SINGAPORE: On Monday (March 30), the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), Workforce Singapore, and TikTok Shop entered into an agreement to better prepare retailers as the shopping scene evolves.
Workers in the retail sector in the city-state may now look forward to quickly gaining more skills toward roles in social commerce, from hosting live-streaming to business development and technical expertise.
The three organisations signed a Memorandum of Agreement at the SRA Retail Forum 2026 at Raffles Hotel.
The highlight of the forum was a live-streaming booth featuring brands including Shiseido, OSIM International, and Young Hungry Free. In keeping with Singapore Retail Festival’s 2026 theme to “engage online, experience offline,” it showed how live content can bridge online and offline shopping. In other words, engaging customers digitally while enhancing in-store experiences.
As Alvin Tan, Minister of State for the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of National Development, put it in a social media post, “Many of us shop online now. We scroll, click, and buy in seconds. The best retailers are already there, using live-streaming and digital tools to reach customers. We want to help more of our retailers and workers master these skills.”
He added that SRA, Workforce Singapore, and TikTok Shop, together with Employment & Employability Institute e2i, and Nanyang Polytechnic, will be providing training to help retail workers pick up new methods of online selling.
Mr Tan also invited retailers who are looking to grow to reach out to SRA for more information, calling it “an exciting shift for the industry.”
New skills and capabilities
The MOU provides for job redesign and reskilling among retail sector workers, who will grow in their capabilities in three important roles.
First, as Social Commerce Hosts, they not only present on camera but also write scripts and respond to real-time interactions.
Next, as Social Commerce Leads, they gain skills in business development, analysing and tracking sales metrics and performance, implementing promotional campaigns, and managing inventory and pricing in real-time
Finally, they also become better Social Commerce Engineers, as they gain the technical expertise to give customers a seamless experience.
“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,” said Leon Koh, Fashion Cluster Lead & Head of Seller Management, TikTok Shop Singapore. /TISG
Read also: Step aside Shopee & Lazada; TikTok Shop is here to take a bite from the online shopping pie
