Students search for deals on Amazon, assisted by TikTok creators

Social media platforms and influencers may be causes of increased online shopping sales since the start of the pandemic. Sarah Pinkerton | Photographer

By Olivia Martin | Social Media Editor

Since quarantine began, the era of online shopping has in part increased due to influencers posting on TikTok and other social media platforms.

TikTok accounts like @laauren1 and @brooke_lynn7 began posting Amazon haul videos for their followers and linking items to their personalized Amazon storefronts.

Other social media fashion gurus, such as @hayleyelysefit and @teresalaucar, have been sharing their Amazon finds through Instagram stories and highlights.

Austin junior Hannah Davis said she has always had a passion for expressing herself through clothing and accessories. Last year, when COVID-19 hit, shopping mostly moved online, Davis started noticing a lot of accounts on TikTok and Instagram sharing various online fashion finds.

“Something that I love doing now is following TikTok accounts that show different Amazon accounts with inexpensive clothing and jewelry,” said Davis. “Doing this helped me find cheap prices but also kept me safe, where I was able to shop from home.”

One of Davis’ favorite items she found online is a little gold necklace with the letter “H” on it. The $11 gold necklace has become one of her staple pieces, she said she wears it with almost everything. She found it through a TikTok account which promoted the item on Amazon.

“I’ve always loved accessorizing my clothes with gold jewelry,” said Davis. “This is a great statement piece and adds to any outfit.”

Lantana junior Claire Hillier said she also found herself doing a lot of shopping during quarantine. In some cases, Hillier recalled even some of the essentials like toilet paper and paper towels were sold out both online and in stores.

A big incentive to ordering through Amazon for Hillier was Amazon Prime delivery.

“I knew it would be fast shipping, so sometimes when I was bored I would order puzzles and they would arrive the next day,” said Hillier.

Through social media, Hillier heard about various dupes for more high-end athletic wear, such as Lululemon. Some of the more popular women’s athletic wear sold on Amazon comes from brands like CRZ YOGA and Colorfulkoala.

“I wanted to compare these brands because they were way cheaper than Lululemon and I had seen them all over social media,” said Hillier.

As stores begin to reopen and in-person activities resume, Davis believes the era of online shopping is here to stay.

“I think online shopping is something that will forever transform the fashion industry,” said Davis. “The convenience of online shopping benefits both the business and the shopper.”