Instagram has already shown how successful this concept can be. The principle is simple: watch a short TikTok video featuring a product, tap a button displayed in the video, and—thanks to saved payment details—complete the purchase directly within the platform. But this rapid, often impulsive shopping behavior presents new challenges for retailers. What happens with returns when impulse buys don’t live up to expectations? Artjom Bruch, CEO of Trusted Returns, explores this question in the following article.

TikTok as a Shopping Platform: Between Hype and Reality

The purchase process via TikTok Shop is lightning fast. Around 24 million TikTok users in Germany can now buy products directly in the app with a single tap.

Shopping becomes entertainment through emotionally charged videos, challenges, and creator stories. Users are swept up in the moment, making fast and often impulsive decisions—without thinking much about price, value, or alternatives.

Algorithms play a significant role on TikTok. They know the user’s preferences and tailor content accordingly. As a result, every user receives highly personalized product recommendations. On TikTok, users don’t search for products—products find their audience.

At the same time, social platforms are fundamentally changing people’s buying behavior. What was once a deliberate action—opening an app, searching for a product, then buying it—now happens casually and in passing, often between cat videos and vacation posts.

Social Commerce Is Booming – But What About Returns?

Social commerce refers to the sale of products or services via social media networks. The entire purchasing journey, from discovery to checkout, takes place within the platform. According to a study by IFH Cologne and KPMG, social commerce is currently booming in Germany: 87% of consumers are open to the concept, and 75% have already made purchases via platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or even online games. Popular categories include fashion, electronics, and leisure products. Unlike traditional e-commerce, social commerce fosters more authentic brand relationships through direct interaction.

However, the growing importance of social commerce also brings new challenges for e-commerce businesses. More impulse purchases also mean more returns. And each return increases workload, costs, and resource consumption. From transportation and packaging to product reconditioning—every step takes time and money. This makes it all the more important to establish sustainable and efficient return processes early on within this new sales channel. A well-thought-out return strategy is now a critical success factor for boosting customer satisfaction, reducing operational workload, and ensuring future-ready sales structures.

Especially in the context of social platforms where impulse purchases are common, retailers must act proactively and design their return processes to be seamless, transparent, and user-friendly. As easy as the purchase is, the return should be just as simple and seamless for the customer.

Social Commerce Highlights the Importance of Post-Purchase

Platforms like TikTok make it clear just how crucial the post-purchase phase really is. When the shopping cycle is repeatedly triggered without proper consideration of what happens after the purchase, logistics systems quickly hit their limits. Supply chains become overloaded, returns increase, and operations slow down. In the long run, this not only jeopardizes service quality but also the stability of the entire system. Anyone aiming to succeed in social commerce must consider the full shopping process—post-purchase included—in a holistic way.

From Scrolling to Returning: Turning Challenges into Opportunities

Social commerce doesn’t just change the shopping experience—it reshapes the expectations for what happens after the purchase. Platforms like TikTok enable emotionally driven, spontaneous purchases. But that’s precisely where responsibility begins: anyone selling via social media must rethink sustainable return processes, transparent communication, and the encouragement of conscious purchasing decisions.

It’s expected that social commerce, driven by evolving consumer expectations, will not only redefine the rules of online shopping in the years ahead but also significantly influence return behavior. To respond effectively to this trend, innovative strategies and holistic solutions are essential.