TikTok is arguably the most popular social media app in recent years. With content in nearly every niche, it has become the go-to platform for all. While the app was initially popular with young people, many people of all ages are joining today. No wonder brands are using TikTok to market their products and make sales.

However, with TikTok being more of an entertainment hub, brands must be creative when marketing products. This is especially because statistics indicate that Gen Zs, the majority on TikTok, hate watching conventional ads. Therefore, you need to look for a unique way of marketing and selling to them. This article will provide you with actionable tips you can use to sell products on TikTok.

How Effective is TikTok for Selling Products?

There was a time when brands simply posted their products on TikTok, hoping that users would organically see them, make inquiries, and buy. However, in 2021, TikTok partnered with Shopify to make it easier for brands to sell products. With TikTok shopping, users can browse, select, and purchase products seamlessly and safely on the platform.

According to TikTok, the new feature has made the platform a hub for product discovery, connections, and entertainment. This has created an unmatched opportunity for brands to be seen by their target audience. No matter the size of your business, you can use TikTok to create content that prospective users can engage with and get closer to the transaction stage. 

If your page is properly set up following the TikTok requirements, you can easily add the shop tab to the TikTok page. Once you have done so, TikTok users can view items from the online shop without leaving the app. Besides, TikTok shopping integrates well with Base, Square, PrestaShop, OpenCart, BigCommerce, ShopLine, and Wix Ecommerce. Besides, it's now available in most countries of the world.

Benefits of TikTok Selling

Is it worth selling on TikTok? If this is your question, here are some good reasons:

A Lot of Users

With over two billion active users as of 2024, TikTok allows you to reach 20% of the world's population. With one in every five people on TikTok, no brand can ignore this platform to reach a new audience. This is especially true for brands targeting a younger demographic that makes up the majority of TikTok users.

Affordable

Previously, you needed a huge budget to advertise your product on traditional TV and radio.  Social media sites and apps such as TikTok have changed this narrative. As noted earlier, you only need to follow the TikTok guidelines to set up a TikTok shop. You do not need to pay anything.  

After that, you can easily promote your TikTok videos organically, free of charge. Since the app doesn't consider the number of followers when recommending content on the For You page, you can easily market your products on TikTok free of charge.

How to Sell Products on a TikTok Shop

Now that you understand the benefits of selling products on TikTok, it's time to set up a TikTok shop. As noted earlier, a TikTok shop allows brands, merchants, and creators to showcase and sell their products directly on the app. All they need to do is to link the products in their live streams, in-feed videos, and product showcase tabs.

A TikTok shop allows you to do most of the things you usually do in a traditional shop, such as finding products, checking product details, checking out, and posting payment activities within the app. There are two ways to make money with the TikTok shop. You can sell as a merchant by showcasing your products or engaging in affiliate marketing on TikTok. 

Set Up a Merchant Shop on TikTok

Here are the steps to follow when creating a TikTok shop:

Create An Account

Before you're allowed to set up a merchant shop on TikTok, you need to create a business account. You can register using those details if you already have an existing account. But if you don't have an account, you can create one. After registering, you will be directed to an application page with the needed seller information. Choose whether you will need to sell as a corporate or individual.

Choose a Shop Name

Select a name for your TikTok shop. If you are a well-known brand, using the name people know may be advisable. If you are selling as an individual, choose a name that is relevant to your business and memorable. However, if you struggle to find a name, you do not need to worry; you can change it later. After that, you will need to enter information about the business owner.

Provide the Necessary Document

Whether joining as an individual or a business, you must provide the necessary documents. If you are applying as a corporation, you must provide the certificate of incorporation from the registrar of companies or any other relevant body in your country. If you are joining as an individual, you should provide a copy of your driving license or a passport.

Enter Your Address

If you provided a driving license in your previous step, you will not need to add an address in this step. However, if  you used a passport, you will need to enter the address now and provide proof of the address by uploading a document such as:

• Driving license.
• Utility bill.
• Bank statement.
• Solicitor’s letters.
• Social Benefits letter.
• Council association letter, etc.

After following the above steps, TikTok will review your submitted document within two days. After your documents are approved, you need to set up your bank details before uploading products to your TikTok shop.

How to Upload Products to a TikTok Shop

Here are the steps to follow when creating a TikTok shop:

1. Visit the TikTok seller center and confirm that the products you plan to sell do not fall under the prohibited products category.
2. Scroll down until you get to the option labeled Upload 1 product. Tap on upload now.
3. Enter the product details. According to TikTok, you should include details such as name, benefits, features, net weight, and price.
4. Upload at least three product images. 
5. Enter a description of the product. Remember that these are the details that users will see when they click on the product. Therefore, provide a pitch for the product in this space.
6. Add a product video if you deem it necessary. You can use this space to upload a review or a product tutorial when it's in use.
7. Enter any product variation you may have such as color or size.
8. Enter the warranty and shipping information.

With the above steps, you can start selling products as a merchant on TikTok. If you want to sell as an affiliate marketer, we recommend you read our beginner guide in TikTok affiliate marketing.

How to Optimize Your TikTok Shop to Increase Sales

To make more sales on the TikTok shop, there are several steps you need to follow:

Choose the Fast-moving Products

Your product choice will affect your ability to sell on a TikTok shop. There is no one-size-fits-all product that can sell better than others. However, there are tips you can use to find fast-moving products. These are:

• Products costing less than $50. Studies indicate that the majority of TikTok buyers do so on impulse. One factor affecting people's decisions when buying on impulse is the cost of a product. If you sell a product costing less than $50, users might not feel the pain when swiping their credit cards to make a purchase. Therefore, choose products in this price range but ensure the margins make sense.
• Small items. These include items that can fit in a backpack or be held in the hand. These are easy to see on the camera. Users also expect to get free shipping when buying these kinds of products.
• Easy to film products. One of the ways to increase your sales on TikTok is by working with other creators. That also means you must select a product that is easy for creators to film.
• Trending items are also among the best sellers on TikTok. Most are low-cost items targeted at persons between 16 and 22.

That said, some product categories are among the fastest-moving. Studies indicate that fashion, lifestyle, consumer, and technology products are the fastest-moving market. Our analysis of TikTok shops serving thousands of orders on TikTok reveals they sell products in the following categories.

• Beauty and cosmetics. Include lipsticks, eyebrow pencils, nail polishes, perfumes, and custom fake nails.
• Fashion accessories include earrings, handbags, bracelets, wigs, and hairpins.
• Food. Snacks and confectioneries.
• Furniture. Living room carpets, dressing table, wall shelf, bookshelf, wallpaper, curtains, and more.
• Study courses.
• Travel services.

This is understandable as these are the items which TikTok users spend most of their money on. If you are unsure of the products to sell on TikTok, you can always create various products to find the fastest-moving ones.  

Strategically Take Advantage of TikTok Deals

Like on Amazon, buyers on TikTok are searching for the best deals possible. The cost of your products on TikTok will show your pricing strategy. Therefore, you want to give your users the best price possible if you do not make losses. If you are working with creators, you can give them a starting commission of 10% as per the TikTok recommendation. 

You can then gradually reduce this to 5% and 2%, depending on your goal. Remember that for creators to continue marketing your products, they will want to see the value of their marketing. The most important thing is to ensure that you price your products accordingly.

Leverage on Influencer Marketing

One of the most powerful tools you can use to increase sales and grow your TikTok shop is the power of creators. This is because shoppable posts can rank on the social search and appear on the For You page. That means if you have creators posting content on your brand, it can be a powerful way of appearing under the #FYP.

The more creators you can collaborate with, the more your earning potential. That means you can work with several micro-influencers instead of one mega-influencer. Fortunately, TikTok makes it easier for brands to work with influencers through the following plans.

Open Plan

TikTok has an affiliate program where you can enroll to have creators market your products or services in return for a commission. The products are in a marketplace where all creators can choose them to start marketing. Once they choose your products, creators can start creating content on them. When they make a sale, their commission is deducted from your sales amount. This is the recommended plan for beginner brands in TikTok affiliate marketing.

Target Plan

With this plan, brands usually invite specific creators to promote their products. The commission amount is not specific, and brands can choose the commission to pay their best creators. To find creators to work with, you need to use the TikTok creator connect. Remember that you are also allowed to mix the two marketing methods. This can be helpful as each of these programs has pros and cons.

Go Live to Promote Products

One of the latest trends on TikTok is going live. You can leverage this feature to connect and engage with your customers in real-time. On top of that, TikTok live streams can be a great place to share your knowledge, answer questions from followers, and show your expertise in the niche.

To enhance user engagement, share a feed post with your audience for better engagement. The feed post will be a kind of announcement to the users, asking them to join your live stream. This also offers you an opportunity to increase audience engagement and your credibility. Before going on Livestream, check your TikTok analytics to determine when your audience is mostly online.

Try TikTok Ads

Working with creators has been seen to be a more effective strategy for marketing products on TikTok. Fortunately, TikTok has certain types of ads, such as video shopping ads and spark ads, that you can use to feature the creator's ad and link to your shop listing.

If you are looking for an ad format that will help you drive sales, Spark ads are a great choice. This is especially true if you are already collaborating with creators.

Leverage TikTok SEO

Like other areas of your TikTok shop, you must ensure that your store is well-optimized for SEO. However, unlike your organic posts, you will be limited on how much you can achieve with SEO in a TikTok Shop. For instance, your keyword research will not impact your store's appearance on the search results.

However, unlike the normal TikTok account, the TikTok shop usually personalizes the content a user sees depending on their habits and preferences. It also considers factors such as country settings, user interactions, and device type to determine the ads and products they show users. Here are a  few tips TikTok recommends people use to optimize TikTok shops. These are:

• Have a variety of products. According to TikTok, the more variety of products you have, the more visibility you will receive.
• Increase your shoppable videos. Instead of sharing repurposed YouTube or Instagram ads, post native TikTok videos.
• Include product links to the relevant videos. If you have some older content featuring products from a new shop, ensure that you link the two.

Remember that there are things you are limited on what you can do when setting up a TikTok shop. You aren't allowed to claim that you have the best product or to compare your products to other brands. With product descriptions limited to 250 characters, you are limited on the number of keywords you can add to the space. Therefore, TikTok discourages over-optimization. 

Analyze Performance

Make use of TikTok analytics to see the effectiveness of your TIkTok campaign. Pay special attention to TikTok metrics such as conversion, engagement, and click-through rates to determine what is working and areas where you need improvement. Ensure that you keep adjusting to get the desired results. You can also watch influencers you believe are your best brand ambassadors. You can then focus on working with those influencers and delivering results.

Tips to Improve Conversion in Your TikTok Shop

Most of the steps above will help you drive traffic to your TikTok shop. However, you must convert that audience when they come to your shop. To improve conversion in your TikTok shop, use the following:

Compelling Headline 

Your product listing should have a descriptive and informative title with key details such as relevant keywords, unique benefits, and key features of the products. Ensure that your titles are short, descriptive, and memorable. They should be easy to understand to attract the customer’s attention.

Detailed Description

The product description is important in convincing potential customers to purchase a product. Therefore, you should use a compelling description that shows the product's features, uses, and benefits. Ensure that the product keywords appear in the descriptions.

High-quality Product Photos and Videos

Another element of your product description that should improve conversion is the product photo and video description. Potential customers will be attracted to the product by using high-quality photos and videos taken from different angles. Ensure that the images are beautiful, well-lit, and true representations of the product.

Product images and videos should also be well-optimized using the right titles, keywords, and alt texts for search engine optimization and improved accessibility. Engage users in descriptive language.

Customer Reviews and Ratings

The app clearly states that to get more visibility on TikTok, you should focus on better customer feedback. The real growth of a TikTok shop depends on positive reviews, word of mouth, and reviews. That means if you can have a large army of creators giving shoutouts about your shop, you are likely to get positive results.

Encourage previous customers to leave their feedback on the TikTok shop ads. When you get reviews, positive or negative, be sure to respond to them fast, as this will be a sign of good customer service.

Relevant Hashtags

One of the best ways of organizing and classifying content on your TikTok shop is by using relevant hashtags. Use hashtags related to your products to increase their visibility. Ensure that you combine the popular and niche hashtags to increase awareness and reach customers in your niche.

Product Shapes and Characteristics

If your product has different shapes or specific characteristics, enhance them accordingly. Prospective customers should quickly find the option they are searching for with all its key elements, such as the material, size, and color. You should, therefore, organize your products so that users can easily find the exact range of products they are searching for.

Give Discounts and Promo Codes

To entice your users to make a purchase, you can offer coupon codes and exclusive discounts. By using them well, you can make your customers feel they are getting value for their products. According to one study, customers are twice as likely to purchase a product with a 20% discount compared to another selling at full price.

Limited offers will help create a sense of urgency. Other discounts, such as a minimum purchase discount, can help increase the average order value. Therefore, leverage discounts and coupon codes to increase the sales for your TikTok shop.

Final Thoughts

TikTok Shop has created a unique opportunity for brands to showcase their products or services and sell them to potential customers. However, as a relatively new feature introduced in 2022, many brands are still trying to understand the feature and how to leverage it to increase their sales. Fortunately, our in-depth guide has detailed what you need to start the shop, promote it, and make outstanding sales. We also recommend you read our guide on TikTok Live Streaming.