TikTok Shop has become one of the top four sales channels brands are prioritizing in 2024—and for good reason. With over 150 million active users in the US and millions more worldwide, TikTok isn’t just a trendsetter; it’s a major driver of sales. Two-thirds of shoppers are influenced to buy something they see on TikTok, and 50% have made a purchase after watching a TikTok Live.
However, while TikTok Shop offers huge potential, it also comes with challenges like rising competition, platform-specific rules, and the complexities of omnichannel inventory and order management. To succeed, brands need a well-thought-out strategy to tackle these hurdles.
This guide provides practical tips, best practices, and strategies from e-commerce experts to help you refine your TikTok Shop approach—from initial setup and consumer marketing to product management, data collection, fulfillment, and post-purchase experience. With these insights, your brand can not only navigate but thrive on this dynamic social platform, marketplace, and search engine all in one.
As an e-commerce operator, it’s easy to be excited about TikTok Shop. With billions of daily users worldwide, TikTok captivates audiences with its engaging content—and now, with its integrated shopping and checkout features, it offers even more “wow” factor.
However, that “wow” can quickly become a headache for your operations team if you aren’t properly prepared. For omnichannel sellers or high-volume shippers, TikTok Shop needs to be seamlessly integrated with your existing ecosystem right from the start.
Using ad-hoc methods like spreadsheets or multiple vendor connectors to bridge gaps between systems can create significant bottlenecks, leading to issues such as:
To avoid these pitfalls, it’s crucial to fully integrate TikTok Shop with your entire tech stack, including fulfillment centers, retail locations, and back-office ERP systems. An automated omnichannel order management solution, like Pipe17, can help streamline these integrations and ensure smooth operations.
Many brands are now exploring TikTok Shop as a new sales channel that merges social content with online shopping. However, it’s crucial to understand that TikTok has strict seller guidelines for multichannel listings. The manual process of listing products can be a major hurdle for both new and established sellers looking to integrate social commerce into their omnichannel strategy.
Product feed management solutions like AfterShip Feed help simplify the integration of your existing online store’s inventory and workflow with TikTok Shop. By leveraging such systems, brands can efficiently list up to 10,000 products at a time using filters like Shopify categories, product tags, and titles, while also receiving automatic updates as TikTok Shop approves each listing.
For example, Preppy Pineapple Boutique, an award-winning Californian brand specializing in chic, size-inclusive women’s clothing and accessories, streamlined its product listing process by switching to AfterShip Feed. This shift eliminated the risk of costly errors or overselling. Now, orders are automatically placed on hold for one hour in Shopify, reducing the complications of order cancellations. With AfterShip Feed’s 24/7 support, Preppy Pineapple has achieved significant growth on TikTok Shop, recapturing $2,000 worth of orders per day.
By auto-syncing inventory metadata, any pricing changes made on an e-commerce store are instantly reflected on TikTok Shop, reducing manual efforts and minimizing errors. Given that impulse buying is common on TikTok, tools like AfterShip Feed’s “fulfillment hold” feature can place orders on hold for one hour to accommodate potential cancellations, saving time and effort.
Unlock the secrets to success on TikTok Shop! Download our comprehensive guide now to learn actionable strategies, best practices, and expert tips that will help you thrive on the world’s leading social commerce platform. Don’t miss out—get your guide today!
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