Youth bank BUUT is launching a social media campaign to warn parents and teenagers about the TikTok shop. According to an ABN Amro subsidiary, the sales channel is a “seduction machine, especially for teenage brains.” TikTok Shop allows users to buy products advertised in videos without leaving the app, making online shopping extra easy.
“You see something in your feed, you tap ‘Buy now,’ and check out immediately. Once your address and payment details are saved, the next purchase takes just a few clicks,” said Sanne van Kuijk, who oversees braning and marketing at BUUT.
“And although TikTok Shop is officially limited to users aged 18 and older, restriction is easy to bypass, so younger teenagers can readily encounter it.”
The bank is not taking direct action against TikTok Shop but wants to start a national conversation about the risks. “We don't want to tell young people what they should or should not buy,” Van Kuijik said. She added that BUUT has not been in contact with TikTok.
TikTok Shop has been available in the Netherlands only since June, and transaction figures have not yet been released. The Dutch Consumers’ Association has already been critical of the Shop - not only of how easy it is to buy the products, but of the products themselves. According to the association, those are often presented to be better online than what customers receive in reality.
