‘TikTok was my guide’: Bakersfield businesses say banning of social media platform could hurt sales

Jenny Huh
·2 min read
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Tick-tock, tick-tock. It may now be a matter of time before businesses lose access to social media platform TikTok.

With an impending nationwide TikTok “ban,” Bakersfield businesses agree with counterparts across the country that banning the platform could hurt their sales.

Two businesses told 17 News they owe their success to TikTok and hope up and coming businesses can experience the same.

Is TikTok going to be banned in the US?

“If it wasn’t for TikTok, I wouldn’t be here. I would not be here,” said Brenda Neil, owner of B’z Sweet Temptations, a Bakersfield-based freeze-dried candy business.

“You’re taking away the possibilities of future businesses, companies that may be starting from the ground up and having TikTok as their inspiration.”

Neil explained she first came across freeze-dried candy on social media.

“TikTok was my guide. They were my mentors, watching all the other companies on TikTok as they were learning how themselves and passing on their technique of what they have learned,” Neil said.

And Panorama Liquors is known for their to-go cocktail cups. That sensation brewed on TikTok.

The store’s TikTok page has 11.3 million likes, and one video has nearly 22 million views.

Biden says he’ll sign bill that could ban TikTok if Congress passes it 

“Likes, reposts [videos] got did transform into customers, and it helped us,” said store manager Angela Darghali.

Darghali said because they boosted name ID, thanks to TikTok, a possible ban won’t hurt them.

Darghali said their store will likely transition to Instagram, but not every business may have alternatives.

“I don’t think [lawmakers] understand what it will do to businesses, to small businesses, and I feel like they should’ve taken time to consider what TikTok is really used for in all ways,” Darghali said. “Not just the negative side of TikTok cause there’s so much good that comes out of TikTok and exposure people could get.”

Congressman David Valadao (R-Hanford) also voted in favor of the bill. In a statement to 17 News, Valadao said, “I voted yes on bipartisan legislation to require TikTok to divest from [Chinese Communist Party]-controlled ByteDance. This is not a ban. It is now up to TikTok to decide if it will break off its relationship with the CCP to reach American users.”

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