TikTok Shop partners SRA and Workforce Singapore to support Singapore's retail transformation

TikTok Shop is partnering with the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) and Workforce Singapore (WSG) to support the retail sector's shift towards a more integrated, discovery-driven commerce landscape.

Announced at the SRA Retail Forum 2026, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishes a partnership to develop and deploy social commerce solutions, training programmes, and supporting infrastructure to advance the competitiveness, digital readiness, and long-term growth of the Singapore retail industry.

Witnessed by Guest of Honour Minister of State Mr Alvin Tan, Ministry of Trade and Industry & Ministry of National Development, the partnership brings together industry, platform, and workforce expertise to drive closer collaboration across the retail ecosystem and translate digital capabilities into real-world impact for businesses and workers alike.

Left to right: Mr Terence Ong (Acting Director, Trade and Lifestyle Division, Workforce Singapore), Mr Alvin Tan (Minister of State, MTI & MND), Mr Ernie Koh (President, SRA), Mr Matt Xu (Country Head, TikTok Shop Singapore). Photo credit: Singapore Retailers Association (SRA)

Building capabilities for a new era of retail

As shopping becomes more content- and community-led, this collaboration goes beyond traditional training to support the full social commerce journey, from planning and production to engagement and conversion.

Through job redesign and reskilling, the partnership will help retailers and workers develop capabilities across three key roles:

• Social Commerce Hosts serve as the on-camera presenter, planning engagement scripts and adapting real-time interactions based on audience response metrics.
• Social Commerce Leads function as the behind-the-scenes business development specialist, analysing and tracking sales metrics and performance, implementing promotional campaigns, and managing inventory and pricing in real-time.
• Social Commerce Engineers provide technical expertise, optimising audio-visual setups, monitoring stream quality, directing transitions, and troubleshooting technical issues to ensure seamless customer experiences.

Together, these roles reflect how retail is evolving - blending storytelling, technology, and data to create more engaging and responsive shopping experiences.

Bringing discovery-led commerce to life

At the forum, TikTok Shop showcased an onsite livestreaming booth featuring brands such as Shiseido, OSIM International, and Young Hungry Free. The activation showed how live content can connect online audiences with in-person retail moments - building on the broader shift towards hybrid retail, where businesses engage communities online while creating meaningful offline touchpoints, in line with the Singapore Retail Festival's 2026 theme to "engage online, experience offline".

Young Hungry Free. Photo credit: Singapore Retailers Association (SRA)

Left to right: Mr David Cai (Public Policy Lead, TikTok Singapore), Mr Alvin Tan (Minister of State, MTI & MND), Ms Sharmaine Ng (Head of Strategic Partnerships, TikTok Shop Singapore), Mr Ernie Koh (President, SRA), Ms Lynn Tan (2nd Deputy Chief Executive Officer, OSIM International Pte Ltd), Mr Ming Wei Ng (Chief Executive Officer, Boom Digital Media), Tan Seri Prof Sean Rozario (KStJ President, SME Marketing)
Photo credit: Singapore Retailers Association (SRA)

Empowering businesses and people through TikTok Shop

Recognising the immense potential of Singapore's evolving retail landscape, Mr Leon Koh, Fashion Cluster Lead & Head of Seller Management, TikTok Shop Singapore, said,

"At TikTok Shop, we see commerce as more than transactions - it's driven by creativity, community, and connection. By enabling businesses here to engage audiences through authentic content and discovery-led experiences, we're helping sellers build trust and grow in more meaningful ways.

We look forward to seeing how this partnership can continue to build on our ongoing efforts, like the TikTok Shop LIVE Host Academy, to help retailers and individuals thrive in an increasingly digital, omnichannel economy."