We recently attempted to open a shop on TikTok and were met with an extremely disappointing experience. While we were in the process of setting up our account, TikTok abruptly closed our shop, citing "Suspected Fraudulent Activity" as the reason, despite the fact that we had not even started our business operations.In response, we immediately contacted TikTok support, expressing our willingness to cooperate fully and provide any necessary documentation to prove our legitimacy. Unfortunately, instead of offering support or a fair investigation, TikTok assigned 48 violation points to our account without any clear explanation or evidence. We were informed that our shop would not be reopened, and we were also banned from creating a new account. This decision was made without a transparent process or an opportunity to present our case, leaving us frustrated and without recourse.We find TikTok's actions to be deeply concerning for several reasons:Lack of Transparency: At no point were we given specific details regarding the alleged fraudulent activity. TikTok's communication was vague and failed to provide any clear evidence to substantiate their claims. This lack of transparency undermines trust and makes it impossible for honest businesses to rectify any misunderstandings.Unfair Judgement and No Due Process: TikTok's decision to close our account was made unilaterally, without giving us the opportunity to address any supposed violations. We repeatedly offered to cooperate and provide any proof of our legitimacy, but our requests were ignored. This approach feels unjust and unprofessional, especially for a platform that claims to support small businesses.Inadequate Customer Support: The responses we received from TikTok's support team were dismissive and unhelpful. Despite our willingness to engage and resolve any concerns, their decision remained final, with no path forward offered to us. This kind of treatment is unacceptable, particularly from a major platform that holds a significant influence over sellers' livelihoods.Overly Harsh Penalties: The imposition of 48 violation points and the complete ban from setting up another shop feels excessive, particularly when no clear violations were presented to us. This punitive approach discourages legitimate businesses from using the platform and raises serious questions about TikTok’s seller management practices.Overall, our experience with TikTok Shop has been extremely negative. The platform's arbitrary account closures, lack of proper investigation, and poor customer service are major issues that need to be addressed. We urge TikTok to review its policies and provide a fair and transparent process for businesses that wish to use their platform legitimately.Until TikTok makes significant changes to how it handles these situations, we cannot recommend TikTok Shop to any business owners looking for a reliable platform to reach their customers.
