“TikTok made me buy it.” This simple line sums up why so many of us can’t stop scrolling: the age of the viral product recommendation is upon us.
In late 2021, TikTok surpassed both Google and Facebook as the world’s most popular web domain — confirming that people are using the app for far more than dance videos. While much of that traffic still comes from people looking to be entertained, another crowd uses the app like an actual search engine. If you’re wondering whether a certain clothing brand is legitimate or need a suggestion for a new air fryer, there’s probably a TikTok video (or 10) where you can crowdsource some answers. In that way, the video app has almost become a Reddit for Gen Z.
Comparing popular VPNs? Folks on Reddit have some thoughts.
Maybe you were doomscrolling just to feel something and happened to encounter a video enlightening you on a problem you didn’t know you had. Could the solution really be this thing they bought on Amazon? Now you’re curious, so you buy it on the spot. We’ve all done it.
You may have heard that Instagram is in its flop era — well that’s precisely why TikTok has become such an influential shopping site.
Though TikTok is certainly still susceptible to sponsored posts from influencers, a large chunk of product recommendations come from normal people who won’t financially benefit if a viewer buys the product they posted about. Rather, many items in viral videos were only hyped up because the person genuinely wanted to share something great that they found. That authentic consumer experience feels trustworthy, like hearing that a friend or coworker’s life was really changed by this one hair styler.
Then, when TikTok notices that a decent number of people interacted with a certain video (one recommending a product, for the purposes of this story), it gets plopped in even more FYPs. That aspect of TikTok virality is so powerful that countless products — even ones with a meh number of sales previously — have sold out soon after a TikTok recommendation.
But given that millions of users are posting about their favorite purchases, it can be hard to decipher which ones are worthwhile and which will end up in a junk drawer. We’re keeping tabs on the most unique, reliable, and sustainable ones below so you can be sure you’re note wasting your money.
