TikTok Shop is a powerful in-app e-commerce platform that lets you showcase your products to millions of potential customers.
In 2023, sales through social networks accounted for an estimated 18.5 percent of total online sales, according to Statista. Forecasts suggest that the value of social commerce sales would reach around 2.9 trillion U.S. dollars by 2026.
Downloaded more than 2.7 billion times worldwide, TikTok sold over 370 million items from the beauty and personal care category. According to Statista, womenswear and underwear sold nearly 285 million products. Food, beverages, home supplies, and fashion accessories were among the top five product categories by sales volume across TikTok Shops worldwide.
Planning to use TikTok Shop to maximise your sales in 2025? Here’s all you need to know about the platform and how your brand can succeed:
What is TikTok Shop?
TikTok Shop is an e-commerce platform built into the TikTok app. It allows merchants and content creators to seamlessly showcase and sell their products directly to the massive TikTok community.
By offering a complete in-app shopping experience, TikTok Shop makes it easy for users to discover and purchase products without ever leaving the app.
Who Can Use TikTok Shop UK?
TikTok Shop UK is open to a wide range of individuals and businesses based in the UK.
To be eligible, you must:
- Reside in the UK: Your primary location must be within the United Kingdom.
- Be 18 Years or Older: You must be of legal age to conduct business transactions.
- Have a TikTok Account: You’ll need an active TikTok account to manage your shop and engage with your audience.
Whether you’re an established brand, a small business owner, or an individual looking to sell products, TikTok Shop UK offers a platform to connect with a vast audience.
How Does TikTok Shop Work?
TikTok Shop offers several innovative ways for businesses and creators to sell their products directly on the platform:
Live Shopping
- Host engaging live streams where you can showcase products in real-time.
- Interact with your audience directly and answer questions.
- Drive immediate sales through exclusive deals and limited-time offers.
Shoppable Short Videos
- Create captivating short videos featuring your products.
- Add clickable product links to your videos, allowing viewers to easily purchase items.
- Use eye-catching visuals and creative storytelling to entice your audience.
Product Showcase
- Curate a visually appealing product catalogue on your TikTok profile.
- Highlight your best-selling items and new arrivals.
- Make it easy for shoppers to browse and purchase products directly from your profile.
Shop Tab
- Use TikTok’s dedicated shopping tab to showcase your products and promotions.
- Increase visibility and discoverability for your brand.
- Drive sales and customer engagement with a seamless shopping experience.
With these powerful tools, businesses can tap into TikTok’s massive user base and drive significant sales growth.
How to Get Started on TikTok Shop UK
To start your TikTok Shop journey, align with one of the following roles:
Seller
- If you’re a brand or retailer, you can directly sell your products on TikTok Shop. This involves setting up a shop, managing inventory, and fulfilling orders.
- Alternatively, you can partner with a third-party e-commerce platform that integrates with TikTok Shop. This can simplify the process of listing and selling products.
Creator
- As a content creator, you can promote and sell products through live streams, short videos, and product showcases.
- You can earn commissions on sales generated through your affiliate links or by directly selling your own merchandise.
Partner
- If you’re a marketing agency, technology provider, or other service provider, you can partner with TikTok Shop to offer specialised services.
- This might include helping brands with product listings, campaign management, or influencer marketing.
To get started, visit the TikTok Shop UK website or app and follow the specific guidelines for your chosen role.
How To Be A TikTok Shop Seller
Are you a UK-based seller ready to tap into the power of TikTok Shop?
Here’s how to get started:
1. Determine Your Seller Type:
- Individual Seller: A person selling personal items or handmade goods.
- Corporate Seller: A business entity selling products on behalf of a company.
2. Register on the TikTok Shop UK Platform:
- Provide Essential Information: Share your contact details, choose your seller type, and verify your identity through a simple ID verification process.
- Complete Business Details: For corporate sellers, provide company information, including name, registration number, and date of incorporation.
3. Set Up Your Shop:
- Customise Your Shop: Design your shop’s appearance to reflect your brand identity.
- Add Products: List your products, including detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and pricing.
- Configure Shipping and Returns: Set up your shipping policies and return procedures.
4. Start Selling:
- Engage Your Audience: Use live streams, short videos, and product showcases to promote your products.
- Manage Your Shop: Use the Seller Center App to handle orders, inventory, promotions, and customer inquiries.
By following these steps, you can unlock the potential of TikTok Shop and reach a wider audience to drive sales and grow your business.
How To Become A TikTok Shop Creator
Are you a talented creator with a passion for sharing your content on TikTok? With TikTok Shop, you can turn your creativity into earnings.
Here’s how to get started:
Meet the Basic Requirements:
- Follower Base: Have at least 1,000 followers.
- Active Account: Post a video within the last 28 days.
- Age: Be 18 years or older.
- Account Status: Ensure your account is in good standing.
Join the TikTok Shop Creator Program:
- Sign up and complete the necessary steps to join the program.
- Understand the terms and conditions and comply with TikTok’s guidelines.
Start Creating Shoppable Content:
- Live Streams: Host engaging live streams where you can showcase products and answer questions from your audience.
- Short Videos: Create eye-catching short videos featuring products and include clickable links to purchase.
- Product Showcases: Curate product collections and share them with your followers.
Why Become a TikTok Shop Creator?
- Earn Money: Generate income through commission on sales generated from your content.
- Build Your Brand: Collaborate with brands and promote products that align with your audience.
- Engage Your Audience: Create interactive shopping experiences and foster a strong community.
Ready to take your TikTok journey to the next level? Learn more about the TikTok Shop Creator Program and start monetising your content today.
How To Partner With TikTok Shop
Ready to elevate your business on TikTok Shop?
Creator Agency Partners (CAPs):
If you’re a creator agency looking to collaborate with brands and merchants on TikTok Shop, consider becoming a CAP. As a CAP, you can:
- Identify and Onboard Creators: Source and recruit top-tier creators to align with specific brand campaigns.
- Manage Creator Relationships: Oversee creator training, education, and day-to-day management.
- Optimise Content Performance: Monitor live streams and short video content, provide product strategy guidance, and analyse performance metrics.
- Provide End-to-End Support: Handle creator outreach, post-collaboration analysis, and other essential services.
TikTok Shop Partners (TSPs):
If you’re an e-commerce expert or service provider, you can partner with TikTok Shop to offer specialised services to merchants.
As a TSP, you can:
- Support Merchant Development: Assist merchants with onboarding, business development, shop management, customer service, and traffic generation.
- Provide Production Services: Offer live stream operations, video production, studio setup, account management, and presenter recruitment and training.
- Optimise Supply Chain and Logistics: Support merchants with warehouse capabilities, packaging, and shipping.
- Implement e-commerce Strategies: Develop content strategies, analyse performance metrics, and optimise revenue.
Need a fresh perspective? Let’s talk.
In 2023, 360 OM helped Uni Compare create their successful Clearing campaign on TikTok and in April 2024, TikTok For Business Case Study published Uni Compare & 360 OM’s success story after the Clearing campaign skyrocketed to the #8 position on the App Store, surpassing giants like TikTok, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
Learn more about our award-winning Clearing Campaign case study here.
At 360 OM, we specialise in helping businesses take their marketing efforts to the next level. Our team stays on top of industry trends, uses data-informed decisions to maximise your ROI, and provides full transparency through comprehensive reports.
