Is TikTok Shop Safe and Legit?

What is TikTok Shop?

Launched in 2023, TikTok Shop is an online marketplace on the popular social media app, TikTok. Unlike many other social media-based shopping services, users can purchase items directly from TikTok Shop, without being redirected to a third-party website.

Products are often promoted during shop livestreams or by influential content creators. TikTok’s shoppable videos allow you to make quick purchases and interact with sellers directly.

TikTok users can visit the shop directly or tap product links that appear in shoppable video ads.

There’s an eclectic mix of items available on TikTok Shop, typically at low prices, including multipacks of soda, household goods, retro game consoles, jewelry, and much more. The most popular TikTok products in the US in November 2025 were:

• Perfume

• Casual dresses

• Shampoo and conditioner

• Lipstick and lip gloss

• Bodysuits

Market research shows that US consumers spend around $32 million shopping on TikTok every day. And with 63% of US teens and 33% of adults using TikTok, it’s no wonder that sellers are keen to promote their products on the platform.

Is it safe to buy from TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop is a legitimate feature of TikTok and is generally safe to buy from. However, as with all online marketplaces, such as Temu or AliExpress, scammers may operate on the platform. That means it’s important to learn how to detect scams and identify trustworthy sellers.

TikTok Shop scams typically involve counterfeit products, misleading advertising, and orders that never arrive. More advanced scams may include social engineering tactics — with scammers phishing for your personal data to sell or use to access your online accounts. In some cases, fraudsters may even pose as TikTok customer service, claiming there’s an issue with your order.

These sorts of scams are seen across many online platforms, including Venmo and Facebook Marketplace, so it’s important to stay vigilant wherever you shop.

Here are TikTok Shop’s key security credentials and safeguarding measures:

• Secure payments: TikTok Shop uses secure payment gateways such as PayPal and Stripe, meaning you don’t need to link your bank account to TikTok or share your financial details with sellers. This helps reduce the risk of your financial data being exposed in the case of a data breach.

• Buyer protection: Many TikTok Shop products have a free return and refund policy, which is visible in the “Shipping & returns” section of the item description. This allows you to get your money back for products that are falsely advertised, broken, or never arrive.

  

• User-generated reviews: TikTok Shop allows customers to submit reviews for items or shops, ensuring transparency and helping you make an informed decision about where to shop. And reviews can only be submitted once a product has been confirmed as delivered, which helps reduce the risk of scammers leaving fake reviews to boost their listings.

  

• Seller verification: To open a TikTok Shop, sellers must be verified after supplying business registration documents, or personal documentation for individual traders.

• Verification badge (blue tick): TikTok awards a blue checkmark to active sellers once it has confirmed the account belongs to the brand it represents. This proof of verification helps you distinguish real brands from fakes.

  

• Customer support: TikTok Shop offers customer support to handle unresolved disputes with sellers. This may include issues around refunds, returns, and other product-related concerns.

• Performance data: TikTok provides shop stats on every product listing, including a star rating (based on user reviews), number of items sold, and average time to respond to queries. The best performing shops are marked as a “Star Shop.”

  

While TikTok Shop aims to ensure a safe online shopping experience, scams or bad experiences can still occur on the platform. Common criticisms include long shipping times, items not arriving, and poor quality products. When browsing goods, keep in mind the price-to-quality ratio and what you can realistically expect if items appear exceptionally cheap.

Why is stuff so cheap on TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop can offer cheap items for many reasons, including some sellers having minimal overhead costs, products being shipped directly from manufacturers, and high competition driving prices down.

The following factors all contribute to TikTok Shop being a low-cost place to shop:

• Dropshipping model: Products are often shipped directly to buyers from the product manufacturer or wholesaler, minimizing the length of the supply chain and resulting retail markups.

• Minimal overhead: Direct shipping also removes the need for physical stores and related costs like rent, staff, and utilities, keeping expenses low.

• Extreme competition: With millions of sellers on TikTok Shop, many offer near-identical products from the same manufacturers. This drives prices down as sellers compete to make sales.

• Deals and discounts: TikTok offers regular platform-funded deals to attract new users or increase engagement.

• Low production costs: Many products are sourced from countries like China, where labor costs are much lower than in the US, allowing sellers to offer lower prices.

How to avoid scams on TikTok Shop

The best ways to avoid scams on TikTok Shop include paying close attention to reviews, how well a product has sold, and comparing prices with other online shops.

Here are some more key tips that can help you stay safer when using TikTok Shop:

• Order from blue-tick sellers: Accounts with a blue tick have gone through extra verification processes to confirm the owner’s identity. But remember, this doesn’t guarantee trustworthiness or product quality, and sellers without a blue tick may still be reliable.

• Read the reviews: Avoid sellers with low ratings and poor reviews. Treat overly generic reviews with caution — reviews with unique images and specific details are less likely to be fake.

• Never share your details in messages: Sellers should have all the information they need to complete your order without requesting further details or verifications from you. Never send personal information, including bank account details, passwords, or verification codes, in a message.

• Don’t trust high-value items with low prices: Low prices for small, low-value products are common on TikTok. But practice caution with high-value products, like the latest games console or a new iPhone, with bargain prices. If it’s too good to be true, it could be a scam.

• Look for detailed descriptions: Avoid buying products with limited or missing descriptions. Check for size, materials, weight, color, etc., and ensure the details on the listing match the product as it appears in the listing photos.

• Check shop performance details: Look for the “Star Shop” label, which typically indicates quick response times, a high volume of sales, and a strong star rating.

• Read the return policy: TikTok Shop offers free returns on many items, but there can be variations in timeframes and eligibility requirements. Check the policy of the shop you’re buying from before committing to a purchase.

Does TikTok Shop steal your info?

Some US politicians have raised concerns about misused or stolen data, mainly related to TikTok’s Chinese ownership, but there’s no evidence to suggest that TikTok Shop steals data.

Although TikTok collects data for processing transactions and monitoring customer experiences, this is stated in their Privacy Policy. It’s a good idea to read the privacy policies for any online service you use, so that you know exactly what information you’re sharing and how it’s being used.

Be aware that TikTok can’t control what sellers do with information you share via messages, on or off TikTok. If a seller messages you asking for extra personal information, end the transaction and report them.

How to report a TikTok Shop scam

If you suspect a TikTok seller is trying to scam you, or you’ve fallen victim to a scam, report it immediately to the platform. You should also notify your bank and report the scam outside the platform if you don’t get a resolution.

To report TikTok Shop scams to the platform:

• Go to the product page.

• Tap the three dots in the right-hand corner, then choose Report, and Scam or fraud.

• Complete the form.

Improve your online privacy and safety with Avast Secure Browser

It’s important to feel confident and safe online. Whether you’re browsing, shopping, or banking, a secure browser can help boost your privacy and security. Download Avast Secure Browser to get powerful features, such as anti-tracking, phishing protection, and automatic encryption. Best of all, it’s completely free to use on your mobile and computer.