#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt: Gen Z’s Mall of America
I find myself wasting hours on TikTok, and sometimes I’m convinced that the app is reading my mind. TikTok is well known for having an algorithm that somehow knows what you want before you do, or at least so it seems. This scary-accurate algorithm is based on how each user interacts with their feed, and is meant to keep you engaged on the app for as long as possible. TikTok uses information including who you follow, what videos you like, and how long you watch certain videos in order to provide you with personalized content. This has had an extraordinary effect on Gen Z’s shopping habits; now 97% of Gen Z consumers say they use social media as their top source of shopping inspiration.
“97% of Gen Z consumers say they use social media as their top source of shopping inspiration.”
Any heavy TikTok user is more than likely to have stumbled upon the hashtag #OOTD, also known as: Outfit Of The Day. The hashtag has 47.3 billion views on TikTok alone and continues to climb. It consists of videos of regular people, micro influencers, and some of the biggest names on tiktok showing off an outfit. It is almost guaranteed that there will be other users asking for outfit details and where they got each item in the comments. Even if the original creator does not respond, there will often be others answering if they recognize one of the items.
“I would have never ordinarily bought these products if I had come across them online from the original seller”
I am guilty of buying multiple articles of clothing after watching a #OOTD. I went through the comments to see that other people had already bought the product and were leaving their personal reviews. I have a skirt, multiple pairs of leggings, and a few pieces of jewelry that I was influenced to buy by people that were not sponsored, or paid to promote the product.
I would have never ordinarily bought these products if I had come across them online from the original seller, but being able to see how someone with no ulterior motive reacted, incentivized me to make the purchases. Now if there is a specific item I’m looking to buy, but don’t know which brand is best, I will type in said item in my TikTok search bar to see what others have posted about it. There I have been able to find videos with reviews, try-ons, pro/con lists, and comparisons.
“Now if there is a specific item I’m looking to buy, but don’t know which brand is best, I will type in said item in my TikTok search bar”
This experience isn’t unique to me, “77% of Gen Z said that personalized recommendations were extremely important to them when shopping online”. I later saw people wearing some of the same clothing that I had bought. Our similar interests resulted in similar videos pushed onto our “for you” pages. A large-scale example of this is the TikTok leggings. These Amazon leggings which have over 15,000 reviews went viral because people loved how they sculpted their body. Now if you google “Tiktok leggings”, they don’t only show up on Amazon, but other brands who have made dupes in hopes of profiting off the viral sensation.
“Among Gen-Z, I would call it a failure. No one among my peers has made a purchase off of Instagram, the only time they visit the store section is when they click the icon accidentally.”
Many companies and brands have tried to capitalize on this social commerce on and off TikTok. Instagram had a complete app remodel when it included its store as one of the main features. Among Gen-Z, I would call it a failure. No one among my peers has made a purchase off of Instagram, the only time they visit the store section is when they click the icon accidentally. The overt transition was not welcomed, no one was looking for another digital buying platform from a place used for digital browsing. TikTok’s version of social commerce is relaxed and personal - making it far more successful. Some brands have focused on producing viral videos. Duolingo has a blue checkmark next to its username and 3.7 million followers. This language-learning app has accumulated over 70 million likes through all their videos that match Gen Z humor and brought way more attention to their brand than ever before, it even made me re-download the app. This isn’t the only company on TikTok, there are many others with verified accounts with high numbers of content interaction which aids them in selling their product.
Overall, what has made TikTok and specific brands more influential is that they are not so obviously trying to sell something. Gen Z values the authenticity of personal testimonials over a traditional advertisement, making them more likely to buy.
The Takeaway
TikTokers, encouraged by a pandemic surge in at-home shopping, have built massive followings showing off a broad and strange array of products. The #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag has over 4.6 billion views. While many companies and brands have tried to capitalize on this social commerce on and off TikTok, TikTok succeeds where other social platforms have failed. TikTok’s version of social commerce is relaxed and personal, allowing it to claim space as Gen Z’s main shopping platform.
