TikTok is encouraging businesses to prepare early for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026. The platform has introduced a new video series highlighting how brands use creator partnerships, livestream shopping and TikTok Shop to attract customers during major shopping periods.
Called Road to Black Friday, the series features fashion retailer Princess Polly, fragrance brand Dossier and appliance manufacturer SharkNinja. Each company shares how it uses TikTok’s shopping features to improve product visibility and connect with potential buyers.
The timing is important. TikTok reports that content using the #holidayshopping hashtag increased 263% month over month in September 2026, suggesting that consumers are already searching for gift ideas and seasonal shopping inspiration.
The latest TikTok Black Friday Cyber Monday marketing tips highlight a growing shift in online retail. Instead of depending entirely on traditional advertisements, businesses are using creators, product demonstrations and interactive shopping experiences to influence purchasing decisions.
TikTok Launches Road to Black Friday Series to Help Businesses Prepare
TikTok has introduced its Road to Black Friday video series to show businesses how established retailers use the platform to promote products and generate sales. The campaign examines strategies from Princess Polly, Dossier and SharkNinja, with particular attention to creator collaborations, shopping content and livestream engagement.
The series gives merchants a closer look at how these brands turn product discovery into purchasing opportunities. Rather than focusing exclusively on promotional discounts, TikTok emphasizes the importance of developing content that attracts attention and encourages viewers to explore products through TikTok Shop.
TikTok is also encouraging eligible sellers to begin registering products and promotional content ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping period. Early preparation gives businesses more time to develop campaigns, coordinate creator partnerships and organize their product offerings before competition intensifies.
While the featured brands operate at a considerable scale, their experiences provide useful examples for smaller retailers looking to strengthen their social commerce strategies.
Princess Polly Uses Creator Partnerships to Increase TikTok Shop Visibility
Fashion retailer Princess Polly has developed an extensive creator marketing strategy to promote its products through TikTok Shop. According to TikTok, the company works with hundreds of creators every month and participated in approximately 6,000 creator videos during a single month.
The strategy allows Princess Polly to reach different audiences through creators who present clothing and accessories in their own styles. Instead of relying entirely on advertisements published through the brand’s official account, the retailer benefits from content that feels more closely connected to everyday fashion interests.
Creators can demonstrate how outfits look, suggest styling combinations and introduce products to viewers who may not have previously encountered the brand. This makes creator-led content particularly valuable for fashion retailers, where visual presentation often influences purchasing decisions.
Princess Polly’s approach also demonstrates the importance of maintaining a consistent presence throughout the shopping season. Thousands of creator videos increase the number of opportunities for consumers to discover the company’s products.
Smaller retailers may not have the resources to replicate that volume, but they can still benefit from working with creators whose audiences match their products.
Dossier Expands Product Discovery Through Thousands of TikTok Creators
Fragrance company Dossier has taken an even broader approach to creator partnerships. TikTok reports that the brand works with thousands of creators and has more than 80,000 promotional videos circulating across the platform.
The company also distributes product samples to approximately 1,000 to 5,000 creators every month, giving them opportunities to experience its fragrances before producing content.
This strategy is particularly relevant to perfume marketing. Since consumers cannot physically smell products through a smartphone, creator descriptions and personal recommendations can help shoppers understand different fragrances.
A creator might explain how a perfume smells, compare it with another fragrance or discuss whether it would make a suitable holiday gift. These personal experiences can provide useful information for consumers who are considering purchasing unfamiliar products.
Dossier’s extensive sampling program also allows the company to generate a steady flow of content from different perspectives. Rather than depending on a small number of advertisements, the brand can reach audiences through numerous creator recommendations.
The approach requires considerable investment, but it shows how product sampling and creator relationships can support visibility during competitive shopping periods.
SharkNinja Uses TikTok LIVE to Demonstrate Products and Answer Customer Questions
SharkNinja is taking advantage of TikTok LIVE to connect with shoppers through real-time product demonstrations and conversations. The appliance manufacturer uses livestream broadcasts to answer questions, gather feedback and improve its content strategy.
Unlike conventional advertisements, livestreams allow potential customers to watch products being used while asking questions about their features and performance. This can be particularly useful for household appliances, where consumers often want to understand how a product works before purchasing it.
A viewer interested in a kitchen appliance, for example, may want to see how quickly it operates, how easy it is to clean or whether it performs better than an existing product. Livestream demonstrations give brands an opportunity to address those concerns directly.
SharkNinja also uses customer feedback from broadcasts to identify which product details attract attention and which questions need clearer explanations.
For retailers preparing holiday campaigns, this approach demonstrates how interactive shopping experiences can help businesses build stronger relationships with potential buyers.
TikTok Reports 263% Growth in Holiday Shopping Content
TikTok says holiday shopping activity is already increasing across its platform. In September 2026, content featuring the #holidayshopping hashtag rose 263% compared with the previous month.
The increase suggests that consumers are beginning to explore seasonal products and gift recommendations well before Black Friday arrives.
TikTok also reports that TikTok Shop product listings appeared in more than 100 billion searches with e-commerce intent in the United States during 2025. The figure highlights how frequently shopping-related searches connect users with products available through the platform.
For retailers, this creates opportunities to reach consumers during the discovery stage of their shopping journey. Someone searching for gift ideas might encounter a creator demonstration, product review or livestream that introduces them to a brand.
TikTok’s recommendation system can also expose products to users who were not actively planning to make a purchase.
However, growing shopping activity does not automatically guarantee higher sales. Businesses still need relevant products, clear promotional messages and content that matches consumer interests.
TikTok Shop Exceeded $500 Million in Sales During Black Friday Weekend 2025
TikTok’s latest holiday marketing guidance follows strong shopping activity during the previous year. According to the company, TikTok Shop generated more than $500 million in sales during the Black Friday-to-Cyber Monday period in 2025.
The platform also reported that sellers using livestream shopping achieved 84% year-over-year sales growth, highlighting the increasing role of interactive broadcasts in its commerce business.
These figures help explain why TikTok continues encouraging businesses to combine creator content with livestream promotions.
Unlike traditional e-commerce websites, where customers often search for specific products, TikTok allows shopping opportunities to emerge through entertainment and content discovery.
A consumer might open the app to watch videos, encounter a product demonstration and decide to explore the item through TikTok Shop.
This combination of entertainment and purchasing has become an important part of the platform’s shopping strategy.
For businesses, the challenge is developing content that attracts viewers without making every video feel like a conventional advertisement.
Creator Partnerships Become More Important for Holiday Marketing Campaigns
TikTok’s examples from Princess Polly and Dossier demonstrate how creator partnerships can help brands reach consumers during busy shopping periods.
Creators often have established relationships with their audiences, allowing them to introduce products through familiar content styles. Their recommendations may feel more relatable than advertisements that focus exclusively on discounts and promotional messages.
During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, creators can demonstrate products, explain their benefits and highlight seasonal offers. A fashion creator might showcase discounted outfits, while a beauty influencer could recommend fragrances suitable for holiday gifts.
These formats provide consumers with additional information before making purchasing decisions.
For businesses, selecting the right creators is important. A large following does not necessarily guarantee strong campaign results, particularly when the creator’s audience has little interest in the promoted products.
Brands may benefit more from working with creators who understand their target customers and can present products naturally.
TikTok’s Road to Black Friday series suggests that consistent creator activity can help businesses maintain visibility throughout the holiday shopping season.
TikTok LIVE Shopping Offers More Opportunities for Real-Time Sales
TikTok is continuing to promote livestream shopping as a way for businesses to engage directly with consumers.
Through TikTok LIVE, sellers can demonstrate products, answer questions and introduce promotional offers while viewers watch. The interactive format gives shoppers opportunities to gather information before deciding whether to purchase.
Livestreaming can be particularly effective for products that benefit from demonstrations, including electronics, beauty products, kitchen appliances and household items.
A beauty retailer might demonstrate how to apply a product, while an electronics seller could explain technical features and compare different models.
The ability to respond immediately to customer questions can make the shopping experience more informative.
TikTok’s reported livestream sales growth suggests that some consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable purchasing products during live broadcasts.
However, successful livestream campaigns require preparation. Businesses need knowledgeable presenters, reliable product availability and clear promotional offers to keep viewers interested.
What TikTok’s Black Friday Marketing Tips Mean for Small Businesses
Although TikTok’s Road to Black Friday series features established retailers with significant marketing resources, smaller businesses can still apply several of the strategies.
One practical lesson is to begin promoting products before the shopping weekend. Early content gives potential customers time to discover a brand, explore its products and consider purchasing when promotional offers become available.
Small businesses can also experiment with creator partnerships without attempting to match the scale of Princess Polly or Dossier. Working with a limited number of relevant creators may provide a more manageable starting point.
Product demonstrations, customer testimonials and short videos explaining product benefits can also help retailers develop useful promotional content.
Livestream shopping offers another opportunity, particularly for businesses selling products that customers may want to see in action.
The important consideration is choosing activities that match available resources. Publishing thousands of videos or distributing large quantities of samples may not be realistic for smaller retailers.
A focused campaign with relevant content and clear purchasing options may be more practical than attempting to reproduce the strategies of major brands.
TikTok Strengthens Its Position as a Holiday Shopping Destination
TikTok’s Road to Black Friday campaign reflects the platform’s broader effort to become a more important destination for online shopping.
The company is combining creator partnerships, product discovery and livestream commerce to help businesses connect with consumers throughout the purchasing process.
Its latest examples show how different brands approach that opportunity. Princess Polly relies on extensive creator collaborations, Dossier invests heavily in product sampling and SharkNinja uses livestream demonstrations to communicate directly with shoppers.
These strategies demonstrate that TikTok shopping campaigns can involve more than simply announcing discounts.
For businesses preparing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2026, the platform’s guidance highlights the importance of early preparation, relevant content and meaningful audience engagement.
The growth in holiday shopping activity suggests that consumers are already exploring products and gift ideas.
TikTok wants brands to become part of that discovery process before shoppers make their final purchasing decisions.
As the holiday season approaches, businesses that understand how to combine entertaining content with convenient shopping experiences may be better positioned to compete for consumer attention.
Sources
- Social Media Today – TikTok Shares Black Friday, Cyber Monday Promotion Tips
- Social Media Today – TikTok Shares Holiday Sales Data
- TikTok Shop Seller Center – Official Seller Resources
- TikTok for Business – Marketing and Advertising Resources
