Amazon takes on TikTok with Inspire social shopping feed

Amazon is set to introduce a TikTok-style content feed in its app in an effort to attract a younger generation of shoppers.

The feature, dubbed Inspire, is a dedicated feed in the Amazon app filled with photos and videos of recommended items to users. According to a previous Wall Street Journal report, Amazon had previously been recruiting influencers to create videos for the feed which will show products from categories ranging from interior design to skincare. Users can then purchase the product directly from the Inspire tab.

In addition to influencers, brands can post directly to Inspire. This includes vendors, and sellers who are enrolled in Brand Registry with an activer Brand Store. Amazon said that the feed will also feature frequent customers who can recommend their favourite purchases.

The feature is set to launch in the US this month to select users, with a country-wide rollout over the coming months. Amazon did not disclose its plans for Inspire internationally.

Amazon Shopping director Oliver Messenger said: “We invent every day to make shopping easy and fun. Inspire is our new shopping experience that connects Amazon customers with shoppable content created by other customers, the latest influencers, and a wide range of brands. In just a few taps, customers can discover new products or get inspiration on what to buy, all tailored to their interests, and then shop for those items on Amazon,”

The launch comes at a time when TikTok is attempting to grow its platform as a social ecommerce space and regularly prompts users to make purchases within its app. However, many viral product videos still tend to direct users to an Amazon storefront.

For Amazon, this is the company's latest attempt to integrate social media-like features into its platform. It previously aped Pinterest with the Interesting Finds feature, and later offered the short-lived Amazon Spark – an Instagram clone which only lasted a couple of years before being shut down.

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