VAN LANG UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

----------o0o---------

RESEARCH METHODS

THE INFLUENCES OF TIKTOK AND TIKTOKERS ON

THE YOUTH'S SHOPPING BEHAVIOR

GROUP MEMBERS:
1. Võ Hoàng Gia Bảo_ 2172202010171
2. Trần Triển_2172202010443
3. Vương Hoàng Vinh_ 2172202010174
4. Lê Nguyễn Phương Uyên_ 2172202010437
CLASS:
223_71ENGL30482_13
LECTURER IN CHARGE:
Ngô Nguyễn Thiện Tôn

1 VLU 2023
Contents
I. INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3
II. LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................................................................4
a) TikTok Influencers..........................................................................................................................4
b) Relevant theoretical foundations and TikTok users buying decisions..............................................4
c) Statistics..........................................................................................................................................5
i. Survey about participants on TikTok and TikTok Shop..............................................................8
ii. The aspects of TikTok that affect modern youth’s buying habits................................................9
iii. The honesty of Tiktokers when reviewing products...............................................................12
III. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................13
IV. References...........................................................................................................................................13

2 VLU 2023
Abstract: 

This literature review aims to explore and analyze the influence of TikTok and TikTokers
on the buying habits of modern youths. With the rapid rise in popularity of TikTok as a social
media platform, many users, particularly the younger generation, are exposed to a wide range of
content, including product recommendations and endorsements. Understanding how TikTokers
impact the purchasing decisions of modern youths is crucial for marketers and advertisers
seeking to effectively reach this demographic. Through an examination of relevant scholarly
articles, this literature review explores the various factors contributing to the influence of
TikTokers on modern youths' buying habits, including social proof, parasocial relationships,
authenticity, and brand perception. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications
for marketing strategies targeting the TikTok audience.

I. INTRODUCTION
In the era of digital technology, social media has become a powerful medium to reach and
interact with different target groups. Among popular social media platforms, TikTok has quickly
become a global phenomenon, attracting billions of users worldwide, especially the younger
generation. With its feature of creating and sharing short videos with music, filters, and editing
tools, TikTok has opened up unique opportunities for self-expression, sharing, and influencing
the community. Among the roles of TikTok, an important aspect is its impact on the shopping
behavior of young people. Specifically, TikTokers who are popular figures on the platform, have
a strong influence over their followers and community. From introducing products and creating
new shopping trends to providing product reviews and engaging in hidden advertising,
TikTokers can have significant effects on the purchasing decisions of adolescents. However, the
influence of TikTokers on shopping behavior needs to be carefully evaluated. Consumers,
especially the younger generation, should critically assess and research products before making
purchase decisions to ensure they align with their needs and preferences. With the research
objective of exploring and evaluating the impact of TikTokers on the shopping behavior of
young people, this study aims to provide valuable insights into the role of TikTok in shaping the

3 VLU 2023
purchasing decisions of youth. By studying factors such as reach, trends, product reviews, and
advertising techniques employed by TikTokers, this research hopes to offer valuable information
about the influence of TikTokers on the purchasing habits and behaviors of young people.
Ultimately, this will help consumers make informed and appropriate decisions that align with
their needs and preferences.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

a) TikTok Influencers 

TikTok influencers are usually understood as people who have an extremely large
number of followers and have a certain influence on TikTok.

Due to their enormous followings, social media influencers are TikTok's main
motivators. According to Mussa, M. H. (2023). The maximum payout per post for micro-
influencers is $1,250, whereas the maximum payout per post for macro-influencers is $2,500 or
more. Their reach and engagement rates both have an impact on how much they make.
Disruptive marketing aids micro-influencers in curating the material offered to niche followers,
enabling them to partner with both their specialized followers and companies. Macro-influencers
usually target a specific market before expanding to other TikTok platforms.

b) Relevant theoretical foundations and TikTok users

buying decisions

 First to mention is the influence of social media on adolescents' behavior. If you ask if
social media has a good or bad influence on young people, the answer will be both, it can be bad,
it can be good, but it will be an extremely good platform for marketers. Indeed, according to
Dirir, S. A. (2022). 92% of young people access the internet every day, which shows that online
communication is part of their lives. It is clear from the above that the social network, in this
case, TikTok, one of the social networking platforms offering quick information and the largest
collection of entertaining clips, has grown to be a valuable market for advertisers. Another
investigation by M. Ngangom (2020). has also revealed that the typical individual checks social

4 VLU 2023
media 8 times each day and spends 45 minutes there, which is why many brands have turned to
TikTok to increase their reach naturally.

In accord with Anh, H. (2021). "Consumer behavior theory" is understood as the reaction
that individuals show during the buying process. This theory covers the steps of the consumer
buying process, first problem identification, next information search, and finally choice
evaluation. According to the "consumer behavior" theory, the purchase decision lies in the final
step of choice evaluation. However, two other factors can interfere with the purchase decision,
which is the attitude of relatives and friends towards the product and the second is unexpected
factors that can change the purchase decision of the buyer. Similar to that we have the SOR
theory. As reported by Rahma, S. A., & Ridanasti, E. (2023). The SOR model was first
developed by Mehrabian and Russell, and it is based on the premise that diverse environmental
factors operate as stimuli (S) that influence a person's emotional state (O), which then results in a
behavioral reaction (R). In both above studies, we focus on external factors affecting young
people's purchasing decisions on social networks, TikTok in particular. In which the main factors
affecting the purchasing decision of the consumer behavior theory are mainly the price, product
quality as well as social factors, and customer service, while for the SOR theory, it is not.
towards connection, and person-to-person interaction to stimulate shopping, such as live
streaming. Therefore, firms will be able to develop the best products, marketing, and sales tactics
by knowing the theories about consumers.

c) Statistics

To reinforce the theoretical foundations of shopping behavior, literature articles have

made many surveys. According to the paper of the Search Engine Journal, 44% of daily TikTok
users want branded content as fun and entertaining, and those consumers tend to spend 14%
more when TikTok is included in the purchasing process than they would without. TikTok
significantly affects users' shopping habits, causing them to spend more money and make more
purchases right away. According to research, 37% of TikTok users make immediate purchases
after finding a product, and they spend 14% more overall. On TikTok, 35% of users make direct
purchases, yet 29% find it frustrating when things sell out. 39% of user purchasing decisions are
influenced by emotional considerations, such as "lifting spirits." Because 44% of users find items

5 VLU 2023
through brand videos and advertisements, brands may profit from TikTok's popularity. With
38% of users connecting with brand videos when researching products and 24% interacting with
advertisements, engagement is strong. TikTok users are more likely than users of other platforms
to make rapid purchases (1.5x), influence the purchasing decisions of others (1.5x), interact with
companies after making a purchase (2.4x), feel excited (1.3x), and do product research (1.4x).
With the use of these analytics, marketers may better target the TikTok market.

However, other papers say otherwise based on their surveys. More specifically, according
to Prakash Yadav and Rai (2017), the active use of social media has already impacted the virtual
market, workplace, and society. Organizations continuously develop social media advertising to
entice clients to make purchases since technology improvements enable users to communicate
with both companies and other customers (Alalwan, 2018). According to Ha and Janda (2012),
who were quoted by Lim et al. (2017), a person's belief has a significant impact on their main
aim to influence a purchase.  According to Wu et al. (2011), referenced in Branco et al. (2019),
purchase intention is understood to represent the consumer's desire to make a purchase of a good
or service in the near future. According to research by Bucko et al. (2018), 87.5% of respondents
use the Internet to make purchases of goods. According to Taylor et al. (2011), referenced in Jain
et al. (2018), online video advertising is also stated to have a favorable impact on customer
purchase intention in regard to this. Additionally, Alalwan (2018; as referenced in Madlberger &
Kraemmer, 2019) listed informativeness as one of the social media advertising variables that
influence customers' desire to buy. According to the user's excitement to purchase the goods, it is
also crucial to take into account publishing suitable sorts of videos (Alamaki et al., 2019).
According to Adlberger and Kraemmer (2019), a consumer's behavior when seeing an
advertisement is influenced by their attitude toward social media, which in turn influences their
purchase intentions.  The study's conclusions showed how consumers' attitudes regarding online
advertising affect how they see social media in general as a tool for digital marketing. In
addition, a study by Lee et al. (2017) found that users purposefully rely on other users' opinions
and assessments of the online video advertisements they watch rather than making their decision
solely based on the popularity of the video and other quantitative metrics that indicate that
video's popularity among users.

6 VLU 2023
 We have conducted a survey as a questionnaire distributed via Google Forms. The
purpose of the survey is to find out how much TikTok and TikTok influencers have over teens'
purchase decisions, what influences them, and what this means for marketers that are targeting
this group. For the study, a sample of 55 teenagers between the ages of 19 and 22 was chosen.
The survey included 5 checkbox questions and 3 Likert scales from level 1 (Strongly disagree) to
level 5 (Strongly agree) covering a range of topics related to the impact of TikTok and TikTok
influencers on consumer behavior, such as the types of influencers followed, the impact on
purchasing behavior, elements influencing trust and authenticity, and preferred content types.
The questionnaire produced enlightening data that shed light on how TikTok and TikTok
influencers affect teens' purchasing decisions. The followings are the main findings:

7 VLU 2023
 i. Survey about participants on TikTok and TikTok Shop

A significant majority of respondents, 85.5%, reported currently using TikTok and 5.4%
of participants had used TikTok in the past but were not currently active users. Among the
participants, 70.4% reported having used TikTok Shop, a revolutionary new shopping service
that allows merchants, brands, and artists to promote and sell things directly on TikTok via in-
feed videos, LIVEs, and a product showcase tab, indicating a substantial level of engagement.
On the other hand, 29.6% of participants stated that they haven't used TikTok Shop yet. With the
large number of participants who have utilized TikTok Shop, it is possible for businesses to

8 VLU 2023
promote and sell their goods just inside the app, taking advantage of the platform's large user
base. Additionally, indicating an interest in exploring shopping opportunities within the app.

ii. The aspects of TikTok that affect modern youth’s buying habits

d) Number of product/video interactions

Number of respondents

Strongly disagree 5

Disagree 1

Neutral 17

Agree 21

Strongly agree 8

The results indicate that 5 participants expressed complete disagreement with the idea
that the number of product/video interactions influences their buying habits. One participant
disagreed with the notion, while 17 participants remained neutral on this matter. In contrast, 21
participants agreed that the number of product/video interactions impacts their buying decisions,
and 8 participants completely agreed with this statement. These statistics highlight the varying
perspectives among teenagers regarding the influence of TikTokers and the significance of

9 VLU 2023
product/video interactions in shaping their purchasing behavior. As we can see from the
statistics, teenagers' purchasing habits are significantly influenced by the number of interactions
on the product or videos. It exposes them to a larger choice of items, acts as social proof, gives
more information about the product, and creates a sense of enthusiasm and attachment.

a) Reviews and recommendations from KOC and consumers

Number of respondents

Strongly disagree 5

Disagree 1

Neutral 17

Agree 19

Strongly agree 8

A 5-level Likert scale was used to evaluate the impact of TikTokers on teens' purchasing
behaviors, particularly in connection to Key Opinion customers' (KOC) and other customers'
ratings and suggestions. Five respondents expressed a full disagreement with the idea that
TikTokers' ratings and suggestions affect their purchasing decisions, according to the survey's
findings. One member voiced opposition to the notion, while the remaining 17 participants had
no opinion. On the other side, 19 participants—including 8 who fully agreed—agreed that
evaluations and suggestions from TikTokers and other customers impact their purchasing
decisions. According to these numbers, adolescents have a split opinion on the influence of
TikTokers' reviews and suggestions, with a sizable percentage admitting their power.

10 VLU 2023
 b) The advantage of TikTok

Number of respondents

Strongly disagree 6

Disagree 4

Neutral 16

Agree 17

Strongly agree 8

The survey results revealed that 6 participants showed strong disagreement with the
advantages of TikTok in influencing their buying habits. Additionally, 4 participants disagreed
with the notion, while 16 participants maintained a neutral stance. On the other hand, 17
participants agreed that TikTok offers advantages in influencing their buying decisions, and 8
participants completely agreed with this statement. These statistics indicate a diverse range of
perspectives among teenagers regarding the perceived advantages of TikTok in shaping their
buying habits.

c) Customer’s fondness for TikTok influencers

Number of respondents

Strongly disagree 6

Disagree 4

Neutral 20

Agree 13

Strongly agree 8

11 VLU 2023
 This showed that 6 participants were completely opposed to the idea of liking TikTok
influencers and their influence on their purchasing behavior. 20 people took a neutral view,
whereas 4 persons disagreed with this notion. On the other hand, 8 participants absolutely agreed
with the assertion that 13 individuals have a preference for TikTok influencers and admit their
effect on their purchasing decisions. According to these figures, adolescents have a variety of
opinions about how much they like TikTok influencers and how that affects their shopping
decisions.

iii. The honesty of Tiktokers when reviewing products

The same 5-level Likert scale was used to assess the impact of TikTok and TikTokers on
teen purchasing behaviors, notably in relation to the objectivity of TikTokers' product reviews.
According to the survey's findings, 3 respondents, or 5.8% of all respondents, completely
disagreed with the notion that TikTokers' product ratings were honest. 25 individuals (48.1%)
had a neutral view, while 5 people (9.6%) also disagreed with this idea. Contrarily, 5 people
(9.6%) absolutely agreed with the assertion that TikTokers' product reviews are honest, which
was supported by 14 participants (26.9%). The data represent how different teens assess the
veracity of product evaluations on TikTok and how it affects their shopping decisions.

12 VLU 2023
III. CONCLUSION
After reading previous research on this topic and analyzing archival studies, our group
found out that there are gaps between the available research and this paper:

 Other papers did not focus on TikTokers (as TikTok influencers).

   Ignoring the link between influencers and consumer brand choice.
 Did not focus on the TikTok Shop feature.

As a result, in our paper, we answer these questions with these main ideas:

 Mainly focus on TikTokers’ influences.

 Demonstrating the connection between social media icons and the brands that people
choose.
 Giving some ideas about TikTok Shop.

The study showcased that TikTok could be a potential platform to market to customers of
all ages but they expect promotions or advertisements should be useful and impressive. The
repetition of the promotion of a product or service through influencers could assist consumers in
getting cognitive knowledge easier. This is specifically used for fast-moving consumer goods
when guests don't spend too much time to make a decision. Therefore, influencers play a crucial
role in influencing the decision-making process and consumer behavior. In recent years, these
KOCs pop up too much, and so are the untruthful ads, the customers feel they have been
deceived by their interactions.

IV. References
 Anh, H. (2021) Impact of tiktok social network on purchasing decision of fashion
products.
 Dirir, S. A. Investigating the impact of TikTok on the generation Z buying behavior and
their insight of selecting brands.

13 VLU 2023
  Ngangom, M. (2020). How TikTok has impacted Generation Z’s buying behavior and
their relationship with brands? (Doctoral dissertation, Dublin Business School).
 Matt, G. S. (2022). TikTok A Key Part Of Consumers’ Path To Purchase
 Mussa, M. H. (2023). The Impact of TikTok Influencers on TikTok Users' Online Buying
Decisions in Egypt. The Academic Journal of Contemporary Commercial Research, 3(2),
1-17.
 Rahma, S. A., & Ridanasti, E. (2023). The Impact Of Marketing Strategy On Consumer’s
Impulsive Buying Behavior On Tiktok Live. International Journal of Science,
Technology & Management, 4(2), 439-455.
 Erizal, N. (2021). The influence of tiktok applications on the consumption behavior of
adolescents in online shopping. International Journal of Cultural and Social Science,
2(1), 39-43.
 Araujo, C. J., Perater, K. A., Quicho, A. M., & Etrata, A. (2022). Influence of tiktok
video advertisements on generation z’s behavior and purchase intention. International
Journal of Social and Management Studies, 3(2), 140-152.
 Zhu, J. Y., & Szekely, I. (2022). Buying Happiness: How Influencer Marketing Affects
the Identity and Purchasing Patterns of Teens. Journal of Student Research, 11(1).

 Novita, D., Andriani, J., & Yuliani, N. (2021). Influence Of Brand Image And Word Of
Mouth Communication On Purchase Decision In Tiktok Shop. HUMANIS (Humanities,
Management and Science Proceedings), 2 (1).

14 VLU 2023