How to Set Up a TikTok Shop

As a platform that drives viral trends and influences buying decisions, TikTok is one of the key players in the current social commerce landscape. The introduction (and success) of TikTok Shopping has amplified its role by allowing merchants to sell their products directly within the app. So whether you’re a creator selling your own stuff through TikTok or a brand that wants to connect with a TikTok audience, having a TikTok Shop could strengthen your efforts.

In this post, we provide you with a detailed guide on how to set up a TikTok Shop. We also break down the benefits you can enjoy from having a TikTok Shop and the requirements you need to meet to have one. Let’s get started.

How to Set Up a TikTok Shop:

Benefits of Having a TikTok Shop

Before setting up a TikTok Shop, you may be interested to know how you can benefit from it. You may already be making sales through the link in your TikTok bio, so you’re not sure if going through the extra steps to set up a TikTok Shop is worth it. Let’s take a closer look at some of the main ways in which having a TikTok Shop can benefit your business.

Shorter Buying Journey

One of the leading benefits of a TikTok Shop is the way it shortens the customer buying journey. Previously, when people came across your product in a TikTok video, they’d have to click away and go to your profile to find the link in your bio. This will then take them to your website or marketplace where they’ll then have to look for the product they want to buy. 

The process is long and time-consuming, which significantly increases the risk of customers dropping off. With TikTok Shop, your customers can quickly make a purchase after discovering it without ever having to leave the app. As such, the path from discovery to conversion is much shorter.

Better Product Positioning

TikTok Shop allows you to creatively position your products into your content. Product links are seamlessly infused into shoppable videos and TikTok LIVE videos without disrupting the viewing experience. That means you can engage your audience with entertaining content while creatively showcasing your products and making them available for purchase.

Source: shop.tiktok.com

Increased Sales

A shorter buying journey reduces the risk of customer drop-offs, meaning you’re likely to see increased conversions and sales. When customers can quickly buy something while they’re in the mood, there’s a lower chance of them changing their minds before finalizing their purchase. 

Enhanced Customer Experience

As your customers don’t have to go through the hassle of finding your website link and manually searching for the products they want to buy, you can significantly enhance the buying experience. Moreover, your product links are seamlessly infused into your content without disrupting the viewing experience. This creates an overall enjoyable experience interacting with and buying from your business. 

Effective Collaboration with Creators

TikTok Shop isn’t just available to brands but also to creators. TikTok creators can browse products in the TikTok Shop Product Catalog. They can then select the products they want to promote and add shopping links to their videos and LIVE broadcasts. So having a TikTok Shop enables you to effectively collaborate with creators and drive more sales for your business. 

4 Ways to Sell with TikTok Shop

When you set up a TikTok Shop, you can offer four ways for your customers to shop natively within the app. This means that customers can find your products and buy them without ever having to leave the platform.

Shoppable Videos

Shoppable videos are regular in-feed TikTok videos that have a product link. Customers can tap on this link to view the product and add it to their cart or instantly buy it. 

LIVE Shopping

LIVE Shopping on TikTok lets you feature shoppable product links in your live broadcasts. Customers can tap on the highlighted product to buy it instantly. They can also tap on the cart icon at the bottom of the livestream and browse the various products featured in the broadcast.

Source: shop.tiktok.com

Product Showcase

With Product Showcase, sellers and creators can showcase products under a separate tab in their profile. Customers can tap on the shopping bag icon on a creator or brand profile and browse through products available for sale.

Source: ads.tiktok.com

Shop Tab

Finally, sellers can also showcase their products under the dedicated Shop tab within the Instagram app. The Shop tab features a feed of products that are personalized for each user. They can browse through the latest deals and get tailored recommendations based on their interests and interaction history. This tab facilitates product discovery among users who aren’t yet following you on TikTok or watching your content.

Source: newsroom.tiktok.com

Who Can Use TikTok Shop?

The good news for creators is that TikTok Shop isn’t just available to business accounts. There are four categories of users who can use TikTok Shop: sellers, creators, affiliates, and partners. However, there are a few additional requirements you need to meet.

For sellers, you must be located in any of the supported regions, which include:

• U.S
• U.K
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Thailand
• Vietnam
• Philippines
• Singapore

Creator accounts must meet the following criteria to use TikTok Shop:

• Have a minimum of 1,000 followers
• Be 18 years old or above
• Have at least 50 video views within the last 28 days
• Created a TikTok video within the last 28 days

Step-by-Step Process to Set Up a TikTok Shop

Although creators, affiliates, and partners can use TikTok Shop, their usage is limited to promoting products from an existing TikTok Shop. This means that only sellers can set up an actual TikTok Shop and list their products. 

If you’re an eligible seller, you can set up a TikTok Shop via the TikTok Seller Center. You’ll need to submit a few essential documents to complete verification, after which you’ll need to connect your account to your TikTok Shop. Onboarding can also be done through the TikTok Marketing API.

To better understand the process of setting up a TikTok Shop, let’s walk you through it step by step. Here’s how to set up a TikTok Shop for sellers:

Step 1: Create a TikTok Seller Center Account

If you don’t have a TikTok Seller Center account yet, start by creating one. You can sign up using your TikTok account or with an email or phone number. If you already have a Seller Center account, click on the option to “Log in” below.

Source: seller-us-accounts.tiktok.com

Once signup is complete, provide information about your warehouse or pickup address. The following information is needed so TikTok knows where the logistics services will pick up or return your products:

• Country/region
• Street address
• Postcode
• Phone number
• Contact person

Additionally, make sure to specify the return address for your shop. If you’re using the same warehouse or pickup address to direct your returns, select the option to “Set as return address.”

After providing all the necessary information, check the box to agree to the terms and conditions. Then click “Start Your Business” to complete your signup process.

Step 2: Provide Necessary Documents for Verification

The next step is a verification process to ensure that you’re who you claim to be and that you’re eligible to set up a TikTok Shop. From your Seller Center home page, click on the option to “Verify Documents.” Then click on “Upload Documents” to start the process.

Source: seller.tiktok.com

Before you can upload your documents, you’ll need to first select your Business Type. You can choose whether you’re selling products as a Corporation or an Individually-owned Business. Then provide your shop name. This will typically be the name of your business.

For individually-owned businesses, you can upload a picture of any of the following documents as proof of identity:

• Passport
• National ID
• Driver’s license

For corporations, you’ll need to upload a picture of a government-issued document of any of the following:

• Legal representative
• Company director
• Person with significant control (PSC)

In addition to identity proof, you’ll also need to upload a business license, registration, or any other document that serves as evidence that you’re eligible under applicable law to sell your products or services via TikTok Shop.

This thorough verification process ensures that sellers who use TikTok Shop are trustworthy and credible. So there’s assurance for customers to buy products directly on the app.

After adding all the essential documents, hit the “Submit” button. Then wait for your application to get approved before you can start selling and earning money on TikTok. If verification fails, you’ll get an email detailing the process of resubmitting your documents.

Step 3: Link Your Bank Account

Once you’ve passed verification, you may begin adding your products. But first, make sure to link your Seller Center account with your bank account so you can get paid for purchases made on TikTok Shop.

From your Seller Center homepage, click on the option to “Link Bank Account.” Then click on “Link Account.” You’ll need to provide essential information about your account such as:

• Account name
• Bank name
• Account number
• Email address
• Building number

If you’re registering as an individually-owned business, make sure the account name is the same as the registered name. Corporations need to use their company name as the bank account name.

After filling out all the required fields, hit “Submit.” You can then start adding products to your TikTok Shop to begin selling on TikTok.

How to Add Products to TikTok Shop

Now that you’ve set up your TikTok Shop, it’s time for the fun part – adding products to your Shop. Follow the steps below to add new products to your TikTok Shop.

Step 1

Log into your Seller Center account and select the option to “Add New Product” under the “Products” drop-down menu. You can also access the “Add new product” button under the “Manage Products” page.

Source: seller-uk.tiktok.com

Step 2

Provide basic information about the product by adding a product name and selecting a category. You’ll get an automated recommendation based on the product name, but you can also choose alternative options from the drop-down menu if the recommendation doesn’t fit. 

Depending on the information you’ve provided in the previous fields, you’ll also need to provide the brand information. If you’re selling branded products, you’ll be required to upload relevant certificates proving that you’re either a trademark owner or an authorized seller. Otherwise, your product will be labeled as “Unauthorized” and not displayed to buyers.

You’ll also need to include additional product attributes to further guide buyers with their purchase. The attributes you can add depend on the type of product but may typically include details such as neckline, style, sleeve type, fit, pattern, length, washing instructions, size type, material, and more.

Step 3

The next step involves adding relevant product media such as images and videos. TikTok recommends including at least three images to better display the product’s features. Including a product video is highly recommended so you can effectively showcase the product’s details and uses.

Step 4

Next, you need to provide a detailed product description to help buyers understand the product’s benefits and unique selling points. TikTok recommends limiting each selling point description to 250 characters. Make sure to put each selling point in a separate paragraph, ideally with a corresponding visual.

Step 5

In the next section, you can provide additional sales information. This includes information about whether the item is a pre-order. You can also add variations such as color, size, and more. TikTok Shop lets you add up to 300 SKUs if you select the option to “Enable Variations.”

Step 6

Finally, you can fill out shipping information for the product. This includes details such as weight, dimensions, and estimated shipping fee. TikTok Shop allows parcel weights ranging from 1 point to 22 pounds. 

Step 7

After filling out all the necessary information, you can either publish the product to immediately display in your TikTok Shop or save it as a draft to edit again later.

If you’re selling hundreds of products, it may be time-consuming to manually add the products as instructed above. So if you have an existing ecommerce website or marketplace, you can sync your products from other platforms such as Shopify.

Start Selling on TikTok Shop

Now that you have clear instructions on how to set up a TikTok Shop and add products to your Shop, you can confidently start selling on the platform. If you need help selling and promoting your products, make sure to check out our comprehensive guide on creating a TikTok marketing campaign.