By skyforbes 
When social media meets fashion: what to expect from TikTok Shop
Are you a TikTok user looking for affordable and trending accessories? TikTok shop may be your new favourite place to shop. TikTok Shop is becoming one of the most popular virtual retailers, but what sets it apart from other online shopping websites?
What is TikTok Shop?
Exclusive to TikTok users, the online store is situated within the app and operates as a marketplace space for businesses and third-party sellers. They list and sell products, typically featuring fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. If you are a frequent TikTok user, some of your favourite creators will offer exclusive discounts and promotions in collaboration with the platform. Your favourite brands are often promoting products live on TikTok.
Why is Everyone Obsessed with TikTok Shop?
The ease and convenience may be a big factor with the TikTok shop obsession. For instance, while watching a “Get Ready with Me” from your favourite creator, you can simply click and add whatever products they are using to your cart and order immediately. If you or your friends have seen a trend, most people in your close following have likely seen it too. The term #TikTokmademebuyit has now amassed 22 million views, with thousands of creators sharing viral products for everyone to see.
Just like knowing the most popular dance trend from the app, having the latest products that your favourite creators use fuels the addictive cycle of TikTok Shop.
How to Use TikTok Shop
Instead of spending ages scrolling for fashion inspiration on various sites. You can now scroll, swipe, and shop within the TikTok app. Unlike Shein or Temu, TikTok shop is a self-contained online store within the social media app. A lot of content that appears on your For You page is often from influencers who promote items directly from the TikTok shop, usually aligning with their style of content and interests that engage their followers. If you’re a regular on the app, you’ve probably scrolled past someone promoting a “Live Shop”, offering their watchers and followers unique discounts.
Live Shopping
Live shopping saves you time and effort while you watch and engage with your favourite creators and brands. It means you can purchase products promoted via a live stream. Instead of searching for hours on various websites, you can buy products from your favourite brands with ease and at cheaper rates. P-Louise achieved success by utilizing TikTok Shop Live Sales
“The brand, which has three million TikTok followers, even enabled new customers to experience the brand for a fraction of the usual cost during the session, with some products reduced to as little as £1.”
For example, large brands such as Pop Mart, P-Louise, and L’Oreal Cosmetics to influencers with just a few thousand followers are all competing to get the most sales and target people’s ‘For You Pages’. P-Louise Cosmetics recently celebrated hitting £1 million in Live Shopping sales.
What’s Trending Now
Summer 2025 has seen a variety of trends promoted and featured within the TikTok Shop, from polka dots to capri shorts and floral hair clips. Thanks to TikTok and its targeted algorithm, these trends have dominated the For You page, allowing influencers and regular users participate. The TikTok shop allows users to purchase items that are usually promoted directly by influencers or smaller users. Here are some of the favourites amongst TikTok users, seen this summer on TikTok Shop.
Polka Dots
Flower Clips
A set of clips available to purchase via TikTok Shop.
Anyone still shopping for their 2025 summer holiday would have spotted flower hair clips in most clothing shops. Available in different colours, styles, and sizes, these cute clips will complete any holiday outfit.
Linen Sets
Whether you’re enjoying the sun in the U.K. or abroad, linen sets are also popular on TikTok shops. The platform offers various lightweight shorts and trouser sets, and influencers share their favourites.
TikTok Shop Quality
Any clothes or accessories that are highly affordable usually mean you have to sacrifice quality. People have mixed opinions on the quality of TikTok shop products, with some comparing them to Shein and Temu. Others, however, praise the quality of the product for the price it is offered
TikTok user shares a mixed review on her experience buying from TikTok shop.
According to the Herald, TikTok shop prices are purposefully low, operating as a marketing strategy to lure shoppers in.TikTok user shares a mixed review on her experience buying from TikTok shop.
“New customers are offered special deals, coupons and free delivery on their first orderAlthough you may see a creator you like promote products that seem legit, it’s important to remember that they’re receiving incentives and payment to promote these specific products. This is achieved through their unique affiliate link, which offers higher financial incentives and rewards for the sales they receive via their content.
Many of the products seen on TikTok Shop come from China. The vast quantities offered through drop-shipping do raise questions about the ethics of the process. The speedy delivery, alongside the unusual number of products offered, does concern people when thinking of the working conditions for those producing the products.
Should I use TikTok Shop?
If you want affordable and trendy clothing, TikTok shop may be a good option — only if you don’t mind suffering slightly with lower quality. Keep an eye on your favourite TikTok creators to see what they promote next.. It’s also a marketing tactic: users often post videos about their amazing bargains. Lots of brands and retailers do flash deals or sales that are exclusive to TikTok in the hope of attracting customers and going viral.”
Although you may sacrifice quality, TikTok shop does offer people with different financial circumstances the opportunity to participate in clothing and accessory trends, many of which may not have been previously accessible to them due to mainstream retail prices.
TikTok Shop vs Shein?
For many, Shein has been the go-to website for clothes and accessories. However, the delivery time can be frustrating, with an average of 7–20 days for shipping. Shein has never failed to offer affordable and cute dupes and alternatives for the trends seen on social media. However, since TikTok Shop started, Shein has been slowly pacing behind it. In the U.S. alone, TikTok Shop has beaten Shein and Temu in sales for 2025. TikTok’s unique ability to combine content with consumption has given rise to a new wave of shoppers, keen to purchase products recommended by their favourite influencers.
How Ethical is TikTok Shop?
Although some may say we can’t really complain about the affordability, ease, and convenience of TikTok shop, its shockingly low prices and fast delivery processes do raise the key question: How ethical is TikTok shop?
Although you may see a creator you like promote products that seem legit, it’s important to remember that they’re receiving incentives and payment to promote these specific products. This is achieved through their unique affiliate link, which offers higher financial incentives and rewards for the sales they receive via their content.
Many of the products seen on TikTok Shop come from China. The vast quantities offered through drop-shipping do raise questions about the ethics of the process. The speedy delivery, alongside the unusual number of products offered, does concern people when thinking of the working conditions for those producing the products.
Should I use TikTok Shop?
If you want affordable and trendy clothing, TikTok shop may be a good option — only if you don’t mind suffering slightly with lower quality. Keep an eye on your favourite TikTok creators to see what they promote next.