Gaurav Rathore
His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.
I think we are already aware of the clout TikTok has gained over the years. To benefit from that, in 2023, the app came up with a new feature called TikTok Shop. It is like any other online store where you can buy and sell exciting things at a cheaper rate.
But cheap isn’t always safe, right? So, is TikTok Shop safe, or is it even legit?
To find the answers to your queries, scroll through this blog as I tell you about the safety and legality of the app and how you can protect yourself while making purchases on the app.
TikTok Shop is basically an e-commerce feature offered by TikTok that lets you buy and sell products.
It combines both social media and online shopping and lets you tag products in the video. Someone interested can just click on these tags to learn more about the products and can make direct purchases without even leaving the app.
It is just like Etsy, where creators and customers gather together to purchase and sell. Here, you can find everything from home decor to even cleaning products. Each item you see on the app comes from an individual seller and sometimes even known brands.
Currently, TikTok Shop is available in the United States, the United Kingdom, and some Southeast Asian countries, like Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a private global company founded by Chinese entrepreneurs. Headquartered in Beijing, China, ByteDance was founded by Zhang Yiming in 2012. Since then, it has become a leading tech company.
ByteDance launched TikTok in 2016, which has now become one of the popular social media platforms that both kids and adults can’t live without.
So, now the main question is: Is TikTok Shop safe?
Yes, TikTok is generally a safe place to shop.
The app says that it follows strict safety measures and claims to protect the buyers (I’m not sure how true that is).
However, the risk of scams and fraud is still high. You might meet fake sellers or store owners who are just there to scam you out of your hard-earned money. Moreover, the shop is still new, so you will have to be more mindful of where you put your money.
The app says it has various safety measures in place to protect buyers. Those include:
All in all, these policies make sure you can shop confidently.
Yes, TikTok Shop is a legitimate marketplace. Since it’s backed by the popular TikTok app, it has a huge user base and credibility under its name. However, since it works like Etsy, Temu, and Depop, it has the same risks as those apps.
So, you must be careful!
People even get scammed on the most popular and safe apps like Amazon and Flipkart, so is TikTok Shop going to be an exception? (Nope…)
So, if you are planning to buy stuff from here, you need to brace yourself and learn of the common scams that go on here.
I know online shopping is risky, regardless of the app you use. So, to make sure you are able to shop safely and confidently, here I’ve jotted down some tips.
Before you make any purchases, you need to research the seller. Check whether the seller has a verified checkmark and read their reviews and ratings. You can go to their official site to see whether the information matches. Also, you can search their shop on TikTok to check if they are genuine.
You must be careful while checking out the product description, such as size, details, etc. Make sure the description matches with what you are looking for. Look for whether the products have clear and HD images taken from various angles.
No matter what you are buying, you must always remember to check the reviews. Search for the same product online on other sites like Temu and Amazon and read the review there.
If a seller is offering stuff at very low prices compared to the original one, you need to be careful. Most of the time, they turn out to be a forfeit or just a scam.
When you are making payments, make sure to not go outside the app, as there might be a scam waiting for you.
It’s not only specific to TikTok Shop, but you need to be aware of the return and refund policies of the app you are using. This way, if you ever come across any faulty delivery, you can take immediate action.
If you find any suspicious sellers on the app who seem out of place, you can report them to TikTok.
When you are chatting with sellers or inquiring about the product, do not share your personal information, like credit card details, security number, etc. Many scammers act as sellers to gauge out information and use it for wrong causes.
All the products I’ve seen on the TikTok Shop are relatively cheaper and have lower prices than the actual cost. People say there are a number of reasons behind these. Here I’ve jotted down the most common ones.
No, it’s not okay for young children to use TikTok Shop. Since TikTok has always been unsafe for kids, its purchasing features are also limited to only adults.
As I’ve already mentioned, scams are a very likely event here, and you always need to be careful with your purchases. However, kids are not able to tell apart the scams, and thus they are more likely to fall victim to delivery and payment scams.
Since kids can’t detect the red flags of a product, it’s better if you keep them away from this app. Or you can just set up parental controls on TikTok to make sure they don’t get in trouble.
TikTok Shop is just like Temu and Alibaba, where you buy and sell products at a cheaper price. Though it is a legitimate shopping platform and is said to be pretty safe, I recommend you be careful.
No matter if you are planning to use it as a seller or a consumer, be wary of the scammers and follow the safety tips I’ve mentioned above.
Yes, it’s safe to order from TikTok Shop; just be careful while making payments and researching the seller.
Yes, TikTok Shop is a legitimate online marketplace.
Items on the TikTok shop come from individual sellers and online brands and creators.
Stuff on TikTok shop is cheaper because it has low commission rates, minimum overhead costs, and the product directly comes from manufacturers.
If you have been scammed on TikTok Shop, you need to request a refund, file a complaint, report the scam, check tracking info, and recheck the email address.
