How to Sell on TikTok Shop?

TikTok finally joining the e-commerce race is a game-changer for retail. If you're struggling to drive traffic from TikTok to your stores on platforms like Amazon or Walmart, TikTok Shop is the solution you've been waiting for. 

 

Now, your followers can buy your products directly from your TikTok Shop. They don't need to create an account on a different platform or navigate an unfamiliar interface. Enabling online shopping and social media activity in one place minimizes clicks, boosts retention, and fosters meaningful engagement with your followers.

 

Here are some unassailable reasons to set up a TikTok Shop NOW:

 

  • Massive Reach: TikTok Shop has 150 million active usersin the US, 127 million in Indonesia, 68 million in Vietnam, 49 million in the Philippines, 45 million in Thailand, 24 million in the UK, 7 million in Malaysia, and 2.4 million in Singapore. These are the only countries where TikTok Shop is accessible, but they undoubtedly comprise a substantial market share.

 

  • High Conversion: While Instagram remains the most engaging social media app, TikTok beats it by a mile in terms of influence over purchase decisions. A recent Statista surveyshows that 55% of TikTok users made impulse purchases after watching content, 9% higher than Instagram's impulse purchase rate.

 

  • Precision Targeting: Leverage TikTok's algorithms to target the right audience at the right time. By tracking what videos people watch, the keywords they use for searches, and the creators they follow, TikTok can ensure your videos show up where conversion is possible.  

 

  • Creator Partnership: TikTok is a watering hole for influencers, making building a highly engaged audience through partnerships with creators much easier than on retail-only platforms like Amazon or Walmart. You can find prominent influences in just about every niche or product category.

 

Making Money with TikTok Shop

 

As of September 2023, the Creative Program Beta is no longer the only official way to make money on TikTok. The successful launch of TikTok Shop has unlocked opportunities for members, particularly brands and advertisers, to generate more profit. 

 

You can make money with TikTok Shop in two ways: by selling products or through affiliate marketing. Follow this guide to begin your entrepreneurial journey on the world's fastest-growing social media platform.

 

How to Sell Products on Tiktok Shop

 

To access TikTok Shop, you need a TikTok account. If you don't have one yet, download the app here for Android or on the Apple Store for Apple devices.

 

Step 1: Create a TikTok Shop account.

 

Once your account is verified, go here. Select your region: Asia, Europe, or North America. As previously mentioned, you can only access TikTok Shop if you reside in any of these countries: the US, the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore. 

 

After clicking 'Enter,' you'll see the 'Login' page. Click 'Sign Up' since you're creating a new account. You can choose from three sign-up methods: email, phone, or TikTok account.

 

Tip: Sign up and log in using your email address. This way, if you want to start a new store, you don't need to sign up all over again. You simply need to unlink the existing TikTok page on your account and link the new one.

 

Next, choose a business type. Your options are individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, and partnership. Each type is explained in detail in the text box beside it to help you determine what best suits your business model. If you want to know what documents or ID you must submit to qualify for a particular business type, click 'view requirements' under each option. 

 

Then, click 'Next.' This will take you to the Business Details page, where you must provide your legal business name, employee identification number, and registered business address. 

 

If you're operating from your home and don't have a business address, TikTok allows you to use your residential address. Just confirm that the address you entered is your residential address by ticking the box in the prompt message. Then, click 'Next' to submit your application.

 

Tip: TikTok wants to be as transparent with you as possible, so it provides clear explanations for each piece of information it requests. Take the time to read these explanations so you will understand precisely where your data will be used. 

 

Wait 24 to 48 hours for your account to be approved. TikTok will email you once your TikTok Shop account is ready. Upon approval, log in to your account and enter your tax and shipping information. This is essential to your payment and fulfillment process.

 

Step 2: Explore the Seller Center dashboard.

 

The Seller Center dashboard is where you manage your seller account. You'll see tabs on the left side of your screen that represent TikTok Shop's main features.

 

  • Home: This is the overview of your TikTok Shop account. It shows your periodical sales performance, traffic, to-do list, shop volume, existing campaigns, options to increase sales, and more.
  • Orders: This is where you handle orders and returns and manage fulfillment and shipping. TikTok will notify you about important tasks and actions through this page.
  • Products: Any task related to product management is performed in this section, whether you're listing, optimizing, or managing inventory. 
  • Marketing: You can manage all your TikTok promotions and ads here. TikTok offers several promotional tools, including discounts, flash deals, coupons, and LIVE giveaways. This is also where you can create paid ads, such as LIVE shopping and video shopping ads.
  • Affiliate: This is the page for you if you want to collaborate with marketers and creators to promote your products and generate more sales.
  • LIVE & Videos: This is where you can LIVE stream sales or create promotional or review videos. 
  • Growth: If you need to utilize off-platform apps to streamline your sales process further, you can connect them to your TikTok Shop account on this page.
  • Analytics: This section shows you your sales volume within a given period and the traffic your shop and each listing generate. 
  • Account Health: You can check if your account has violated TikTok's policies and what to do to improve your compliance score. 
  • Finances: This is all about payments and refunds.

 

Step 3: Link your TikTok account.

 

You will list your products on your TikTok Center seller account, but they will only show up on TikTok Shop if you link an account where the shop will be set up. 

 

To link your TikTok account, click the profile avatar on the top right corner of your screen, 'My Account,' and 'Linked Accounts.' Choose the TikTok account you want to link. 

 

Important: You can only link one TikTok account at a time. To sell products on a different account, you must first unlink the old account.

 

Step 4: List your products.

 

Go to the 'Products' tab and click 'Add new product.' You can also select 'Manage Products,' which will take you to the same page, where you can add a new product through a separate button. 

 

On the 'Add new product' page, you'll be asked to provide the following details:

 

  • Product name
  • Product category
  • Brand
  • Images
  • Videos
  • Description
  • Sales information
  • Shipping

 

Things to Remember When Listing a New Product

 

  • You don't need to choose a category for your product. TikTok autocategorizes it once you enter the name. But since TikTok Shop is still nascent, it can make mistakes. If the category it provides doesn't match your product, manually select the correct one.

 

  • Be careful when choosing a brand for your product. If you're sourcing it from a third-party brand on eBay, Walmart, or Amazon, it would be best to select 'No brand.' Only add a specific brand if it's recognizable and sourced from the supplier. Adding a brand gives your listing notoriety. 

 

  • You might not need to upload a video since you'll most likely be selling your products through videos—it's TikTok, after all. That being said, your listing needs a lot of images. Produce images similar to those available on Amazon listings, which include lifestyle images, comparison charts, and infographics.

 

  • If you have an Amazon store, you'll probably sell the same products on TikTok Shop. If so, you can use the same description. Just be sure to remove any platform-specific details like warranty or after-sale services.

 

  • When pricing your product, always consider where you will source it. Flipping products from Amazon may be a bad idea because most of the prices there are already marked up. Source your products from eBay instead. Many listings there are much cheaper than on Amazon. You can flip them even for twice their original price and still stay within a competitive price range.

 

  • There's currently no option to list multiple products at once, but you can connect and authorize an off-platform app through the 'Growth' tab that allows you to do so. Apps like this can be found on other marketplaces, such as Shopify or eBay.

 

Step 5: Submit the listing for review.

 

After configuring your product listing, proofread everything to fix typographical and grammatical errors and ensure all essential details have been included. Then, return to the top and click 'Submit for review.'

 

Wait 24 to 48 hours, and if TikTok approves your listings, you will see it on your dashboard marked with a green check. 

 

How to Choose a Product to Sell on TikTok Shop

 

Here comes the tricky part—choosing a product to sell. Below are a few tips you can follow to snag the perfect products to include in your inventory:

 

  1. Research TikTok Trends: Explore trending topics, challenges, and hashtags to understand what products people like. 

 

  1. Identify your niche: When deciding what niche to focus on, consider the demographics, interests, and purchasing behavior of TikTok users. Choose a product that appeals to your target audience and fills a specific need or desire.

 

  1. Evaluate product demand: Conduct market research to assess the demand for different products. Look for products in high demand but with low competition. Tools like Google Trends, social media insights, and keyword research may come in handy.

 

  1. Assess profit margins: Calculate profit margins to find financially viable products—factor in manufacturing costs, shipping fees, and platform fees. 

 

  1. Consider product feasibility: Are the products available year-round? What are your sourcing options? How about logistics? Choose products that are easy to source, ship, and manage.

 

  1. Focus on visual appeal: Since TikTok is a visual platform, prioritize products with strong visual appeal and are well-suited for video content to attract attention and engagement.

 

  1. Align with TikTok culture: Ensure that your chosen product aligns with TikTok culture and values. Avoid products that may be controversial, offensive, or incompatible with TikTok's community guidelines. 

 

  1. Test and iterate: Start with a small selection of products and test their performance on TikTok Shop. Monitor key metrics such as views, engagement, and sales to evaluate each product's success. Iterate based on feedback and data insights to optimize product selection over time.

 

  1. Stay flexible and adapt: Be prepared to adjust your product selection based on changing trends, audience preferences, and market dynamics. Stay informed about new opportunities and emerging trends on TikTok to stay ahead of the curve.

 

How to Become an Affiliate Marketer on TikTok Shop

 

Step 1: Create a TikTok Affiliate account. 

 

Account creation depends on two conditions— 

 

If you have at least 5,000 followers, this is what you need to do:

 

Log in to your TikTok account and open your 'Creator Tools.' Under 'Monetization,' select 'TikTok Shop for Creators.' Then, click 'Apply.' This is faster than setting up a Seller Center account, which takes one to two days to be approved. Here, you can get approved within minutes.

 

If you have less than 5,000 followers, even if your TikTok account has just been created, you won't be able to create an affiliate account through the TikTok Shop for Creator. But there's a way around it. 

 

Go back to your home page and click 'Messages.' Look for TikTok's message asking you to 'Complete your Identity Verification.' Open that message and complete the verification process to make your account eligible for the Affiliate Program. Once finished, you can link your TikTok account to your TikTok Shop or Seller Center account.  

 

This means you also need to set up a Seller Center account. Follow the instructions above to set this account up. You need to use a computer for this one. 

 

Unlike sellers, however, the most suitable business type for you is 'Individual' unless you own a business specializing in affiliate marketing and want your account to be under that brand.

 

Under this business type, you'll be asked to provide a passport or a driver's license, depending on your location. Along with your ID, you also need to provide personal information, including your legal name, ID number, date of birth, ID expiration date, residential address, and Tax ID number. Then, click 'Next.'

 

You'll also be asked to provide a primary product. Since you're not looking to sell products, you can pick any category. After this, add an active phone number (because this is where TikTok will send updates and login codes) and click 'Submit.'

 

Once approved, you'll receive an email welcoming you to the TikTok Shop. Log in to your account and enter your tax information. Adding shipping details is optional since the brands you promote will ship their products. 

 

Step 2: Link your TikTok account.

 

This process wasn't explained in detail in the previous section, so let me break it down here. To link your TikTok account, go to your profile in the top right corner of your Seller Center account, select 'My Account,' and click 'Linked Accounts.'

 

When you click 'Link Official Account,' a message will pop up, prompting you to scan a QR code. Get your mobile phone and log in to your TikTok account. Select the hamburger icon in the top right corner and click 'My QR Code.' Then, hit the scan button, scan the QR code on your Seller Center account, and click 'Authorize.'

 

Important: If you create your Seller Center account before you complete the verification process, the link will fail. What to do? Log in to your TikTok account on your phone, open the 'Identity Verification' page, and complete the form.

 

Go back to the account linking page and scan the QR code again. On the popup message, tick the second box to agree to TikTok's terms and conditions. Then, link your account.

 

You'll receive a notification on your TikTok account congratulating you for being invited to the TikTok Shop. Refresh your account to reveal the TikTok Shop icon. Then, click it to show the products you can market.

 

How to Find a Winning Product to Promote

 

Three ways:

 

  1. Look into your For You Page: This will show you promotional videos relevant to your profile and the videos you search, watch, and react to.

 

  1. Product Marketplace: Go to your profile, select 'TikTok Shop Creator Center,' and click 'Product Marketplace.' As the name suggests, this is where all products sold on TikTok Shop are displayed. Here, you can access even the products that aren't relevant to your search and view history but have sales potential. 

 

Important: Since you're searching for products using your TikTok Affiliate account, you'll see the commission you can earn from each product you check out. You'll also see existing videos about each product, which gives you an idea of the best marketing approach.

 

  1. Use data analytics. Many software or platforms provide insights into the most profitable products to promote on various marketplaces, not just TikTok. They show trending products and content styles in every niche. Some even provide marketing advice, which you can modify to suit your TikTok affiliate marketing needs.

 

Step 3: Promote the products you've selected.

 

You need three things to promote a product on TikTok Shop successfully:

 

  1. You need to know how to promote. Learn successful ways to sell a product, such as crafting and delivering your pitch, choosing the right words, and making a solid call to action.
  2. You must understand the product you're promoting. You can't effectively promote a product without trying it. Learn about its features, benefits, target audience, capabilities, limitations, and how to use it effectively.
  3. You should learn to make excellent content. Start by mastering basic video creation and editing skills and exploring ways to improve your videos. Consider investing in a phone with a good camera. Alternatively, if you use a different device, edit your videos into a format suitable for TikTok.

 

You can create different types of videos to promote your product, including unboxing videos, product reviews and comparisons, and experience-selling videos. Once your video is created, post it on your account, but not before linking the product listing you want to promote.

 

Click the 'Add link' button at the bottom of the video posting section. If you don't see the product you want to link on your store, click 'Add more products.' This will take you to TikTok Marketplace, where you can find it. Then, click 'Add.' Make sure to provide a detailed and easy-to-read caption to help potential buyers decide faster. Repeat the process for each product you want to promote.

 

Start Making Money with TikTok Shop Today!

 

TikTok Shop has just launched, but it's already raking in sizable returns for sellers and marketers. Get in early before it gets too crowded and hard to stand out. Create your account now and start trying things out. Use this article as your guide to set up your account smoothly and build a profitable inventory.