Why 71% of Gen Zers Are Now Turning to TikTok for Shopping
- DeJuan Wright
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
Years before YouTube ever existed, back when BET and MTV actually aired music videos throughout the day on their main networks (which sadly, is no longer the case today), there was a music television channel on U.S. airwaves that became a mainstay in popular culture. Especially in the day-to-day lives of Gen X and Millennials in America.
The channel was named The Box (which aired from 1985 to 2001). And let’s be clear, everything about The Box was totally cool. From the music videos that were featured on the channel. To the artists who appeared on the channel for a special segment of interviews called Box Talk.
But perhaps above all the coolest thing about The Box was that all of the music videos that aired on the channel were controlled by fans: who paid a small fee in order to see their favorite music videos be aired for others in their city to see (and let’s not kid ourselves, plenty of record labels also paid the fee to have music videos by their artists aired as well).
Even The Box’ slogan was cool. That’s because it stated exactly what the channel was all about; Music Television You Control. Similar to many of the reasons Gen X and Millennials were once obsessed with watching The Box, Gen Zers are incredibly obsessed with TikTok.
It’s also the reason why the vast majority of the demographic has now began purchasing products on the platform.
Some TikTok shopping statistics
A consumer survey conducted by PartnerCentric has revealed that:
37% of Americans under 60 have purchased from TikTok Shop, spending an average of $700 in the past year across 12 purchases.
63% of respondents take product recommendations from influencers, and almost 50% of TikTok Shop purchases originated from influencer posts.
95% of Gen Zers use TikTok, and 71% have purchased an item discovered on the platform. While nearly half bought directly from TikTok Shop.
These numbers strongly suggest that TikTok Shop isn’t just a fad for the moment. But rather a serious marketplace that you should certainly consider utilizing to present your startup’s products to a vast audience.
What’s motivating so many Gen Zers to shop on TikTok?
Dr. Robert Cialdini, author of what many (including yours truly) consider one of the greatest marketing/psychology books ever written, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, says that, “95% of the people are imitators. And 5% are imitators.”
Dr. Cialdini would go on to state that, “The tendency of everyone to be looking to see what everyone else is doing is called pluralistic ignorance.”
Now you may think pluralistic ignorance sounds like a really harsh way to explain why so many Gen Zers are turning towards TikTok to purchase products; but when you contemplate the concept of social proof, it’ll all make perfect sense.
Akin the allure of The Box, Gen Zers purchase products on TikTok for the same reasons Gen X and Millennials once paid money to have their favorite music videos aired on television—others in their peer group are doing it (particularly influencers they deem as admirable), which simply makes it both acceptable and appealing to do so as well.
Social proof strongly suggests that, if everyone else is doing something, it has to be safe. TikTok is a ready-made social proof platform that influencers utilize to lure Gen Zers.
And needless to say, it has been extremely effective.
Need help promoting your startup’s products on TikTok?
Selling products on TikTok may seem easy, but it’s a lot more difficult than most realize. If you’d like us to assist your company to sell more products than ever on the platform, email us today and let’s schedule a chat. We’d love to help!
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