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Whenever I have had a difficult day at school, I come home, lay on my bed, and open up one of my favorite apps. Scrolling aimlessly on TikTok is my guilty pleasure. Whether it be the entertaining Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos or the various rapidly changing memes, I can not get enough of the app. However, TikTok gained a whole new component, The TikTok Shop, making it even more enticing.
What is the TikTok Shop?
This feature has been one of my favorite things for about a year. I know it is silly, and many of my own friends have laughed when I told them my next order is on the way. When thinking about why I got this reaction, I always land on the fact that no one’s really sure what exactly this feature is. I mean, even a year after its release I still get people asking me if it is a scam. So here is a clear explanation of what it is for those who still don’t fully know:
The TikTok shop is a part of the application in which users can both consume and sell goods.
How does TikTok get us to use it?
The burning question is how does TikTok do it? How do we feel so drawn to the products that appear on our phones? The answer is simple, the same way that the app formulates a for you page is the same way in which they curate the ads to present you with. It understands my love of fashion and make-up, leading it to show me products of the same sort.
What have I purchased?
There have been so many things that have been promoted to me and other viewers, but the most important thing is what I have actually bought. I like to look at the product and find the original source of who made it. For example, there have been amazing beauty products that have been recommended through the app that have been produced by small companies. These are the products that I am most attracted to, ones that come from people with a concern and passion to fix something in the industry. Now, of course, the truth is that there are going to be products that are produced in unethical ways; however, I have found that the beauty of TikTok shops is that you can always find the source. Even if it takes time, I think it is important to do so in order to avoid the fear of scamming and to also be a better consumer.
Is the scrolling good for us?
Whether or not TikTok is good for you is dependent on your goals. I know this seems like an inadequate response, but it is true. If you find the convenience of the products being tailored to you, the discounts, and the reviews helpful then yes it is good. However, there are definitely negatives such as the idea of overconsumption due to how easy it is to purchase things constantly.
Can we use it to our advantage?
So I think we all have a chance to use the TikTok shop to our advantage if we choose to do so. We must make sure that we do our job and look into what we buy to use the good parts of the update to our advantage.
The TikTok Shop is definitely a guilty pleasure that I can not seem to get enough of. With further reflection, I attribute it to the niche products that circulate throughout my for you pages and the accessibility of payment options. However, this is not to say that it is something you can use mindlessly. In reality, I make sure to know where the products are coming from before I buy them, but I am not opposed to learning about new products from a feed that is tailored to my interests.
