TikTok Shop Safety Tips Experts Say You Should Know - Good Housekeeping

If you use TikTok, you’ve almost certainly come across creators or brands advertising things you can buy through TikTok Shop . The built-in marketplace offers everything from cosmetics to home decor to apparel, often at low prices. But if you’ve found yourself hovering over the red “Buy Now” button wondering if it’s safe to click, you’ll want to read up on these TikTok Shop safety tips from experts. Ahead, Good Housekeeping pros share their experiences ordering from TikTok Shop and explain how to keep your personal information secure. Experts also explained how to determine if a product is worth buying. Like other major online retailers, TikTok Shop has safeguards in place to ensure customers aren’t buying unsafe or counterfeit products. While these safeguards seem largely effective, our editors found a few products that seemed to be in violation of the platform’s policies, so it’s worth approaching your TikTok Shop buys with a careful eye. Keep reading to learn more about what TikTok Shop is, how the platform works for buyers and sellers, and how to keep your information safe when you make a purchase. If you’re looking for other tips on staying safe online, read our guide on how to protect your digital privacy . First, what is TikTok Shop? Essentially, TikTok Shop is an online marketplace that allows users to purchase viral products without ever leaving the app. Think of it like Etsy, where third party sellers, creators and brands can open a "shop" via the TikTok Shop to sell anything from home decor and cleaning products to cosmetics and clothing. And TikTok Shop is full of brands, ranging from big to small. The marketplace is littered with well-known names like Benefit Cosmetics and Revolve, but any qualifying individual can open their own storefront on TikTok. According to TikTok's guidelines and seller terms of service , potential sellers must meet a minimum age requirement of 18, have a certain number of followers and hold a U.S. passport, driver's license or proof of legal U.S. residency. They're also subject to a probation period in which there are limits on the number of products they can list and the number of daily orders they can accept . This probation period only ends after a seller successfully completes a certain number of orders and meets other performance and compliance standards. Add Good Housekeeping as a preferred source in your Google search results. Use your Google account to add this to your settings. Add to Google settings Now for the real question: Is it safe to buy from TikTok Shop? For the most part, TikTok Shop is a safe place to shop — but as with most online marketplaces, it's very important to be cautious of potential scams, look out for potentially fake reviews and read the fine print of any item before purchase. Media Matters for America alerted us to issues like deepfake doctors and black market vapes . And, in our own online investigation, we found a number of products for sale that violated TikTok's gaming and gamification policies. (TikTok did remove these products after we alerted them.) On the upside, these products do seem to be far and few in-between. "TikTok does seem to be taking a reasonable approach to protect users and customers, putting some onus on sellers," says Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute . Overall, Good Housekeeping staffers who have shopped TikTok shared nothing but pleasant experiences. "I was skeptical of the TikTok Shop at first, largely because I didn't really understand how it worked," says Home & Apparel Reviews Analyst Amanda Constantine . "But, it's essentially just another marketplace. It reminds me of Amazon, so there are brands that I trust and others that I don't." Deputy Health Editor Alyssa Jung ordered an NFL sweatshirt from a small seller and it "looks just like the photo, and arrived right on time." She even received tracking information and updates during delivery. And if your experience is less than stellar? TikTok claims if a purchased item is not received or is not as described, the seller or TikTok will refund the buyer. A buyer can request a return within 30 days from when their order is delivered, and even after the standard period, customers are still entitled to request a return or refund under the TikTok Shop Buyer Protection Program within 90 calendar days of order delivery. Tips for safe shopping on TikTok Shop Whenever you online shop, it's important to practice caution to ensure you're happy with your purchase and that your transaction, including your payment details and identity, remain secure. Do research on any shop before checking out. It's important to understand that the TikTok Shop is a vast marketplace, and even with safeguards in place, you may encounter prohibited, counterfeit or poor-quality items. Check out any shop you're considering purchasing from before blindly hitting that "Buy Now" button. "Each shop/product has a review section, so you can tell if people liked or didn't like the product and if they had any issues with the brand," says Constantine. Take note of the shop's reviews and take notice of its return policy. You can even do a quick Google search to see if the same product is sold elsewhere, and check out those reviews, says Balkam. Read the fine print on product listings. Rather than just looking at the photo, make sure you're reading the full product description — looking at dimensions, materials, etc. "There are some items that look cheap and will be cheap, but if you do some research to find products from well-known brands or from trusted creators, you shouldn't have a problem," says Constantine. Consider using ApplePay or PayPal. TikTok claims they work with third-party payment platforms to conduct transactions on the TikTok Shop and that no data pertaining to any sales are collected. Still, some experts say it may be worth using a service like PayPal rather than your credit card for additional protection. The least secure method of payment is to give your bank details (something we don't ever recommend), the second is your credit card and one step away from that is a third-party platform like PayPal, Venmo, Zelle or ApplePay, says Balkam. Brigitt Earley Contributing Writer Brigitt is a writer, editor and craft stylist with nearly 15 years of experience. She specializes in lifestyle topics, including home, health, parenting, beauty, style, food, entertaining, travel and weddings. She has written for Glamour, People, Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Real Simple, Martha Stewart, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, and more.