Excited to start selling on TikTok? We are too! Read on to learn more about the uniqueness of this platform and the selling experience.
Selling on TikTok differs from selling on other social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram.
It’s important that you familiarize yourself with TikTok before you go live on TikTok Live and post shoppable TikToks. This will help your business stay in good standing with TikTok and will benefit the exposure your shop receives via TikTok’s algorithm.
How Selling on TikTok Works
Before you can sell on TikTok, you'll need to create and configure your seller account. This process has three steps that must be completed in the following order:
- Register your business with TikTok
- Configure shipping for TikTok orders
- Sync your products from CommentSold to TikTok
You’ll want to ensure you sync products you intend to feature and sell on TikTok 48 hours before a live sale.
When shoppers shop a TikTok live or a shoppable TikTok, they will complete their purchase through TikTok’s native checkout. The order will then flow to your CommentSold dashboard, where your team can process and fulfill the order.
TikTok only requires a shipping address and phone number at checkout. An email is not required. TikTok does not sync customer emails to third parties, including CommentSold. This means TikTok customers are not eligible for CommentSold loyalty programs, gift cards, and marketing automations.
Your TikTok Seller Score
TikTok has specific expectations of performance and behavior from sellers using their platform to sell products. These expectations are to ensure a positive shopping environment and experience that shoppers can trust.
Your Seller Score also impacts your visibility and discoverability on the platform. As a business accumulates violation points, it will be more difficult for new viewers and shoppers to see and discover its content.
As such, TikTok will issue “violation points” to those sellers whose behavior goes against those expectations. If a seller accumulates a total of 48 violation points, TikTok will revoke their ability to sell on the platform.
The following are policies regarding violation points for sellers:
- A seller’s accumulated violation points will reset every 180 calendar days beginning from the date TikTok issued selling permission.
- Upon accumulating 48 points or more, TikTok will permanently revoke a seller's e-commerce permission.
- If TikTok temporarily deactivates a seller's e-commerce permission, then their accumulated violation points will not reset unless the seller successfully appeals against the violation record.
Learn more about TikTok Seller Score violations here.
The Don’ts of Selling on TikTok
Below are some Don’ts when it comes to selling on TikTok. Avoiding these items ensures your business stays in good standing with TikTok and reduces the risk of receiving violation points.
When selling on TikTok, don’t<:
- Target and promote products specifically geared towards children (aged 18 and under).
- Use copyrighted music or images (e.g., logos).
- Sell products prohibited by TikTok.
- Run preorders. These orders violate TikTok’s strict shipping turnaround requirements.
- Sell dropship products. Again, these products violate TikTok’s strict shipping turnaround requirements.
- Promote CS coupon codes. These codes will not work on TikTok. You must create TikTok-specific coupon codes.
- Sell gift cards.
- Encourage shoppers to checkout via your webstore or mobile app.
Shipping TikTok Orders
You must ship out TikTok orders within 3 Business Days. If you ship out TikTok orders after 3 business days, your TikTok Seller Score may be impacted.
If an order is not shipped out within 5 business days, then the customer can cancel their order in TikTok using the option “Order was Not Shipped on Time” and receive a refund.
TikTok customers can cancel orders without your approval if your TikTok shipping type is Shipped by Seller and the customer makes the request less than one (1) hour from the time of ordering.
Your TikTok Live Sale Strategy
When it comes to TikTok, it’s best to create short-form and unique live content.
While longer live sales might work for shoppers familiar with your webstore or mobile app, TikTok viewers are used to short, fun, and interesting content.
For example, consider "Get Ready With Me" videos (#GRWM). Creators create short content that shows them getting ready for a special event, exciting adventure, or just a typical weekday.
You can create a similar experience by going live to feature products that create a full look (e.g. "Get Ready for Date Night" or "Date Night Looks"). These live sales would be short, focused, and feature the same 5-6 products multiple times.
Additionally, TikTok viewers may be unfamiliar with the typical live sale format and less likely to stick around during product transitions. You’ll want to make these transitions quick and high-energy.
What Now?
If you’re ready to get started with selling on TikTok, reach out to your Customer Growth Specialist or our Support team via the Support icon in the bottom-right corner of your CommentSold dashboard.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers
- Are there any additional fees for selling on TikTok?
- At this time, Tiktok is not charging any fees for selling through its platform.
- Standard CS fees (commission, subscription) and any payment gateway/processing fees will apply.
- Currently, the payment gateway and processing fees are 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction via PayPal for TikTok’s native checkout.
- Does TikTok shopper information show in CommentSold?
- TikTok only requires a shipping address and phone number at checkout. An email is not required.
- TikTok does not sync customer emails to third parties, including CommentSold. This means TikTok customers are not eligible for CommentSold loyalty programs, gift cards, and marketing automations.
- Will my cart timer work on TikTok the way I set it up in CommentSold?
- No, the CommentSold cart timer does not work in TikTok. Since checkout is completed entirely on TikTok, it’s essentially “First Paid, First Served” for TikTok customers.
