TikTok has been one of the most popular social media apps for several years now, amassing a daily active user base of over 50 million people. Despite the app’s popularity, those in the national security industry criticize it. Some argue that TikTok contains highly invasive malware, compromising the integrity of devices that install it. Others conspire that the app transmits user data directly to the Chinese government. Many of these allegations have gone unproven. Ultimately, however, experts agree that TikTok’s stringent algorithm and device permission requirements are enough to raise some alarm bells. The United States government has even locked legal horns with the social media giant. There’s been talks of banning the app unless the parent company ByteDance agrees to sell to an American-owned business.
So, if the app is allegedly too dangerous to use as a simple short-form video hosting platform, it stands to reason that the TikTok Shop would be even less safe to use. After all, it requires users’ credit card information to make purchases. In order to get to the bottom of this, let’s examine TikTok’s history with user safety and privacy, and see what we can learn about the TikTok Shop’s security. Feel free to bookmark this guide if you or someone you know is considering making purchases on the platform. As always, never share your personal data or banking information with any untrustworthy third-party sources. Without any further preamble, let’s dive in and see if we can prove whether the TikTok Shop is safe.
What Is The TikTok Shop?
For those not in the know, the TikTok Shop first launched in November 2022. Users access the service directly through the video sharing app. It allows certain users to launch their own drop–shipping business. Through this, users offer a curated selection of products to viewers from all over the world. Many notable brands and big business entities take advantage of placements on the TikTok Shop as well. The marketplace’s primary audience, though, is individual sellers. Like Amazon, Alibaba, and other digital retailers, the TikTok Shop attracts consumers with lofty promises. Massive discounts, high-percentage sales, and a wide array of convincing luxury product dupes are all part of the draw. According to a February 2024 report in NPR, TikTok Shop brings in over $7 million in approximate daily global sales. Those sales account for a staggering $17.5 billion year-end price-tag.
Since rolling out the shop, TikTok has amended its platform to heavily feature ads and user-generated content highlighting certain products. Naturally, this is a means of enticing new consumers to give the retailer a spin. Users who have never made a purchase on the app before receive massive discounts as an incentive to join. Of course, the user-owned nature of the shop leaves many potential buyers with a great deal of trepidation. The fear stems from the idea that, upon providing their credit card details on the app, they’ll end up scammed. Furthermore, users across the platform raise concerns regarding potential misinformation about products. Recently, AI-generated review boosting creates a new host of issues and concerns.
Who Can Sell On The TikTok Shop?
Like most other digital retailers, TikTok Shop only accepts listings from verified sellers. Becoming verified is a process that requires the account holder to be at least 18 years of age or older. They must also possess a valid U.S. passport, driver’s license, or other form of legal documentation. Ideally, these roadblocks prevent scammers from flooding the sales platform. In turn, the marketplace is free of faulty products and ghost ads, contributing to the safety and quality standards of TikTok’s model. Unfortunately, some sellers have found ways around these guidelines, and have tried to swindle TikTok users out of their money.
A brief perusal of the Reddit community r/Scams reveals that many users express concerns over shopping through TikTok. Some posit that it is never safe to shop from social media ads of any variety. While this is certainly a vigilant approach, others can attest to positive experiences buying products and services found on TikTok, Instagram, and a variety of other online outlets. TikTok can’t possibly regulate every single listing on the Shop. It seems, however, that decision-makers at ByteDance have made stringent efforts to keep the marketplace safe for savvy consumers.
How To Avoid Being Scammed?
Unfortunately, there is no 100 percent foolproof method of ensuring safety when utilizing digital marketplaces. Dishonest scammers tend to remain two steps ahead at all times. There are basic precautions to take that significantly minimize the likelihood of buying a bunk product on the TikTok Shop. TikTok’s Discover page specifically has a number of videos and FAQ’s on the subject to ensure that users are not led astray. The page contains advice that includes researching the retailer advertising the product, combing through reviews and ratings, and double-checking sealants on orders that include cosmetics or other potentially harmful substances.
Like any other purchase, your safest bet when ordering from the TikTok Shop is to use your own judgement, and exercise due diligence while scrolling around on the app. The shop’s integration into the app also allows users to post video reviews and testimonials directly alongside the product, so you can always check and see if anyone has levied any major complaints before selecting “buy now.” Luckily, TikTok tends to do a good job at keeping their users’ credit card info secure, as they outsource payment processing to a third-party transaction platform. Of course, some experts suggest using PayPal, Venmo, or other digital outlets to pay through the app, as they can be easier to cancel and monitor than some credit card usage.
The Final Verdict
So, it seems that there is no short and simple answer to the question “is the TikTok Shop safe?”. If you’re unafraid of making online purchases through sites like eBay, Amazon, or StockX, you should have no problem buying through TikTok either. Read the fine print on every product before placing your order, as the user-generated marketplace is rife with misleading titles and images. If you do have a bad experience on the shop, you can always help others to avoid your pitfalls, by filming and uploading a product review.
Of course, if you’re the kind of person who needs the assurance of holding an item in your hands before you agree to pay for it, it will always be best to stick to a brick and mortar establishment. Just consider the extra money you spend by not getting online deals to be a “peace of mind” tax.
