiences already know and believe in. By supporting businesses with onboarding, training, access to trusted content creators, events and hands-on platform guidance, we are enabling Irish brands to confidently enter and grow sales with Tik Tok Shop Ireland."
As TikTok Shop opens its doors to more Irish businesses, Guaranteed Irish members remain at the heart of that growth, with dedicated onboarding support and platform guidance as part of their continued partnership.
The platform has proven particularly valuable for businesses outside Ireland's major cities. A small business anywhere in Ireland now has the same opportunity to reach Irish consumers as the biggest retailer in the country, through creators who already have the audience's trust and who earn their income only when the product sells. This is something traditional retail rarely offers at the same cost.
"This event is where it all starts," said Katey McElroy, Head of TikTok Shop Ireland. "A creator meets a brand, tries out their products and understands the story behind them. That is what makes what follows in your For Your Feed feel real, because it is. Year one showed what Irish sellers and creators can achieve together. Year two is only getting started."
To start your business on TikTok Shop Ireland, sign up here.