One of TikTok’s arguments against banning the app in the US is the impact it will have on the creator community, some of whom take home big bucks from the ByteDance-owned video app. One of the ways they make money is by selling things via the TikTok Shop, and the company this week released a “safety report” with stats about sellers and efforts to combat fraud. Between July and December 2023, TikTok added 6 million new sellers to the TikTok Shop worldwide as it expanded into the US. By the end of the year, 500,000 sellers were selling to US users, double what the brand boasted just three months prior, Bloomberg reports.Naturally, the platform attracts its share of scammers. According to TikTok, 2 million seller accounts were turned down for not meeting requirements; another 1 million were banned later for breaking the rules. TikTok also removed e-commerce features from over half a million creators due to policy violations and handled over 60,000 takedown notices from brand owners. In all, TikTok blocked 37 million products from its digital store for failing to adhere to the policies and removed an additional 133,000 products after they were listed due to violations. TikTok Shop videos are now a familiar sight on people’s For You Page, and 28% of its users agree that “TikTok inspired impulse purchases.” However, the brand may take a hit after seller fees increased early last month.
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“While your traditional model might be scrolling through a list of products on a web page, we’re aiming to create an experience where it’s something more entertaining and engaging than that,” Mary Hubbard, head of governance and experience for TikTok Shop Americas, tells Bloomberg. “We want people to feel that their shopping experience is tailored and relevant to them, in the same way that they feel their ‘For You Feed’ is. Our focus is making sure the experience is a positive one, whichever way they do it.”TikTok’s success in the US is muted by the potential upcoming ban, which US President Joe Biden signed last week as part of a larger foreign aid package. It requires TikTok to either leave the US or divest itself from its Chinese owners. CEO Shou Chew intends to fight the ban in court.
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