The Dual Role of Content Quality in TikTok's Social Commerce: Value Creation and Algorithmic Challenges

For informed choice, the quality of short-video commerce's product recommendations in its presentation to consumers is important, as it lets them see the product suggestions and click to buy while still watching the video. This paper is a qualitative study of TikTok, and it draws on peer-reviewed research and documentation from the platform. Content cues are linked with attention, trust, and action of consumers through stimulus-organism-response logic, and analysis is done on how recommendation incentives affect content creation. Search costs may be lowered, and product evaluation may be facilitated by relevant hooks, clear demonstrations, credible experience, and responsive interaction. But with the focus on retention and engagement, there's a risk of oversimplifying explanations or glossing over commercial influence, and there might be more buying and less comparing. Four responses are proposed: inserting 'hooks' with essential information, assessing authenticity by disclosure and demonstrable experience, offering the opportunity to learn more before paying, and assessing content for purchase and engagement. These are all proposals collectively that provide clear guidance for brands, creators, and platforms looking to enhance product fit and maintain consumer trust. The analysis is based on secondary evidence only and does not provide information on prevalence or causal effects of the identified risks. Testing of the proposed strategies, in the form of experiments and post-purchase follow-up, is required for the different product categories and markets.