I spent $18 for 7 items from TikTok's new 'Shop' feature. Here's what the process was like, from shipping to product quality and fit.

Marta BiinoJul 11, 2023, 18:04 IST

Marta Biino receiving her TikTok Shop purchases.Theresa Merkel/Insider

TikTok began testing a shopping feature in June that allows you to order directly from the platform.
When I saw how cheap things were, I wanted to test it out. I spent about $18 on seven items.

Although my fellow Gen Zers seem to love fast-fashion chains like Shein or PrettyLittleThing, I rarely shop online.

When it comes to clothes, I like to try on the items in person and see the fabric quality before committing.

But I also write about influencers and social-media platforms for a living — so when I saw that TikTok was starting to sell products directly from the app, I had to test the service.

The new feature is called "Trendy Beat" in the UK, and it's reportedly going to launch in the US as well, although TikTok hasn't provided details on that yet.

Trendy Beat looks like lots of other online-shopping websites or apps. You can scroll through a catalog, put items in a cart, and check out, all within the app.

I tried out Trendy Beat in June when it was brand-new, so TikTok was offering major discounts, free shipping, and free returns to incentivize users to shop.

Here's what my experience was like, from ordering to shipping to the quality of the items.

The shopping tab looks similar to Chinese e-commerce websites like Temu or Shein, with discount coupons and offers at the top, flash sales, and a lot of clutter.

TikTok

The items were incredibly cheap. I ended up buying seven things for £14, or about $18. TikTok was offering free shipping at the time to incentivize new customers to buy.

TikTok

The items were incredibly cheap. I ended up buying seven things for £14, or about $18. TikTok was offering free shipping at the time to incentivize new customers to buy.

The package arrived in eight days — four days earlier than expected, which surprised me.

Marta Biino receiving her TikTok Shop purchases.Theresa Merkel/Insider

Each item came in its own plastic bag. The phone case and makeup dish were wrapped together. The bags were all different, which made me think the products were probably manufactured in several factories.

Theresa Merkel/Insider

Each item came in its own plastic bag. The phone case and makeup dish were wrapped together. The bags were all different, which made me think the products were probably manufactured in several factories.

Only the skirt and the crop top came with a brand tag. The tag on the skirt said "Tehe Fele." I Googled this brand, but I couldn't find any information about it.

Marta Biino/Insider

The crop top was from "Rusttydustty," a Chinese brand also sold on Shein and Temu.

Theresa Merkel/Insider

I was most worried about the lounge set because the pictures online didn't look real — the string on the shorts looked like it had been Photoshopped. But when the clothes arrived, they were strikingly similar to the pictures.

The image online, left, and the actual product I received.TikTok/Marta Biino/Insider

I was most worried about the lounge set because the pictures online didn't look real — the string on the shorts looked like it had been Photoshopped. But when the clothes arrived, they were strikingly similar to the pictures.

When I tried it on, the set fit me well. The shorts were smaller than I would have wanted, but the top was the perfect size, and I'm definitely going to wear it to go out.

Marta Biino/Insider

When I tried it on, the set fit me well. The shorts were smaller than I would have wanted, but the top was the perfect size, and I'm definitely going to wear it to go out.

The skirt was also true to the photos, though I ordered it in a different color. It seemed less fitted than it appeared online.

TikTok/Marta Biino/Insider

The crop top was probably the highest-quality garment. It had a nice feel to it and was thick enough that I would wear it confidently.

TikTok/Marta Biino/Insider

I was surprised to see that both the top and skirt fit, though the cups in the top were slightly too big — if I moved around, it gapped on the sides.

Marta Biino/Insider

I was impressed by the fabric quality of the crop top. Despite being 93% polyester, it was soft to the touch.

Marta Biino/Insider

The fabric of the skirt, on the other hand, was very thin and I worried it might be see-through.

Marta Biino/Insider

I ordered this T-shirt out of curiosity. I wondered what the print would look like in real life. It was true to the picture, although it was definitely made using a heat-press machine and I'm not sure what will happen when I wash it.

TikTok/Marta Biino/Insider

I ordered this T-shirt out of curiosity. I wondered what the print would look like in real life. It was true to the picture, although it was definitely made using a heat-press machine and I'm not sure what will happen when I wash it.

The phone case looked exactly like in the photos, but it fit quite loosely. I doubt it would protect my phone if I dropped it.

TikTok/Theresa Merkel/Insider

The makeup-brush cleaning bowl also looked like its pictures. I had never seen one before, so I didn't know what to expect, but it gets the job done, and the material is very easy to clean and dry after use.

TikTok/Marta Biino/Insider

The makeup-brush cleaning bowl also looked like its pictures. I had never seen one before, so I didn't know what to expect, but it gets the job done, and the material is very easy to clean and dry after use.

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I spent $18 for 7 items from TikTok's new 'Shop' feature. Here's what the process was like, from shipping to product quality and fit.

The shopping tab looks similar to Chinese e-commerce websites like Temu or Shein, with discount coupons and offers at the top, flash sales, and a lot of clutter.

The items were incredibly cheap. I ended up buying seven things for £14, or about $18. TikTok was offering free shipping at the time to incentivize new customers to buy.

The package arrived in eight days — four days earlier than expected, which surprised me.

Each item came in its own plastic bag. The phone case and makeup dish were wrapped together. The bags were all different, which made me think the products were probably manufactured in several factories.

Only the skirt and the crop top came with a brand tag. The tag on the skirt said "Tehe Fele." I Googled this brand, but I couldn't find any information about it.

The crop top was from "Rusttydustty," a Chinese brand also sold on Shein and Temu.

I was most worried about the lounge set because the pictures online didn't look real — the string on the shorts looked like it had been Photoshopped. But when the clothes arrived, they were strikingly similar to the pictures.

When I tried it on, the set fit me well. The shorts were smaller than I would have wanted, but the top was the perfect size, and I'm definitely going to wear it to go out.

The skirt was also true to the photos, though I ordered it in a different color. It seemed less fitted than it appeared online.

The crop top was probably the highest-quality garment. It had a nice feel to it and was thick enough that I would wear it confidently.

I was surprised to see that both the top and skirt fit, though the cups in the top were slightly too big — if I moved around, it gapped on the sides.

I was impressed by the fabric quality of the crop top. Despite being 93% polyester, it was soft to the touch.

The fabric of the skirt, on the other hand, was very thin and I worried it might be see-through.

I ordered this T-shirt out of curiosity. I wondered what the print would look like in real life. It was true to the picture, although it was definitely made using a heat-press machine and I'm not sure what will happen when I wash it.

The phone case looked exactly like in the photos, but it fit quite loosely. I doubt it would protect my phone if I dropped it.

The makeup-brush cleaning bowl also looked like its pictures. I had never seen one before, so I didn't know what to expect, but it gets the job done, and the material is very easy to clean and dry after use.