You know how sometimes life has a funny way of nudging you into new adventures? Well, that’s exactly what happened when Rob decided he didn’t want to be “left behind” and joined TikTok. Since TT was having a promotion where new users received $20 to shop, and I was gifted even more, I figured it would be a perfect time to explore how to shop in TikTok Shop and determine if it was worth it.
Quote of the day: “Change is only possible through movement.” Aldous Huxley
After living in a Retirement community for a few years, we both realized that not keeping up with new things and Technology can make life feel smaller. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that staying curious keeps us younger.
I’ve held off trying it because who needs another challenge? I was worried it would be overwhelming, gimmicky, and maybe even a little sketchy. But that’s exactly what I thought about Amazon at first. And now, Amazon is a go-to shopping site for me.
Insider tip: If you happen to see something you want on TikTok, most likely it’s also available on Amazon. So remember what it’s called and search for it on Amazon if that feels better to you.
Shopping through TikTok has been a learning curve, but not unlike Amazon or any online shopping.
I’m sharing the big points that I’ve discovered about how to shop in TikTok Shop and what you should know before clicking “buy now.”
Insider tip: Going through my link to add TikTok can give you Money to shop. They have different promotions going on at different times, so I can’t be sure what it will give you at this time.
When it comes down to it, the best learning is by playing around with it.
But I wanted to give you a couple of photos and specifics to help you get your bearings.
Insider tip: Yes, you can get on TikTok on your desktop or laptop as well as your phone.
There are 2 ways to shop in the TikTok Shop (see the 2 photos above for each option)
1-At the very top of all videos are various tabs, and there is a tab titled “Shop”
2-Many videos are showcasing a product in the TikTok shop, and those will have an orange shopping cart (hidden in the above photo) to the left of SHOP in the shaded box right above the creator’s name and caption.
Remember, you aren’t buying anything until you check out and put in your credit card information. All the clicking around before that is research, AKA shopping time.
Below are some screenshots showcasing the parts you can expect to see when looking at a product in the TikTok shop:
-the shipping and return information
-Information about the shop and its stats
-UNDER the reviews (keep scrolling down), you can find the specifics about a product. This is especially helpful for finding out the “real” material of a clothing item.
Insider tip: Just because the title of a clothing item has “linen” in it, the real material could be a blend or something that just looks like linen.
I’m sharing 4 big tips on how to shop in TikTok shop and then the “why.” Let me know if you have any questions, although I’m far from an expert.
Amazon has spoiled us. Two-day shipping (sometimes even one-day) has made us impatient when it comes to waiting for packages.
With TikTok Shop, most items that I ordered took a little longer than Amazon shipping, but TikTok is not the only one. In the last months, I’ve also been ordering from Etsy, and the shipping is slower there too.
Again, it’s not really slow; it’s just we’ve been pampered with fast shipping.
Insider tip: Even some of my Amazon products take a week to ship. It’s all dependent on the company sending them out and from where they are distributed.
But here’s the twist: one of my items actually shipped through Amazon. It showed up almost as fast as my usual Prime orders.
I’ve also learned that many brands sell on TikTok Shop. They aren’t all Chinese companies. For instance, iHerb (the company we use for many of our supplements) has a “shop” on TikTok and sells more than just supplements.
This was one of my first questions, because who wants to be stuck with something that doesn’t fit or doesn’t work? The good news is that you can return items from TikTok Shop.
I experienced it firsthand when a couple of my items were defective (see above).
The key is to read the description ahead of time. Each seller has their own return policies and details, and not every product qualifies for easy returns. It reminded me of shopping from smaller boutiques; you have to be a little more careful.
But once I filed my return, the process wasn’t difficult at all. In fact, it was just like Amazon’s returns.
One of my big hesitations was quality, especially if you don’t know the company. Yet, this is the same as Amazon. There are known companies selling on Amazon (and TikTok) as well as Chinese companies and other brands that you’ve never heard of.
The biggest secret is to take the time to read the description, especially for clothing. It’s easy to get swayed by a pretty video, but make sure you look at fabric content, size measurements, and reviews before buying.
I was tempted to order a bunch of tops and pants that were right up my alley, but once I saw they were polyester, I passed them by.
The one red, eyelet top I did purchase was cotton and just as fabulous as if I’d found it at a boutique.
So, just like with Amazon (or even Target or Nordstrom), you need to do a little homework before clicking “buy.”
Here’s a fun perk I didn’t expect: if you leave reviews, you can get a discount on your next purchase. Talk about a smart marketing ploy.
I always Love reading other people’s reviews before buying, so it makes sense to give back and share my experience.
Insider tip: I always look for the negative comments too, because nothing is perfect for everyone. I like to analyze what buyers didn’t like and see if that’s an issue for me. For example, when I was researching the heatless curlers, one reviewer said that it wasn’t clear how to use them. I imagine there aren’t great instructions in the shipped package, but that’s why there are so many videos showing the process on TikTok.
This whole experiment started because Rob didn’t want to be one of those old dudes who say, “I don’t do TikTok.” Yes, he held off getting on the site at first because of the China thing, as well as information sharing. He’s always been concerned about Security, but there comes a time when everything involves information sharing.
Rob is also a tech-savvy guy (no surprise there since he has a Master’s in IT). Luckily, it has rubbed off on me, too.
I wasn’t always like that. Just ask me about the arm-twisting it took me to embrace a digital camera 20 years ago and digital x-rays at my dental office. At this stage of the game, I realize that it’s good to be open to new advances.
After all, life doesn’t stop just because we hit a certain age.
Living in a retirement community taught us something really important: the people who stay open to new experiences, whether it’s fashion, fitness, or yes, even technology, tend to stay more engaged with the world. And engagement is such a huge part of feeling vibrant.
So, when Rob said, “Maybe I’ll get on TikTok,” I thought, well, do it now, so we can get money to spend, and we can figure out the tricks of how to shop in the TikTok shop.
Learning how to shop in TikTok Shop was not something I had on my Bucket List, but it has been a delightful surprise.
Is it worth it? I would say yes, especially because I love a good deal and options.
More than anything, this adventure reminded me of something bigger, which is that staying curious is a choice. Whether it’s fashion trends, apps, or even little tech experiments, there’s joy in saying, “Why not?”
So, if you’ve thought about trying TikTok shop but wanted a little nudge, here’s your sign.
Who knows, you might just find your new favorite outfit or gadget, and along the way, get it at a better price.
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The post How to Shop in TikTok Shop: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Jodie’s Touch of Style.
