If you’ve been around on social media recently then you have probably heard about TikTok shop. If not, here is a quick breakdown.
TikTok shop was launched in September 2023. It was boasted as a new and easy way for businesses to market their products and a fast and easy shopping experience for buyers.
The shop allows businesses to attach a direct link to products in their TikTok shops on videos. Even standard users can attach links to products to their own videos. To top it all off, Tiktok gets a percentage of all sales made on the app.
It sounds like a dream for all parties involved, and it can be if you are careful.
There are several risks associated with using TikTok shop.
The first being safety.
TikTok shop has been a breeding ground for scams.
Since its inception TikTok shop has helped many products go viral, but with that comes fake shops and fake products.
Many people have reported seeing a viral product they were interested in on sale in a shop and then never receiving their product. Becky Entrican told The Washington Post that she ordered a product in February of 2023 and as of August 2023 still had not received her item.
Users warn to be careful when selecting what TikTok shops to order from and read reviews carefully. I may also advise to see if you can locate the shop on another social media site like Instagram or Etsy to verify it is a legitimate store.
Another risk is privacy.
TikTok has been scrutinized in the past for not doing more to protect users’ data and information. While using TikTok shop to pay for products is generally safe since TikTok uses third party sites like PayPal to process transactions, there is no telling what other personal information is stored on TikTok and is potentially at risk.
TikTok shop is as secure as you make it. Be cautious and happy shopping.
Visit Meeman 901 to learn more tips on how to use social media efficiently and safely.