From Scroll to Sold: TikTok User-Generated Content and Its Influence on Consumer Behavior in the Digital Era

Vollständiger Abstract

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This study examines how TikTok UGC influences consumer trust and purchase intention among Generation Z, synthesizing evidence across authenticity, social proof, virality, algorithmic amplification, and sponsorship transparency. Method: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The Scopus database was searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2026, yielding 40 initial records; following title–abstract–keyword screening, 10 records were excluded, resulting in a final corpus of 30 Scopus-indexed, peer-reviewed articles. The review corpus is deliberately centered on TikTok-based UGC studies; a small number of studies on closely related short-video platforms (notably Douyin, TikTok's Chinese counterpart) are retained only as comparative conceptual support, not as core evidence. Bibliometric analysis via VOSviewer and thematic synthesis via NVivo 14 were employed to identify dominant patterns. Results: Five interconnected mechanisms were identified: peer-authentic content drives affective trust; interactive features (comments, duets, stitches) amplify social proof; algorithmic personalization accelerates UGC diffusion; virality triggers FOMO-driven impulse purchasing; and sponsorship disclosure critically moderates credibility. Conclusion: TikTok functions as an algorithmically mediated marketplace where authenticity and social proof converge to shape Gen Z's purchasing behavior. The novelty of this review lies in integrating dual-trust (cognitive and affective) dynamics with platform-specific UGC affordances, offering a unified framework for future theory and practice.