TikTok shopping is latest mindless addiction—as users confess to spending thousands on ‘products I have not used’

The app that once felt like pure entertainment is now a slick storefront for impulsive buying. From January to October, the 170 million Americans who use TikTok paid over $10 billion on TikTok Shop—twice as much as the same period a year earlier.

Sam Reddy first noticed the new shopping feature a year and a half ago and was annoyed by it. But as the ads filled her feed and other users talked about items, her curiosity turned into a familiar “fear of missing out.” She told The Post, “At first, it was annoying, but then, with all the ads and people talking about the products, it became FOMO. You see people talking about [an item], and so you want to get it… Inevitably, you go from watching TikTok to looking at a product.”

Reddy, a Baltimore corset maker, began buying corset boning from the shop, then let herself drift into a stream of “little food items” and other trendy snacks. Her cupboards swelled with Dubai chocolate bars, Pholicious Pho noodles, and other novelty treats. Over the last six months, she spent $3,000 on the platform and at one point owed $1,000 each to buy‑now‑pay‑later services like Affirm and Klarna. “It’s spending I wouldn’t have done otherwise,” she explained. “You don’t even realize when it’s happening… you’re in this world of shopping, or you’re in watching video mode, so you’re not really pausing and making a conscious decision to consume.”

TikTok Shop blends in ads right inside the video feed so that clicks can turn directly into purchases. Instagram, for example, still forces users into a separate browser for checkout, whereas TikTok’s interface lets shoppers do everything from one screen. “It does seem to be this kind of perfect storm to unleash some pretty big spending,” said Scott Rick, associate professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “It’s this fun space with novel products from people you trust, and we tend to trust people more than we trust companies nowadays.”

The Shop tab resembles Amazon, with flash sales, premium offers, and a mix of clothing, beauty, and food items. TikTokers who act as affiliates promote items in their videos for a small commission. Carrie Rattle, a financial therapist based in Westchester, notes that the personal nature of those testimonials adds a layer of appeal. “When you’ve got a live advocate for the product, it’s like an immediate social proof for somebody, a walking‑talking testimonial,” Rattle told The Post. “Sometimes they have an engaging story about where the product is from or how they use it, so it’s a bit of shoppertainment.” Rattle has described the experience as “Gen Z’s QVC.”

Reddy also regrets many of her purchases—especially low‑quality bras—and feels that the app she once loved has changed beyond recognition. “Every other video is an advertisement,” she said. “There’s always a little orange box at the very left hand corner. At this point, TikTok isn’t even an entertainment app. It’s literally becoming a shopping app, like it’s the next Temu.”

A TikTok representative did not reply to a request for comment.

Another high‑spending user is Samantha Gashi, a 33‑year‑old influencer and restaurant owner in Pennsylvania. She says she never shopped online until TikTok Shop flooded her feed with promos. “It’s easy access. Everything just pops right up. There’s so many ads, and then the shop is just right there,” Gashi told The Post. She estimates she sees an ad every third scroll—a lot, given her six‑to‑seven‑hour daily usage. Before she knew it, she had spent $10,000 on more than 200 items. “I do have a lot of products that I have not used, and I don’t even know why I bought them,” she admitted. “Most of them don’t fit. Most of them are bad quality. Everybody’s just getting scammed right and left.”

Financial therapist Lindsay Bryan‑Podvin points out that users like Reddy and Gashi fall in because ads are woven so seamlessly into the experience. “TikTok creators will be doing a ‘day in the life’ video, and all of the products used in their ‘day in the life’ are on sale,” she explained. “It’s just so tricky to discern: When am I being targeted for shopping versus when am I being entertained? It’s not like it was 15, 20 years ago, when you would turn on the TV, and you could tell, ‘I’m watching a show, oh, and now here’s the ad break.’”

Breaking these habits can be tough, but Professor Rick offers a strategy: create as many friction points as possible. In his book “Tightwads and Spendthrifts,” he suggests deleting saved card details and forcing users to navigate multiple screens to re‑enter payment info—slowening the impulse and giving people time to consider their purchases.

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.