What Is TikTok Shop? How TikTok Shopping Works for Sellers

TikTok Shop is a fast-growing social commerce platform with more than 70 million products. Launched in 2023, TikTok Shop is projected to reach $23.41 billion in sales in the US in 2026, which sets it up to outperform sales of massive retailers like Costco and Target. 

Ahead, learn how TikTok shopping can benefit your business, how to sign up to TikTok Shop, and some best practices to follow when selling products on TikTok. 

What is TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop is a social commerce platform that lets you sell products and make money on TikTok. With TikTok shopping, your account transforms into a digital storefront, enabling buyers to make purchases without leaving the app.

There are a few ways users might access your TikTok Shop: 

• Profile. If a user clicks on your profile to learn more about your business or watch your content, they will see a shopping bag icon and the word “Shop” on it. 
• Shop tab. The top menu on TikTok features a Shop tab that suggests personalized products and deals for users. 
• Shoppable videos. Shoppable videos embed links at the bottom of the screen that let users buy products without leaving the video they’re watching. These videos appear in a user’s For You feed as organic content and ads, as well as on the Shop tab. 
• TikTok Live. With TikTok Live, you can embed TikTok Shop listings into live videos as you demo your products. A 2025 GlobalData survey found that 76% of consumers who used TikTok Shop bought an item from a livestream in the prior year. 

How to set up TikTok Shop

1. Apply for a TikTok Shop for Seller account
2. Set up your TikTok Shop
3. Connect your TikTok Shop to your online store
4. Promote your products

Setting up a TikTok Shop involves a number of steps:

1. Apply for a TikTok Shop for Seller account

Start by creating an account on TikTok. Then, head to your profile and tap the hamburger menu in the top right corner. Choose Settings and Privacy, then TikTok Shop for Seller. 

A screen will prompt you to choose your business type: individual, sole proprietorship, corporation, or partnership. 

When you choose an option, you’ll receive information about the documentation you need. For example, if you choose “individual” in the US, you’ll need to add a form of ID, such as a driver’s license, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. 

TikTok Shop is available in select markets, including the US, the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Business verification requirements differ depending on location. 

The last part of your application is to provide details about your shop. Add a shop name (which you can change after onboarding), a logo, and your primary product category, and complete the secure signup. You’ll also enter your email address and receive a code.

Once you submit your application, TikTok will review it within three business days.

2. Set up your TikTok Shop

In the meantime, you can start uploading your products. There are two ways you can do this: manually or via TikTok’s quick listing feature. 

If you quick list, you can paste in an individual product URL from another website (like Amazon or your Shopify store), upload product listings in bulk from an Excel template, or sync your product catalog from your Shopify store.

If you’re not sure what to sell on TikTok, you can start by studying the latest trending TikTok products. Also, familiarize yourself with the items you cannot sell on Tiktok Shop, such as alcohol, tobacco, animals, plants, and discriminatory and offensive products. 

3. Connect your TikTok Shop to your online store

If you have a Shopify store, install the TikTok for Shopify app so you can manage orders and inventory from TikTok Shop. Promotions on your Shopify store will also sync over to your TikTok Shop. You can also fill out warehouse information, set up shipping, sync products, and submit tax information. 

To connect your TikTok Shop and Shopify store, follow these steps:

• Go to your Shopify admin and click on Settings and then Sales channels.
• Click on Shopify App Store, search for TikTok, and add the channel.
• On the Set Up TikTok Shop page, click Connect on the TikTok Shop section and log in.
• You’ll be prompted to Connect to Shopify, where you can review TikTok Shop Merchant Terms of Service. Click Connect.
• Go to the Shop Information section and click Verify. 
• In the Upload Documents dialog box, fill out the required fields. Click Next and Finish Setup. 

After completing these steps, integrate your Shopify online store design with your TikTok Shop to keep the brand design consistent. TikTok converts images, collections, and products into TikTok Shop–friendly versions. 

You can also use TikTok Shop with other ecommerce platforms; the process may vary between platforms.

4. Promote your products

Develop a TikTok marketing strategy to get your TikTok Shop in front of your target audience. 

Ads can influence customers to make purchases. In a 2025 YouGov survey, 45% of respondents said they made a purchase on TikTok because of an ad. Create a TikTok Ads Manager account and link to your TikTok account to create ads with precise targeting options, including age, location, and browsing behavior. You can create and manage TikTok ad campaigns directly from your Shopify admin.

Next, partner with creators as part of your TikTok influencer marketing strategy and tap into trusted voices in your community. According to the Influencer Trust Index: Consumer Insights 2025 report published by the Better Business Bureau, 58% of consumers have made a purchase because an influencer recommended it. 

TikTok Shop benefits

TikTok Shop accounted for 18.4% of total social commerce in the US in 2025 and is expected to reach 24.1% by 2027, according to Emarketer. This growing sales channel offers several benefits to businesses:

• Simplified checkout. Once customers input their shipping and payment information the first time, they can check out in one tap for subsequent purchases. Nearly 20% of consumers will pick a channel based on whether one-click checkout is available, according to Pymnts.
• Small business compatibility. Both big and small businesses have found success on TikTok Shop. In 2024, more than a third of TikTok Shop purchases each month went to small businesses. 
• Product and brand discovery. TikTok is a discovery tool. Research from GlobalData found that 83% of TikTok shoppers discovered a new product on the app, and 70% found a new brand. 
• Built-in affiliate marketing program. Businesses can work with creators directly on the app, without needing to use a third-party platform. 
• Tools to incentivize customer reviews. The TikTok Shop Review coupon is a tool businesses can use to encourage customers to leave reviews. Positive reviews help customers feel more confident in their purchases. 

TikTok shopping best practices

• Only jump on the most relevant trends
• Partner with creators and influencers
• Use TikTok’s affiliate marketing feature
• Build customer loyalty

Once your TikTok Shop is up and running, consider these tips to make the most of selling on TikTok: 

Only jump on the most relevant trends

Trends on TikTok move quickly, and audiences notice when brands don’t tap into trends on time. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index, 27% of consumers believe it’s only effective when brands jump on a trend within one or two days after the trend begins. 

Instead of rushing to cover all trending topics, Dieux Skin cofounder Charlotte Palermino suggests businesses consider what they can add to the conversation. “If you feel like you could talk about something for 10 minutes, then make a video on it and try to cut it down to two,” she says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. 

For example, when the concept of “looksmaxxing,” or men trying to become more handsome, started trending online, Dieux created a TikTok carousel to point out how women have long had to live with unfair beauty standards. While the brand doesn’t directly promote their products in the carousel, they show consumers that buying beauty products doesn’t have to be about fitting a specific beauty ideal—an idea that aligns with the brand’s values. 

Partner with creators and influencers

With influencer marketing, brands work with internet creators to build credibility and access a targeted audience. 

In 2026, brands are investing more in influencer marketing on TikTok than any other platform, according to an Influencer Marketing Hub 2026 benchmark report. 

For perfume brand Dossier, TikTok has been a key component of its marketing strategy because the video-first format allows influencers to describe their fragrances verbally. “It’s very difficult to explain the concept of Dossier and a perfume, in general, by showing a photo of the product. That’s not going to tell the story at all,” says founder Sergio Tache on Shopify Masters. “We are very focused on working with influencers and content creators who are in the video space. We wanted to create that awareness around our perfumes.”

Use TikTok’s affiliate marketing feature

Businesses can also let creators sell their products through TikTok’s affiliate marketing program. 

On their profiles, creators can add a Showcase, a curated collection of products linking to one or several brands’ TikTok Shops, and encourage visitors to purchase these items via a video or TikTok Live. When a user makes a purchase, the creator earns a commission.

This is a major development in the way ecommerce works, according to Lauren Kleinman, founder of PR agency Dreamday. “It’s opening up an entirely new affiliate network that runs completely on TikTok Shop,” she says on Shopify Masters. 

On TikTok, brands no longer have to source affiliates from third-party networks, and creators no longer have to direct followers from social media to a brand’s site via affiliate links. Instead, brands partner with creators within the TikTok ecosystem, those creators’ followers make purchases directly from TikTok Shop, and creators get paid out via TikTok.

Build customer loyalty

Landing your first sale on TikTok Shop is the starting point. Lasting growth comes from turning buyers into repeat customers. When you reward loyalty, you can convert one-time shoppers into long-term fans.

Here are a few ways to use TikTok Shop to strengthen customer loyalty:

• Offer exclusive perks. Run promotions like follower-only discounts, limited-time bundles, or early access to new drops.
• Deliver a great experience. Fast shipping, clear return policies, and responsive service reassure customers they can shop with confidence.
• Stay connected with content. Keep posting engaging videos that educate, entertain, and highlight customer stories to nurture ongoing relationships.
• Reward repeat buyers. Use TikTok Shop promotions or loyalty programs to encourage second and third purchases.

When customers love your product and know your brand is reliable, they’re more likely to return and even share your brand with their friends.