Let me take you on a little journey into the world of TikTok, where noodles and Christmas trees are the keys to riches. Imagine this: you’re lounging in your living room, scrolling through TikTok, and suddenly you think, “Could I make money just by filming myself eating noodles or riding a kids’ toy car?” Well, guess what? TikTok says, “Absolutely, yes!”
I know it sounds wild, but TikTok is now turning everyday people into full-blown shopping influencers. And I don’t mean the kind of influencers with millions of followers who get free trips to tropical islands. Nope. You only need around 1,000 followers, some creativity, and a decent camera angle to earn commissions through TikTok Shop. This new feature launched in the U.S. in 2023 and is designed to make affiliate marketing more accessible to the average person — or should I say, the average noodle slurper?
Take Brandy Leigh, for example. She’s a 50-year-old mom of six from Indiana who decided to try something new after years of raising kids. With just 1,000 followers at first, she started filming raw, no-frills videos of herself trying out products — we’re talking everything from razors (yes, she shaves her armpits on camera) to kids’ cars (which she rides to show off). Not exactly glamorous, but it’s real, relatable, and working. She now has over 30,000 followers and has made about $95,000 in commissions. Yes, you read that right — nearly $100k just from showing off products like noodles and toys on TikTok.
Brandy says it’s life-changing money, and honestly, who wouldn’t agree? She explains that it’s all about relatability — companies don’t have to shell out big bucks to A-list celebs when someone like Brandy can connect with followers in a real way. Plus, the commissions are nice. She gets paid every time someone orders a product through her video. Easy money, right?
This isn’t just a fluke, either. TikTok Shop has made it super easy for small influencers to sell products. With a modest following, you can sign up, pick from a list of products, and request free samples to showcase in your videos. If your followers like what they see and make a purchase, you get a cut — usually between 10% and 30% of the sale.
TikTok is really onto something here. Other platforms like Instagram are still in the game, but their approach is more high-maintenance, requiring bigger followings and more polished content to make decent money. On the other hand, TikTok is leaning into the raw, unfiltered aesthetic—and it’s proving to be a goldmine for smaller creators.
But this isn’t just about individuals making money. Brands, like Momofuku (a noodle brand), have caught on to this trend, too. They offered a 15-serving noodle pack at a discount, and suddenly, hundreds of creators, big and small, were filming themselves buying, cooking, and eating noodles. One of them, Temeka Valentine, a 47-year-old stay-at-home mom with about 3,300 followers, sold 24 orders and earned around $138 from one video where she slurped those noodles like a pro. It’s crazy how quickly something can catch on when TikTok’s algorithm decides to give it a push. It’s like a snowball effect, where one viral video inspires hundreds more, and before you know it, everyone is eating noodles on camera.
But there’s more at stake here than just slurpy content. TikTok is gunning to make this affiliate-based shopping a serious revenue driver. They’ve already seen it work in China on Douyin (their sister app), where live shopping has taken off significantly. The dream is to replicate that success in the U.S., even though TikTok Shop is still far from becoming a mainstream shopping destination. Some big brands like L’Oréal have jumped on board, but TikTok still has some convincing to do. Plus, the looming threat of a TikTok ban in the U.S. could throw a major wrench into things. Imagine making a steady income slurping noodles on TikTok, only to have the app shut down? Devastating!
Even with the threat of a ban hanging over her head, Brandy is taking it all in stride. She’s still going strong, posting videos nearly daily and adding new products to her shop. In her latest posts, she’s promoting an LED “light therapy” mask and a flocked Christmas tree — why not? When you’ve got momentum, you’ve got to keep it rolling.
And honestly, I kind of get it. It’s hard not to be inspired by Brandy’s story — from a stay-at-home mom to pulling in close to six figures in just a few months. Sure, TikTok may face some challenges ahead, but for now, it’s giving everyday people a shot at becoming influencers and making some serious cash. So, next time you scroll through TikTok and see someone enthusiastically eating noodles, remember: they might just be laughing all the way to the bank!