#TiktokMadeMeBuyIt has a different meaning now since the Tiktok shop has opened. Through popular micro-trends, TikTok has accumulated more than $363 million in sales since 2023 alone.
Despite the great success of the new shopping feature, there have been many reports of fraudulent activities around TikTok shops including copyright infringement, the sale of harmful products, and products never being developed
On Sept. 12, 2023, TikTok shop was officially launched in the United States, which allows business owners and creators to link products in their videos and live streams. This makes it easy for anyone to sell or promote products on TikTok shops, even scammers.
There have been many reports of shoppers receiving low-quality products or even nothing from these shops.
“If you buy things and it’s not from a reputable company, there’s always a chance for scams or getting something you didn’t expect,” junior Marissa Varga said.
The most prominent scenario is the shops are receiving their products from a third party/supplier, which then ships the products directly to the buyer.
The shop seller is not in control of the quality of the product or the shipment, only the price. If the product only costs $5 from the supplier, the seller can mark that up to any price higher.
Even though the shops alone don’t seem reliable, buyers are more heavily influenced by the videos that market the products. In these videos, the products are promoted as having amazing quality, and a great deal for a low cost. And while the cost may be low, the product quality can often be poor.
“You can totally get scammed with the product picture and the order in general,” Emma Wilgenbusch said.
There are verified brands on TikTok shops to buy from, like The Ordinary, and Revolve.
If you’re not sure whether or not to purchase a product from a TikTok shop, you could read the reviews and research the seller.
However, the best way to prevent scams is to see if other online sellers sell that product. This way you’ll most likely get the product you see.
