On January 19, 2025, the internet buzzed with talk of a possible US TikTok ban. But while headlines hinted at shutdowns, the numbers told a very different story. In the two weeks before and after the so-called ban date, TikTok Shop sales in the U.S. didn't dip—they surged. Let’s walk through the data and unpack what really happened.
For the 28-day window spanning January 5 to February 2, 2025, TikTok Shop sales in the U.S. saw a dramatic surge. Compared to the same period in 2024, daily sales volume was up an average of 174% year-over-year. In other words, sales in 2025 weren’t just slightly higher—they were consistently elevated across nearly every day in the comparison window.
Zooming in on the trend, the most explosive increase occurred just before the rumored "ban" date. One day in particular recorded a +476% YoY spike in sales. This wasn’t an isolated spike either. The following days kept the momentum high:
This pattern of elevated sales extended across the full two-week window following January 19, defying the expectations of a slowdown. What’s even more striking is that baseline 2024 sales (shown in light blue) remained relatively stable throughout, underscoring just how exceptional the 2025 performance was.
In short, the sales data not only refutes any notion of negative consumer response—it reveals the strongest surge in daily GMV TikTok Shop had seen in months.
Instead of hesitation, the US TikTok ban timeline shows an unmistakable surge in consumer engagement. Sales data from the days immediately following January 19 reveal that not only did TikTok Shop in the U.S. avoid a dip in activity, but it experienced some of the highest YoY sales growth in recent memory, with multiple days surpassing 200%, and one even peaking at +476%.
This isn’t typical post-headline behavior. Normally, uncertainty leads to a drop in discretionary spending. Here, the opposite occurred. Buyers weren’t deterred by talk of regulation—they leaned in, shopping with more urgency and frequency than before.
From a performance standpoint, this was more than a short-term spike. The elevated sales lasted over two weeks, indicating a behavioral shift rather than a one-day blip. Consumers continued to transact long after the peak media coverage faded, suggesting strong buyer confidence and habitual engagement with TikTok Shop.
The key message here is that despite political noise and regulatory debates, TikTok Shop in the U.S. isn’t slowing—it’s accelerating. The US TikTok ban storyline didn’t reduce engagement or scare off shoppers. Instead, it may have pushed TikTok Shop even further into the national spotlight.
Rather than retreat, the data shows U.S. buyers continued to transact at high volume, and even increased their activity in the days following the rumored ban. That resilience signals something deeper than a trend: it points to TikTok Shop’s role as a permanent fixture in how Americans now shop online.
The takeaway for sellers? Don’t let headlines dictate your strategy. The consumer vote is already in—and it’s happening at checkout. TikTok Shop isn’t just surviving controversy—it’s growing through it. Sellers who stay active and visible on the platform are likely to capture that demand, while others risk falling behind.
If you were expecting the US TikTok ban timeline to mark the downfall of TikTok Shop, the numbers say otherwise. Not only did sales hold steady—they spiked. The surge in GMV before and after January 19 makes one thing clear: TikTok Shop is not a passing trend. It's a dominant force in U.S. ecommerce.
Sellers, marketers, and platforms should treat this moment not as a warning—but as confirmation. TikTok Shop isn't fragile. It's resilient, high-converting, and woven into how people shop now.
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