TikTok might be the social media site that has taken the world by storm over the past few years, attracting the ire of the US government in the process, but there’s more than dance memes and emerging music artists to be found on the app. It also has its own shop selling a vast array of products from fashion, to gadgets, to consumables.
Here’s what you need to know about buying products from the TikTok Shop and whether it’s safe to use.
What is the TikTok shop?
Launched in the US in September 2023 (after trial runs in other regions), the TikTok Shop allows users to buy the products highlighted in videos by their favourite creators, as well as general items held in the store.
This gives creators a chance to be financially rewarded for their work, as well as have collaborations with manufacturers that want to promote their products to a relevant audience.
The idea is to make it easier to buy something that you see in a video and think, ‘I fancy one of those’.
Martyn Casserly
From a product point of view, the TikTok Shop feels like something between Temu and Amazon. There’s a wide range of things you can buy, from premium brands down to obscure (presumably Chinese) factories putting out homage versions of other items.
It will be interesting to see how the TikTok store fares, as similar attempts have been made by Instagram and Facebook, both of which have failed and been retired.
Is the TikTok Shop safe to use?
As with Temu and Amazon, TikTok has opened up its shop to a wide variety of traders, but all the transactions are handled through TikTok and third-party secure partners, so you should be able to shop with confidence.
TikTok operates a standard return/refund policy, which allows users to request a return within 30 days if the item they received doesn’t live up to its listing or is the wrong one. You can also follow this procedure if an item doesn’t arrive.
Sellers are expected to conform to a quite rigorous outline of standards and practices when it comes to what they can or cannot sell, making the whole system feel as robust as the other sites mentioned above.
To test out the experience, we sent two crack investigators on to the TikTok Shop to order stuff and see if it turned up.
Martyn Casserly
Both had positive experiences, with Reviews Editor Chris Martin picking up a Game Boy-style handheld console called the Anbernic RG35XX (below) which came with a TF Card holding 5000+ classic games all for around £12/$15. It was a very tempting new customer offer with the RRP at over £50/$50.
Our Executive Editor Jim Martin also ordered the same device and both were happy to see them arrive safely and play the games perfectly (the device that is, not Jim and Chris, they need to practice).
Martyn Casserly
In addition, Chris ordered 24 cans of Coca-Cola for the princely sum of £7.25 (approx $9) which came with free delivery. The cans subsequently arrived from an online cash and carry firm based in Scotland and turned out to be authentic, just with the language in Danish as the cans were listed as EU.
Jim also ordered a box of some American-style sweets that only cost £3 ($4) and his daughter was very pleased to see them arrive quickly and just as described.
Chris Martin
Admittedly, these are a small sample, but at no point did either Chris or Jim indicate they were journalists, and all items were sent to their home addresses which are in different parts of the country. So, this would appear to be a very normal experience for potential shoppers.
One thing to watch out for in terms of delivery times, as with Amazon, is whether the item is being fulfilled by TikTok or directly by the manufacturer. The latter just means you may have to wait a bit longer if it’s coming from further afield.
How do I buy things on TikTok?
Unsurprisingly, it’s very easy. You just need to have a TikTok account and a payment method set up within the app or just do it at the checkout.
Then you can either go to the Shop directly via the icon at the bottom of the TikTok app or you can look out for Buy Here links in videos that you’re watching.
Martyn Casserly
Then just add the item to your cart, make the payment and hopefully it won’t be long before you’re enjoying the fruits of your retail work.
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Author: Martyn Casserly, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.