TikTok expands into Belgian online shopping market with in-app store launch
TikTok will launch its in-app shopping platform TikTok Shop in Belgium on 15 June, allowing users to buy products directly through the app without leaving the platform.
The feature, already available in countries including France and Germany, enables users to purchase products promoted by influencers or during livestream shopping events in just a few clicks. TikTok says it has around 4.3 million users in Belgium.
Payments will be processed immediately through services including Apple Pay and Google Pay, while deliveries will either be handled by sellers or by TikTok itself through bpost, according to Ningxin Wu, head of TikTok Shop for Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria.
“A disaster for the financially vulnerable"
TikTok says it will apply strict checks to ensure products comply with Belgian and European legislation. The company also states that minors will not be able to make purchases through the platform, with age verification carried out through moderation systems and technology tools. The minimum age for using TikTok is 13.
Consumer organisation Testaankoop has criticised the launch, warning of the risks linked to impulse buying.
“A disaster for the financially vulnerable, such as young people,” said Testaankoop spokesperson Laura Clays. The organisation fears the seamless integration of shopping into the app could encourage excessive spending. “You can buy within 3 to 4 clicks. The danger is that you never feel like you are spending money. You can just keep scrolling and tapping and buying.”
“Mental obstacles are removed. Everything is made very easy. The risk of impulse purchases has become much greater,” she added.
Although minors are officially excluded from using TikTok Shop, Clays expressed doubts about enforcement. “TikTok promises strict controls, but young people will slip through the cracks regardless,” she said.
TikTok denies that the platform is designed to encourage impulse purchases.
© PHOTO HOLLANDSE HOOGTE
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