Custom products, global reach
Can you sell products on TikTok? The answer is yes. But to succeed, you need to understand the platform’s unique dynamics and implement an effective marketing strategy.
This beginner’s guide will show you how to sell on TikTok, turning your creative content into profitable sales. Discover essential tips and tricks for leveraging TikTok to expand your business and reach a wider audience.
Key takeaways
- TikTok’s huge user base and engagement potential make it a profitable platform for selling products and growing your business.
- Engaging with your audience, leveraging influencer marketing, and encouraging user-generated content (UGC) are key strategies for maximizing your TikTok sales.
- Using TikTok’s Resource Center, advertising options, contests, and giveaways can further enhance your sales efforts and increase your brand’s visibility and reach.
The perks of selling on TikTok
TikTok’s massive user base and its power to drive product discovery make it the perfect platform to start selling trending products.
In 2024, TikTok Shop generated $33.2 billion globally, with US shoppers contributing around $9 billion – marking a 650% year-over-year growth and proving to TikTok creators and business owners that the TikTok shopping potential is undeniable.
Leveraging this powerful advertising platform can help you build brand awareness and drive sales through viral videos, branded hashtag challenges, and targeted ads.
TikTok also provides detailed analytics and data-driven insights, allowing you to continuously refine strategies to maximize your reach and impact.
If you want to transform your online store and tap into one of the most dynamic sales channels available, TikTok is your best bet.
Excited to dive into selling on TikTok? Let’s uncover the steps you need to take to kickstart your journey into TikTok commerce.
Create a TikTok Business Account
If you’re new to the platform, download the TikTok app or head to the browser page and create your account. Follow the guidelines, fill in your business and login information, and finalize the registration.
Your profile will be Personal by default, so you’ll have to switch to the TikTok Business Account to list products, run TikTok ads, and access detailed analytics.
To do so, go to Settings, click Business Account, or scroll down to the section, and activate the toggle to switch your TikTok account.
This will direct you to the TikTok Business Suite, where you’ll have to pick your active category and finalize the registration.
Create your TikTok Shop Seller Account
If you’re wondering how to start selling on TikTok Shop, head to the TikTok Seller Center and choose your region.
You can sign up using your previously created TikTok account; however, we recommend starting from scratch. It’s always possible to link an existing TikTok account later on, but if you sign up using your Business Account, you won’t be able to unlink it in the future.
- Sign up with your phone number or email address.
- Choose a business type.
- Provide the required documents for TikTok user verification.
- Type in your address and taxpayer number.
- Comply with terms and conditions.
- Add your shop name.
- Finish the registration.
Your store will be under review for up to 48 hours (but it usually takes just a few hours to be verified). In the meantime, prepare your products and create content for your potential buyers.
Connect your TikTok account to the Seller Center
On your Seller Center homepage, scroll down and click Get started in the “Connect your shop to a TikTok account” section.
Simply log in to the account you created. This will sync both accounts for a streamlined selling experience and promotions.
Remember, the approval process takes up to two days, so be patient. In the meantime, browse other brands and popular creators to explore their targeting options and strategies for securing an engaged audience.
Set up a professional business look. Upload a profile picture with your branding elements, link to your stores, other businesses, or YouTube accounts, and present yourself as a trustworthy merchant.
Upload your products to TikTok Shop
In the Seller Center, you’ll find the Products tab on the left-side menu. That’s where you can manage your product catalog, update prices and photos, and follow purchase data and ratings.
Click Add new products. This will open a tab allowing you to create listings, just like on any other marketplace or platform. Start adding products individually, uploading quality photos, setting prices, and writing keyword-rich descriptions.
Click the Submit for review button in the top-right corner and await approval.
Link an existing store with your TikTok account for streamlined selling. TikTok integrates with all the leading eCommerce platforms. Sign up for Printify, create your store, and sell on TikTok Shop with our seamless integration.
Generate content and start promoting your products
Now that your TikTok Shop is set up, it’s time to create organic video content through short clips showcasing products and capturing the viewer’s attention.
- Use popular songs, trends, and hashtags relevant to your products to increase visibility, engagement, and follower count.
- Showcase your products in various ways, such as daily vlogs, product demonstrations, life hacks, tutorials, user-generated content, or behind-the-scenes videos.
- Incorporate humor, creativity, and authenticity to intrigue your target audience and encourage them to explore your shop.
When posting TikTok videos, don’t forget to select the Tag Products option and link the relevant items to your content. This allows users to easily shop for the products they see in your videos, maximizing your sales potential.
Additionally, your TikTok Shop store page will be displayed on your account, making it convenient for users to explore and purchase items while browsing your content.
7 Ways users can shop your products on TikTok
TikTok has built a shopping experience that blends discovery and convenience, making it easy for viewers to buy what they see. Here are several ways TikTok users can explore, engage with, and shop your products directly from your videos, profile, and beyond.
1. In-video product tags
Whenever you post TikTok videos, tag your products directly in the content. These shoppable videos let viewers tap on the tagged item, explore the product details, and make a purchase – all without leaving the TikTok app. This is your chance to turn scrolls into sales by posting engaging content.
2. The Shop tab on your profile
Your TikTok profile doubles as your storefront, thanks to the Shop tab. This tab showcases your full product catalog, offering a smooth in-app shop experience where potential customers can browse, favorite, and buy. Keep it clean, on-brand, and updated with exclusive products and bestsellers to make it irresistible.
3. Live shopping sessions
Live shopping promotion is a TikTok favorite. Go live to demo products, answer questions, and offer flash deals. You can even pin items on the entire screen, displaying products for a dynamic and seamless shopping experience.
It’s not just about selling – it’s about building trust and community while driving instant purchases.
4. Creator partnerships and user-generated content
Send your products to TikTok creators and let the user-generated content sell for you. From unboxings and tutorials to dance challenges, creators build trust through relatable content that resonates with everyday TikTok users.
Combine this with a smart TikTok Creator Marketplace strategy to find voices that resonate with your target audience and boost reach with authenticity.
5. TikTok Shop ads
TikTok Shop ads allow you to promote products in-feed. With smart targeting via TikTok Ads Manager, you can zero in on shoppers based on behavior, interests, and demographics. Whether it’s a sleek video or interactive branded lenses, these ads amplify visibility and drive sales – even to people outside your current following.
6. The TikTok Shop app store integrations
Already have an eCommerce store on other platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce? The TikTok Shop app store lets you connect your systems and sync products in seconds. It’s a great solution for growing brands looking to streamline listings, upload images, and maintain inventory without extra admin.
7. Discovery through TikTok’s unique algorithm
This one isn’t a direct feature, but it’s where TikTok shines. TikTok’s discovery engine puts fresh content (and your products) in front of the right people – even if they’ve never heard of your brand story before.
Optimizing your content for trends, hashtags, and relevant keywords helps surface your brand’s TikTok account in the For You feed, increasing reach and driving sales organically.
Tips for maximizing your TikTok sales
Engage with your audience and create your community
A loyal customer base means repeat purchases and steady sales. Foster relationships with other users to successfully sell your products on TikTok.
- Respond to comments and messages. Actively reply to comments on your TikTok videos and direct messages from followers and potential customers.
- Host live streams. Use TikTok’s Live streaming feature to connect with your audience in real-time. Showcase new products, provide behind-the-scenes looks, or answer questions.
- Use polls and question-and-answer features. Encourage participation from your TikTok community and get valuable audience insights.
Partner with TikTok influencers
Influencer marketing is a powerful strategy on TikTok, as they have significant sway over their followers. Explore strategic partnerships with popular TikTok influencers to enhance your brand’s credibility and reach a wider audience.
- Seek out influencers that fit your niche. Have them promote your products by creating videos and interactive content – increasing your website traffic and sales.
- Use sponsored posts and reviews. Let them show TikTok users why your shop and products are the best.
Encourage user-generated content
Ask followers to create and share content featuring your products and repost it on your own account. This builds credibility and trust, as potential customers see real people enjoying your products.
- Share feedback and reviews. Repost what other TikTok users have said about your business.
- Create hashtag challenges. Combine trending hashtags with your own niche and encourage customers to participate, sharing feedback on your products.
Use TikTok Resource Center
The TikTok Resource Center offers valuable tools and insights to help merchants optimize their presence and increase sales on the platform.
- Tutorials and guides. Access step-by-step guides on creating effective TikTok videos and leveraging platform features.
- Analytics and insights. Use in-depth analytics to track your performance, understand audience behavior, and identify trends.
- Ad Manager. Learn how to use TikTok’s Ad Manager to create and manage TikTok ads.
- Creator Marketplace. Connect with TikTok influencers to collaborate on content.
- Access templates. Use customizable TikTok video templates to create viral videos, ads, and promotional content.
Advertise on TikTok
Advertising on TikTok is a powerful way to increase brand visibility, reach a larger audience, and drive sales for your products – all for a small fee.
Use TikTok’s advanced targeting options to reach your ideal audience based on demographics, interests, and behavior. This ensures that your ads are seen by users who are most likely interested in your products, maximizing your return on investment (ROI).
- Try various ad types. Experiment with different formats such as In-Feed Ads, TopView Ads, Branded Hashtag Challenges, and Branded Effects.
- You can also run a TikTok Brand Takeover, which displays a full-screen ad when users open the app – perfect for grabbing instant attention and boosting brand awareness.
These creative formats, including live shopping ads, allow you to showcase your products in unique ways and capture the attention of TikTok users.
Run contests and giveaways
Offering incentives encourages TikTok users to engage with your brand, boosting excitement, awareness, and sales through various contests.
- Trivia and quiz contests. Encourage users to participate by answering questions in the comments or creating videos showcasing their knowledge.
- Creative challenges. For example, ask users to create unique dance routines, lip-sync videos, or product demonstrations.
- Giveaways. Hold random giveaways that users can enter by following your account, liking a post, or tagging friends.
Get inspired by other sellers
Don’t hesitate to draw inspiration from other successful sellers on the platform. Pay attention to their content strategies, engagement techniques, and promotional tactics. Analyze what works well for them and adapt those strategies to fit your brand and target audience.
Analyze your performance
This is crucial for refining your strategy and maximizing your sales potential. By monitoring key performance metrics, you can identify what content resonates most with your audience and which tactics drive the most engagement and conversions – or the opposite – which videos and promotions flop and need refining.
- Track engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and views to measure the effectiveness of your content and audience interaction.
- Monitor follower growth over time to assess the impact of your marketing efforts and identify trends in audience acquisition.
- Analyze conversion metrics like click-through rates, add-to-cart rates, and purchase conversions to measure the effectiveness of your product promotion strategies.
- Use TikTok’s analytics tools to gain insights into your audience demographics, including age, gender, location, and interests, helping you tailor your content and targeting accordingly.
- Experiment with different content formats, hashtags, and posting times to see what resonates best with your audience and drives the highest performance.
Maintain Shop Health
Shop Health is your TikTok Shop’s overall quality and compliance, including customer service, product quality, and adherence to TikTok’s guidelines. You can monitor your status and violation points on the TikTok Seller Center.
Maintaining Shop Health is essential for ensuring the long-term success of your business on the platform.
- Respond promptly to customer messages and inquiries to provide excellent customer service and build trust with your audience.
- Review and update your product listings regularly to ensure accuracy and relevance, including updating product information, prices, and availability.
- Monitor customer reviews and feedback to quickly address any issues or concerns and show your commitment to customer satisfaction.
- Follow TikTok’s community guidelines and policies to avoid violations that could negatively impact your shop’s reputation and visibility.
- Stay informed about TikTok’s latest updates and changes to policies and guidelines to ensure ongoing compliance and reduce any potential risks.
Understanding TikTok’s audience and algorithm
TikTok’s audience consists primarily of Gen Z and millennials, who are known for liking authentic, entertaining content. By tailoring your videos to resonate with this demographic, you can increase the likelihood of capturing their attention and driving engagement with your brand.
TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes engaging, relevant content that will likely keep users on the app longer.
Factors like video completion rates, likes, shares, and comments all influence how TikTok determines the visibility of your content in users’ feeds.
To leverage TikTok’s audience and algorithm effectively, consider the following strategies.
- Create videos that align with TikTok’s trends and challenges to capitalize on viral opportunities and increase your content’s discoverability.
- Use popular hashtags and sounds relevant to your niche to increase the reach and visibility of your content.
- Post consistently and engage with your audience by responding to comments, liking and sharing other users’ content, and participating in trends and challenges.
- Experiment with different content formats, styles, and topics to keep your videos fresh and engaging for your audience.
Ready to launch your business with Printify?
Discover how to sell on TikTok Shop without inventory and start making sales with zero upfront costs today!
How to sell on TikTok: FAQ
Wondering how to sell stuff on TikTok Shop? Follow these steps:
- Download the TikTok app and create a Business Account.
- Go to the TikTok Shop page and create your Seller Account.
- Connect the Business Account to the Seller Center.
- Start adding products to your shop.
- Create videos and tag your products.
The cost of selling on TikTok can vary depending on your approach. Creating a store and listing products is typically free. However, if you choose to advertise your products through TikTok Ads, there will be costs associated with advertising spend. Additionally, you may incur fees related to payment processing or using third-party services to enhance your store’s functionality.
You need a TikTok Business Account, which involves registering as a business entity, providing relevant business information, and adhering to TikTok’s guidelines and policies. You may also need to provide certain documents for verification purposes, such as business licenses or tax identification numbers.
Absolutely. However, it depends on your target audience, product offerings, marketing strategy, and competition. While TikTok offers access to a large and engaged user base, success on the platform requires effective content creation, audience engagement, and potential advertising investment. You should evaluate your goals and resources to determine if TikTok aligns with your marketing and sales objectives.
Selling on TikTok Shop is free to start. There are no upfront fees for creating a TikTok Shop Seller Account or listing products.
However, TikTok charges a commission fee per sale, which varies depending on your product category and region. If you use TikTok Shop ads or other promotional tools, you’ll also need to budget for ad spend.
Yes – if you’re ready to create content and engage with your audience, selling on TikTok Shop can be incredibly rewarding.
The platform gives you access to millions of active TikTok users, built-in product discovery, and seamless in-app checkout. With the right strategy, TikTok Shop enables brands to reach new customers, build trust, and increase sales – all in one place.
Conclusion
Selling on TikTok is a profitable gateway to a vast, engaged audience and increased product discovery.
With the right strategies and dedication, TikTok can transform your online business and elevate it to new heights. Use this guide to maximize your sales and unlock the full potential of TikTok commerce with Printify.
