Gen Z’s love for resale is driven by a desire for variety, uniqueness, and the thrill of hunting for vintage treasures. TikTok, already dominating the generation’s screen time, has made a natural move into luxury resale with TikTok Shop. As the broader resale industry is projected to reach $360 billion by 2030, according to BCG, the question arises: can a platform known for dupes establish real credibility in the competitive luxury resale market? And how might TikTok Shop and social commerce reshape how we buy and value luxury resale in the years to come?
Creators as Credibility Builders
TikTok is leveraging its content creators to build trust. Dr. Carolyn Mair, fashion business consultant and author of The Psychology of Fashion, explains that consumers often transfer trust from familiar content creators to the products or platforms they promote. With TikTok’s informal and personable video formats creating a sense of honesty and immediacy, this effect is especially strong.
In recent months, TikTok Shop has been collaborating with creators for luxury resale partnerships with in-app sellers. Miriam Young, a talent manager at Digital Brand Architects, shared that TikTok Shop was seeking smaller, fashion-focused creators with high conversions to host live recordings with secondhand luxury retailers. In these live sessions, creators showcase and discuss their favorite items, earning a commission if any items sell.
Combining TikTok Shop with TikTok Lives could be a profitable strategy. Melissa Bohm, known as Melissa Loves Bags, started live streaming on TikTok after being approached by the platform in 2022. Since TikTok Shop introduced pre-loved luxury as a category in the US, Bohm’s follower count has grown from 200 to over 60,000. She notes that TikTok Shop’s community sets it apart from other selling platforms, creating a sense of friendship and discovery among buyers.
