Halara's $101M playbook

Halara’s playbook for success (A TikTok Shop case study)

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1. Who is Halara, and what are the numbers behind their growth?

Halara is a DTC activewear brand launched in 2020 by Hong Kong-based entrepreneur Joyce Zhang. It built its following by blending comfort and affordability but high quality designs. The company has doubled sales annually since 2021 and now boasts millions of followers on TikTok and Instagram.

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Timeline of Halara’s growth:

• 2020 (Jul) – Brand founded (Joyce Zhang)
• Early 2021 – First product launch: a collection of sport-skorts
• 2021–22 – Viral success on social media (“TikTok made me buy it” phenomenon); grew to ~660K TikTok followers by late 2023
• Oct 2023 – Halara opens its U.S. TikTok Shop. First US order lands Oct 19; sales accelerate into November.
• Mid–Nov 2023 – Peak momentum: EchoTik reports daily sales hitting 14,300 units on Nov 12, 2023 (Black Friday week).
• May 2024 – First physical store: a 3,500 sq. ft. pop-up in NYC’s Soho. The store’s sleek design and branding reinforce Halara’s quality image.

Best-selling product on TikTok Shop: UltraSculpt SoCinched High Waisted Tummy Control Side Pocket Shaping Training Leggings, which generated $20.54M lifetime revenue and 735K sold units.

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Key numbers since their launch on TikTok Shop:

• Total Sales Volume: 3.8M
• Revenue: $101.86M
• Products/SKUs: 1K
• Creators: 22.6K
• GMV (Aug 16–Sept 14, 2025): $6.65M
• Units Sold (Aug 16–Sept 14, 2025): 167.1K units
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2. Halara's TikTok Shop breakthrough

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​Halara’s first major breakthrough came in late 2023, when their UltraSculpt SoCinched High Waisted Tummy Control Leggings ($20.54M total sales to date) went viral through affiliate try-on videos. These early campaigns highlighted the product’s fit, comfort, and style, quickly generating social proof and sparking consumer interest.

The brand’s momentum accelerated with addictive, shoppable TikTok videos. Halara poured resources into TikTok-optimized ads and videos, paired with extensive affiliate campaigns. During TikTok Shop’s June 2024 “Super Brand Day,” Halara’s content amassed an astonishing 115 million video views over six days. It also partnered with top creators to stream over 3,500 hours of live shopping, combining product demos and Q&A that made purchasing seamless and engaging. Nearly 100,000 customers bought Halara products during this promotion alone.

This foundation set the stage for their continuous growth. Viral creator campaigns, strategic giveaways, and ongoing affiliate amplification pushed sales to $6.88M and 171.9K units, including 14.5K units from TikTok Lives (August 2025). These coordinated efforts cemented Halara as one of the top US TikTok Shop brands, proving the power of combining viral commerce content, and creator partnerships.
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3. Winning strategy: What sets them apart?

• Content volume & format – Every clip is shoppable, from fashion tips to try-ons to random body shape flex, letting viewers buy instantly.
• Influencer incentives – Halara’s affiliates earn 10% commission plus performance rewards. Mid-2024 TikTok giveaways (~100 winners) boosted engagement and turned creators into authentic ambassadors whose try-on and unboxing videos convert better than generic ads.
• Quality perception – Despite affordable pricing, Halara positions itself as premium. Sleek pop-ups, and high-quality fabrics earn repeat fans. Influencers highlight fit and comfort, reinforcing credibility beyond virality.

These combined tactics: high-volume content, tiered affiliate programs, and quality-first products, create a scalable TikTok Shop engine that drives both reach and consistent sales.
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4. Takeaways for brands

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✓ Partner deeply with influencers. Cultivate a large, diverse creator pool (not just celebrities). Halara’s strategy of collaborating with hundreds of creators across niches gave it authentic voices in front of many audiences. Reward those creators for performance (commissions, bonuses or giveaways) so they effectively become an unpaid sales force.

✓ Don’t neglect the brand. Even as you chase viral hits, build a coherent brand story. Halara launched a TikTok challenge (#ActiveInHalara and “Confidently Halara”) to shift focus from just products to a lifestyle narrative/storytelling. This helps customer loyalty. Similarly, other brands should balance product hype with a unifying message or community appeal.
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5. The Future: What’s next for Halara?

‍Halara has already signaled its omni-channel push: it had multiple new US pop-ups (California, Texas, Florida, New York), yoga or fitness events, etc.

Looking ahead, Halara will also aim for global social-commerce growth. Its current US success serves as a template: a community-driven, data-informed approach that can be replicated on TikTok Shop in Europe and Asia. As TikTok keeps enhancing its shopping platform (for example, by adding more interactive commerce features), Halara’s agile, content-first strategy should help it stay at the forefront of social commerce. Other brands watching Halara’s playbook will find that creativity and community are as important as products when “TikTok made us buy it.”

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