How to tell if a social media shop is safe

JasperAugust 19, 2024

The pros tell you what you need to know before you click “Buy Now.”

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If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably found yourself mindlessly scrolling through TikTok in bed at night, marveling at all the different items your favorite influencers can’t stop raving about or those targeted ads that keep popping up on your For You page.

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While shopping for these items — including clothing, home goods, and everything in between — may seem like a quick and easy way to find your new favorite product, you need to stop and ask yourself if it’s safe to order things from TikTok Shop. According to experts, the answer is, “It depends.”

Here’s everything you need to know about safety when shopping at TikTok Shop.

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Is it safe to order from the TikTok Shop?

Your “For You” page seems to be full of ads offering everything you’ve always wanted – and more than a few things you didn’t know you wanted – at prices so low you can’t even imagine turning the page. Tragically, some of these deals are too good to be true.

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The woman behind the CAKES Body account explained on the platform how she became aware that several different users were pretending to be her or a representative acting on her behalf to sell fake CAKES cases. This type of scam left customers stranded with defective or substandard products, giving her brand a bad reputation.

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How to tell if a TikTok shop is legitimate.

If you’ve found an offer that you fear is too good to be true, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a few tips for you. Steve Bernas, President and CEO of the BBB, released his suggestions in a statement signed by a Chicago NBC News Subsidiaries.

First and foremost, he said you should always follow basic safety tips Whenever You shop online, so do your research on the seller and their website before you spend any money.

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Next, he recommends carefully reading through all reviews and comments to see what real users have said, watching out for anything that seems like it might come from a bot or paid commenter, and only shopping with brands that have been verified in the app.

If you’re happy with your potential purchase, Bernas says you should check the return policy to make sure it meets the platform’s standard 30-day period in case what you receive doesn’t match your order.

Finally, Bernas advises that you should always make your purchases with a credit card, as these types of transactions can be more easily disputed if something goes wrong.

Despite all your due diligence, a scammer can still get through and scam you out of your hard-earned money. If that’s the case, Bernas says you should report your experience to the BBB Scamtracker. While it might not help you change your bad experience, it could help someone else going through the same thing.

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