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Inside Tiktok's ban š
Congress vs TikTok, Ads in ChatGPT and New online payment method.

Hey there, eComm legend.
Look, while Congress is busy playing hot potato with TikTok's fate, eCommerce owners are forced to play 4D chess. Because let's face it: this isn't just about Gen Z losing their favorite spot for 'delulu' manifestations and 'mob wife' fashion inspo. The real story is how this shake-up could send marketing strategies into a tailspin faster than #pepethekingprawn.
Why it matters: This isnāt just another headline. The Great Social Media Shuffle is happening, and TikTok is just a symptom of broader changes to come. Whether youāre bracing for a total TikTok shutdown, recalibrating your cross-channel strategy, or exploring up-and-coming digital hangouts, staying ahead of the curve will keep your business growing, even as the sands keep shifting.
Letās break down whatās happening, whatās next, and how to thriveāno matter where your customers end up tapping.
In todayās agenda:
1) Congress vs TikTok: the final countdown ā°
2) Again?? Another Alibaba AI beep-beep-boop
3) New payment method unlocked: Buy Now, Pay with Junk š³
4) Ads in ChatGPT soon: āWhat nail polish for my outfit?ā š
ā Alex

1) Congress vs TikTok: the final countdown ā°

Australia wants to keep kids off TikTok. The U.S. might want to keep everyone off TikTok. Meanwhile, you (š«µ YOU) just want to know if your next marketing campaign will still reach Gen Z on their smartphones. Welcome to the social media circus, where two ringmasters are cracking the whip in radically different shows.
Australiaās mic drop moment: Down Under just pulled off a first-of-its-kind move: a law banning anyone under 16 from signing up for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X. If youāre 15 and dreaming of influencer fame, think again (itās off to YouTube or Twitch instead). The penalty for platforms that slack: up to AUD 50 million, a fine that makes a tech exec spit out their oat milk latte.
The U.S. jumps in: While Australiaās law looks like parental controls gone national, the U.S. is obsessed with a different TikTok worry: national security. Uncle Sam wants ByteDance to hand over its U.S. operations by January 2025 or face a total ban. Courts back the government, and TikTokās protests land with all the charm of a spam email.
Enter Donald Trump: In a previous life (his last term), Trump tried to ban TikTok. Now, heās riding back into the White House vowing to āsaveā it. Perhaps heās realized that young voters love their TikTok dances and small businesses rely on its algorithmic magic. But before you think āTRUMP APPROVEDā, his potential cabinet is split between āBurn it down!ā and āBut first, let me take a selfie.ā
Why should eCommerce owners care: At first glance, these moves look like apples and kangaroos. One protects kids from social mediaās dark side; the other protects a nationās data. But both show governments are done letting platforms run wild. If you sell online, pay attention.
Hereās why:
Platform Diversification: Forget about relying on one social giant. Manage your ad tools to seamlessly switch from TikTok to youth-friendly havens like Roblox, Minecraft, Twitch, and lesser-known online communities where teens still hang out. Even consider IRL hotspots to engage a younger audience offline.
Leveling the Playing Field: If TikTok is hobbled, the ad ecosystem may fragment. More competition on smaller platforms could give you a shot to stand out without competing against giants that burn cash like scented candles.
The long game: Governments now see digital giants as accountable gatekeepers of data and culture. For eCommerce owners, itās a call to stay nimble. These global moves nudge you to diversify, adapt, and watch the fine print.
Just like Google learned in antitrust battles: when governments step in, the sandbox shrinks fast. Better find a new shovel before the kids, teens, and everyone else vanish.
Sources: aljazeera.com, nbcnews.com, cnn.com, vox.com, businessinsider.com

$255M Growth Stack of the Week: AllBirds
š Platform: Shopify
š¢ Ads: Meta Ads + Tiktok Ads + Twitter Ads + Microsoft Ads + Quora Ads
š·ļø Promotions: GOVX ID Exclusive Discounts
āļø User-Generated Content: Yotpo
š Analytics: Hotjar + Google Analytics
You can also peek behind ANY 8-figure Shopify store's success with our Chrome extension to reveal their growth apps & tech stack.

2) Again?? Another Alibaba AI beep-beep-boop

If youāve ever wrestled with bland product images, spiraling marketing budgets, or the agonizing search for the perfect model, Alibaba just dropped a secret weapon: Pic Copilot.
An AI makeover artist: It comes packed with 12 AI tools to do the heavy lifting: swapping out backgrounds, retouching images and videos, generating ads in seconds, and even letting customers virtually try on products. This toolās got a 160+ model roster spanning four major skin tones and multiple body types, so you can skip the casting calls and click straight to style.
Costs down, conversions up: During a Black Friday trial, merchants saved around $200 a pop, generating over 80,000 model images without booking a single photographer. You donāt need to be a design wizard to harness Pic Copilot. If youāre familiar with Canva, itās kinda similar.
Early feedback: During its Black Friday test run, 35,000 users globally cranked out over 200,000 pieces of marketing content. More than 60% renewed their subscriptions. Itās a not-so-subtle hint that when the AI is good, sellers stick around.
Why this matters: This new beep-beep boop tool from Alibaba is a signal that the era of big-budget shoots and endless design revisions is wobbling on its heels. Consider this tool your secret play. Decent visuals, better localization, and better returns on your marketing investmentā¦ depending on the use case, itās worth giving it a spin.
Sources: piccopilot.com

Want to get the most out of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a superpower if you know how to use it correctly.
Discover how HubSpot's guide to AI can elevate both your productivity and creativity to get more things done.
Learn to automate tasks, enhance decision-making, and foster innovation with the power of AI.

3) New payment method unlocked: Buy Now, Pay with Junk š³

The founder of Postmates delivered Tiptop, a different spin on paying online. Instead of simply typing in your credit card digits or clicking that āPayPalā button, you can rummage through your junk drawer (we know you have one) and transform that old smartphone, coffee machine, or even a baby stroller into instant credit. Fancy eh?
Hereās the magic trick: You pick your item to trade in, Tiptopās machine learning models do their valuation sorcery, and voilĆ : you get an instant discount. Think of it as the lovechild of Buy Now, Pay Later and your local thrift store. Itās a win-win: no awkward Craigslist meetups or lowball Facebook Marketplace offers. And yes, they do profit by reselling your stuff, but hey, thatās how free markets roll.
Why it matters: The numbers are jaw-dropping: U.S. households are sitting on $1,800 worth of unused goods, and Tiptopās average discount of $300 per transaction could tap into a $280 billion treasure trove. Sure, some critics say weāre just greasing the wheels of overconsumption, but at least weāre doing it with a green twist: extending product life cycles instead of just piling up landfills.
You can add it to your store now: Backed by heavyweights like Andreessen Horowitz and Sam Altman, Tiptop is on track to become the next must-have payment option for online stores everywhere. You can add it on Shopify, soon Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, and beyondāTiptop is gearing up to reshape e-commerce as we know it. Let the trade-ins begin.
Sources: wired.com, techcrunch.com

What's your primary e-commerce business model? |

4) Ads in ChatGPT soon: āWhat nail polish for my outfit?ā š

OpenAI, the powerhouse behind ChatGPT, is laying the groundwork for a potential ad-supported revenue stream. CFO Sarah Friar has made it clear that advertising is on the table as a serious consideration, aligning with OpenAIās broader push to diversify income beyond the $20-per-month ChatGPT Plus subscriptions.
Hiring spree: The talent grab is the dead giveaway. By pulling heavyweights from Google and Meta, OpenAI isnāt just dipping its toes; itās donning scuba gear. Kevin Weil, who helped shape Instagramās lucrative ad ecosystem, has joined the crew, hinting that when (and if) ads do arrive, they wonāt resemble amateur-hour pop-ups.
Revenue rocket: With forecasts set to hit $3.7 billion in 2024 and $11.7 billion in 2025, ads could become jet fuel on an already booming rocket. CEO Sam Altman stays measured, insisting on a user experience that doesnāt devolve into a junky billboard district. The trick is to keep responses unbiased: whether the question is as big-picture as āWhat car should I buy?ā or as small as āWhat nail polish matches this outfit?ā.
New frontier: Should they thread this needle, it might redefine eCommerce interactions. Picture customers chatting with their AI assistant, getting perfectly tailored product suggestions: not just random promo blasts, but subtle, contextual nudges steering them toward the right brands and offerings. Keep your eyes peeled, eCommerce pros, because the next stage of AI-driven promotion might be right around the corner.
Sources: pymnts.com, ft.com

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* Executive Cheat Sheet
Platform Diversification: Expanding your marketing and sales efforts across multiple platforms to reduce reliance on any single one, ensuring stability if one platform faces disruption.
AI-Driven Creative Tools: Tools powered by artificial intelligence that help automate tasks like generating product images, editing videos, and creating ads, saving time and costs while boosting creativity.
Sustainability Through Trade-In Programs: Payment models allowing customers to exchange old, unused items for credit, promoting recycling while driving sales.
Contextual Advertising: Ads integrated seamlessly into user experiences, providing personalized recommendations that feel helpful rather than intrusive, often powered by AI systems.