Want to sell on TikTok Shop? Here’s what you need to know upfront:
- Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years old, have a TikTok Business Account, and meet U.S. residency requirements.
- Seller Types: Choose between Individual (requires a government-issued ID) or Business (needs an EIN and business registration documents).
- Documents Needed: Proof of identity, tax forms (e.g., W-9), and a bank account for payouts (personal for Individual, business for Business).
- Product Rules: Follow strict listing guidelines and avoid prohibited items like counterfeit goods, alcohol, and hazardous materials. Some categories require special permissions.
- Performance Metrics: Maintain a Shop Performance Score (SPS) of 2.5+ to stay in good standing. Aim for 4.0+ for better visibility and perks.
- Fees: TikTok charges a 6% referral fee per order, plus additional fees for services like Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT).
Quick Tip: Stay compliant with TikTok’s policies, monitor account health regularly, and create engaging video content to grow your shop. Ready to start? Head to the TikTok Shop Seller Center to apply!
How To Join TikTok Shop as a Seller [Guide]
TikTok Shop Seller Eligibility Requirements
To ensure quality and compliance, TikTok Shop has specific eligibility criteria for its sellers. These requirements vary depending on the type of seller.
Age and Account Requirements
Sellers on TikTok Shop must be at least 18 years old. Age verification can be done through methods like Facial Age Estimation, Credit Card Authorization, or submitting a Selfie with ID. Make sure all verification details are accurate.
You’ll also need a TikTok Business Account. If you currently use TikTok for personal purposes, you can either convert your personal account to a business account or create a separate one dedicated solely to your shop. Many sellers find it useful to keep their personal and business activities distinct by using a business-specific account.
Lastly, ensure you review U.S. residency and tax requirements to complete your eligibility process.
Location Requirements for U.S. Sellers
If you’re selling from the U.S., you’ll need to prove legal residency with a valid residential address.
Meeting location requirements involves more than just having a U.S. address. You must also comply with federal and state tax laws, which vary depending on where you live. This includes completing necessary tax forms (like the W-9) and adhering to local sales tax regulations. Take the time to research your state’s specific rules to fully understand your responsibilities as an online seller.
Finally, identify your seller type to ensure you submit the correct documentation.
Individual vs. Business Seller Types
TikTok Shop accommodates two types of sellers: Individual and Business.
- Individual Sellers: These are private individuals selling goods. To register as an individual seller, you’ll need to provide personal details such as your legal name, date of birth, residential address, and a government-issued ID.
- Business Sellers: This category is for legally registered businesses in the U.S.. Business sellers must provide company registration details, business type, company name, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Additionally, they need a business bank account that matches the name of their registered business.
Here’s a quick overview of the documentation required for each seller type:
| Seller Type | Definition | Required Documentation | Bank Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | Private individual selling goods | Legal name, date of birth, address, government-issued ID | Personal account in the seller’s name |
| Business | Registered U.S. business | Company registration, business type, EIN, company name | Business account matching registration |
Choosing between these two options depends on your current setup and long-term plans as a seller.
Required Documents and Account Setup
Once you’ve chosen your seller type, it’s time to gather the necessary documents for registering on TikTok Shop. The paperwork differs for individual and business sellers, so getting the right documents ready from the start is crucial. Below, you’ll find the specific requirements for each seller type, along with guidance on setting up your payment account.
Documents for Individual Sellers
If you’re registering as an individual seller, you’ll need to provide proof of identity and U.S. residency. The primary requirement is a government-issued ID, such as a U.S. passport or driver’s license. Make sure the name and date of birth on your ID match the details you provide during registration.
Additionally, you’ll need to confirm your current U.S. address, ensuring it aligns with the address linked to your banking records.
Documents for Business Sellers
For business sellers, the requirements are more detailed. You’ll need to provide your EIN, business registration details, business type, and official company name. All submitted documents must consistently reflect your business information.
TikTok Shop accepts several types of business documents to verify legitimacy, including:
- IRS Notices or Letters: These must display your organization’s name and EIN. Ensure the documents are recent and clearly legible.
- Certificate of Business Incorporation: Issued by your state, this certificate must show the exact business name used during registration.
- SEC Filings: Recent filings like 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K reports are acceptable, as long as they include your organization’s name.
- Business Credit Reports: Reports from Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion can also be submitted, provided they accurately reflect your business details.
| Document Type | Description | Preparation Tips |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Documents | Official notices or letters from the IRS | Ensure they are recent and clearly display your business name and EIN. |
| Business Incorporation Certificate | State-issued certificate proving your business registration | Verify the name matches the details provided during registration. |
| SEC Filings | Recent filings like 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K | Confirm the filings clearly state your organization’s name. |
| Business Credit Reports | Reports from major credit bureaus like Experian or Equifax | Double-check that the report accurately reflects your business name and details. |
In addition to these documents, U.S. merchants must complete a W-9 Form and provide a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), which may be either your EIN or SSN. This ensures compliance with federal tax reporting requirements.
Bank Account Setup for Payments
To receive payouts from TikTok Shop, you’ll need to set up a bank account. Individual sellers can use a personal bank account under their legal name, while business sellers must link a business bank account that matches their registered business name.
When linking your account, you’ll need to provide accurate banking details, including the bank name and full account number. Double-check this information to avoid delays in receiving payments.
Your account must be denominated in U.S. dollars, with amounts displayed in the standard U.S. format (e.g., $1,234.56). This ensures consistency in financial reporting and simplifies payment processing.
Direct bank transfers are often the most cost-effective payment method, as they typically come with lower fees compared to alternatives. However, keep in mind that processing times can vary depending on your bank. Be sure to account for this when managing your cash flow as you start your TikTok Shop journey.
Product Listing Rules and Compliance
Once your TikTok Shop account is set up, the next step is ensuring your product listings meet the platform’s strict guidelines. Adhering to these rules is key to maintaining a successful account. TikTok Shop enforces these policies to create a safe shopping space, and violations can lead to serious consequences like listing removal, account suspension, or even legal action.
Allowed and Banned Product Categories
TikTok Shop organizes products into three main groups: prohibited, restricted, and invite-only. Familiarizing yourself with these categories is crucial to avoid costly mistakes.
Prohibited categories include items entirely banned from the platform. This list features adult products, alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes, drugs and related paraphernalia, weapons, counterfeit goods, and hazardous materials. Other banned items include animal-related products, certain baby and maternity items (e.g., breast pumps and beaded teethers), weight management products, gambling-related items, human body parts, medicines, medical devices, and second-hand goods unless they fall under approved preowned luxury categories.
Restricted categories require special permissions or certifications to sell. For instance, beauty and personal care items must meet safety standards and may need specific certifications. Electronics, especially those containing lithium batteries, also require safety certifications. Additional restricted categories include health products, food and beverages, jewelry, household appliances, tools, automotive items, and pet food.
Invite-only categories demand prior approval from TikTok before listing products. These include specific baby and maternity products, sports and outdoor gear, toys, kids’ fashion, preowned items, jewelry, and some beauty products like hair removal devices.
Product Listing Content Rules
TikTok Shop evaluates product listings based on quality, assigning them to one of three tiers: Poor, Fair, or Good. Sellers should aim for the "Good" tier to enhance their credibility. Achieving this requires attention to detail in titles, images, and descriptions.
- Product titles should be concise yet informative, ranging from 40 to 150 characters. Avoid clickbait and redundant phrases, and clearly describe the product.
- Product images must be high-quality, with a resolution of at least 600×600 pixels. Include at least five images, using a white or neutral background and avoiding watermarks or promotional text.
- Product descriptions should exceed 500 characters and provide detailed information. Highlight benefits, application instructions, ingredients (if applicable), and sizing details. Avoid generic language by emphasizing what sets your product apart.
Adding category-specific details can further enhance listings. For example, beauty products should include ingredients and fragrance notes, fashion items should offer standardized sizing charts, and electronics should list key specifications like battery life or screen size.
| Listing Element | Requirements | Best Practices |
|---|---|---|
| Product Title | 40-150 characters | Avoid clickbait or promotional language |
| Product Images | Minimum 600×600 pixels, 5+ images | Use white/neutral backgrounds; no watermarks |
| Product Description | Minimum 500 characters | Include benefits, sizing, ingredients, and specs |
High-quality listings help establish trust, which is essential for long-term success on TikTok Shop.
Keeping Up with Policy Updates
TikTok Shop’s policies are updated frequently, so staying informed is critical. The TikTok Shop Academy is an excellent resource for current regulations – check it often.
If you sell branded products, ensure your supplier is authorized to distribute them. You’ll need proper documentation, such as letters of authorization, intellectual property rights certificates, and any required legal paperwork for self-created products. Missing appeal deadlines or failing to secure brand authorization can lead to account deactivation or bans.
Regularly monitor your account’s performance through the TikTok Seller Center. This tool tracks sales data and metrics, helping you identify compliance issues early and make informed decisions. Staying updated on policies not only helps you avoid penalties but also supports consistent account growth. When in doubt about a policy, seek legal advice instead of guessing.
Understanding TikTok Shop’s fee structure is another key aspect of compliance planning. As of Q1 2025, TikTok Shop charges a 6% referral fee per order for most products. For example, on a $12.00 t-shirt, the referral fee would be $0.72. Additionally, Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) fees for single-unit orders start at $3.58 per item as of January 16, 2025.
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Account Health and Compliance Management
Keeping your TikTok Shop account in good standing is key to driving growth and maintaining visibility on the platform. A strong performance record, built on regular reviews and adherence to policies, directly affects your sales potential and eligibility for exclusive seller programs. These metrics are not just numbers – they reflect your compliance and play a major role in TikTok’s ongoing account evaluations.
Following Community and Commerce Rules
TikTok Shop uses a Shop Performance Score (SPS) to evaluate stores on a scale of 1 to 5 based on their performance over the last 90 days. This score considers factors like product satisfaction, fulfillment, logistics, and customer service. To access exclusive seller programs, your SPS must exceed 2.5. For stores aiming to stand out, achieving an SPS of 4.0 or higher earns the prestigious Star Shop badge, boosting credibility with both customers and creators. Additionally, TikTok encourages creators to partner with stores that maintain an SPS of 4.0 and a Positive Review Rate (PRR) of 93% or higher for affiliate collaborations.
However, TikTok also enforces a violation points system. Accumulating too many points can result in account restrictions or even removal from the platform. To avoid this, use TikTok’s content disclosure tools to clearly identify paid promotions and commercial content, ensuring transparency.
Tracking Platform Policy Changes
TikTok Shop regularly updates its Community Guidelines and Commerce Policies, making it vital to stay informed. Subscribe to TikTok Shop newsletters and follow their official social media channels for timely updates. The TikTok Shop Seller Center is your go-to resource for announcements and policy updates.
Take advantage of the TikTok Shop Academy, which offers educational materials on best practices and upcoming changes. Staying ahead of these updates allows you to adjust your business practices before new policies take effect.
"TikTok’s guidelines create a delicate balance between creative freedom and user safety, establishing clear boundaries for content creation and business activities." – Keith Kakadia, Founder at Sociallyin
Internally, review your content and product listings regularly to ensure compliance with current policies. This proactive approach helps prevent issues before they arise and ties seamlessly into regular performance evaluations.
Regular Account Performance Reviews
Frequent account reviews are essential for spotting and resolving issues early. The Account Health section in the TikTok Shop Seller Center provides a detailed dashboard to monitor risk levels, violations, order fulfillment standards, and product satisfaction ratings.
Address negative customer feedback promptly by offering solutions or compensation. Quick action can prevent minor complaints from escalating into formal violations that could hurt your SPS. Regularly audit your product listings to ensure accurate descriptions, pricing, and stock levels.
If logistics are a challenge, consider working with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) to improve fulfillment performance. This can positively influence your SPS and overall account health. In January 2025, Shipfusion emphasized that a high SPS not only improves marketplace visibility but also unlocks special privileges for sellers.
Additionally, use tools like the Events Manager to monitor web events and address integration issues that could impact your account performance.
How Emplicit Supports TikTok Shop Sellers
Managing a TikTok Shop comes with its share of challenges – balancing compliance, inventory, and marketing demands can feel overwhelming. Recognizing this, Emplicit steps in to help sellers maximize their potential on TikTok Shop through specialized marketplace management. As Adam Weiler, CEO of Emplicit, points out, many brands dedicate less than 10% of their focus to this rapidly growing platform, leaving significant opportunities untapped.
Emplicit provides U.S.-based ecommerce sellers with expert management services and a structured 4D Plan – Diagnose, Design, Deploy, and Dominate – to simplify marketplace growth while ensuring compliance with TikTok Shop’s requirements.
Emplicit’s Marketplace Management Services
TikTok Shop demands a lot from sellers, but Emplicit simplifies the process by offering end-to-end marketplace management. Instead of juggling product management, compliance, inventory, logistics, marketing, and content creation on your own, Emplicit’s team of specialists handles it all.
Their expertise in TikTok’s unique ecosystem is especially evident in PPC (Pay-Per-Click) management. With over $100 million in ad spend under their belt, Emplicit knows how to craft campaigns that align with TikTok’s algorithm and user behavior. They also take listing optimization to the next level by incorporating TikTok-specific content strategies, ensuring your products stand out in the platform’s video-driven environment.
Scaling your TikTok Shop also means staying on top of inventory and logistics. Emplicit helps sellers maintain the inventory levels and shipping standards necessary to keep their Shop Performance Score high – a critical factor for success on the platform. And with U.S.-based account managers on hand, sellers get real-time support for compliance issues or sudden policy updates.
Custom TikTok Shop Growth Plans
Success on TikTok Shop isn’t one-size-fits-all – it requires tailored strategies that account for both the platform’s requirements and the dynamics of social commerce. Emplicit develops custom growth roadmaps designed to meet each seller’s unique goals while ensuring compliance. Their cross-channel approach also supports sellers on other platforms like Amazon, emphasizing the importance of diversification.
Emplicit’s results speak for themselves. For example:
- AllGood, a global consumer health solutions company, saw monthly revenue jump from $35,000 to $165,000 in just three months – a 5× growth – while agency fees stayed flat.
- Trtl Travel, known for its innovative travel products, quadrupled its revenue in a year, transforming a $3 million brand into a much larger operation using the 4D Plan and a custom strategy.
- Just Thrive, a digestive and immune health company, achieved 210% total growth over four years, with a consistent 20% year-over-year increase.
Account Health Monitoring Services
Keeping your TikTok Shop account in good standing requires constant attention, especially with the platform’s strict violation points system and Shop Performance Score requirements. Emplicit’s account health monitoring services ensure sellers stay ahead of potential issues. Their compliance team actively tracks TikTok’s evolving policies, helping prevent violations related to product listings, community guidelines, and more.
"You’ll have access to a full team of subject matter experts, including product, compliance, inventory, logistics, marketing, and content; working together to maximize your sales and margins."
With experience managing over 40,000 unique products and handling $550 million in sales, Emplicit identifies potential compliance risks before they become problems. This proactive approach not only protects your account but also boosts performance, maintaining strong Shop Performance Scores that can unlock exclusive seller programs and partnerships with TikTok creators.
Conclusion
Grasping the ins and outs of TikTok Shop requirements is a critical step toward thriving on this fast-growing platform. With its global revenue expected to hit $33.2 billion in 2024 – and U.S. shoppers contributing approximately $9 billion – the potential for sellers is immense.
Key Points for TikTok Shop Sellers
To succeed on TikTok Shop, start by meeting the basic requirements: sellers must be at least 18 years old and provide valid U.S. identification along with proof of residency. The approval process is fairly quick, usually taking 24 to 48 hours.
When setting up your account, consider whether an Individual or Business account best suits your needs. Individual accounts are ideal for smaller-scale sellers, while Business accounts unlock additional tools like advanced analytics, multi-user access, and seamless integration with business systems.
Have your documentation ready before applying. This includes payment details, tax information, shipping preferences, and a clear return policy. Staying compliant and maintaining strong performance metrics are vital for long-term success on the platform.
Since TikTok thrives on entertainment, producing engaging video content is key to connecting with its audience.
Next Steps for Getting Started
Now that you know the essentials, it’s time to dive in. Head over to the TikTok Shop Seller Center to complete your eligibility check and gather the necessary documentation. Start small – list one product to fine-tune your shipping, marketing, and content strategies before expanding.
Focus on creating eye-catching video content. Use trending music, popular sounds, and relevant hashtags to tap into TikTok’s impressive 5.96% average engagement rate.
Running a TikTok Shop can be demanding. From creating consistent content to managing inventory and ensuring compliance, the workload can pile up. Some sellers choose to partner with specialized agencies to handle these responsibilities, allowing them to focus on their core business.
Whether you decide to manage your TikTok Shop yourself or enlist the help of experts like Emplicit, now is the time to take action and seize the opportunity.
FAQs
What’s the difference between signing up as an Individual seller and a Business seller on TikTok Shop?
The key distinction comes down to the account type and the paperwork involved. Individual sellers are private individuals, aged 18 or older, who need to provide personal identification, like a government-issued ID. Business sellers, however, are registered companies that must submit official business documentation, such as an EIN and proof of ownership.
Another important difference is that business sellers act as legally recognized entities, while individual sellers operate on a personal basis. Deciding which option is best depends on whether you’re selling as yourself or representing a business.
How can I increase my Shop Performance Score (SPS) on TikTok Shop to unlock exclusive seller benefits?
To improve your Shop Performance Score (SPS) on TikTok Shop, prioritize creating a great experience for your customers. Make sure your products are high quality, ship orders on time, and maintain friendly, responsive customer service. Positive reviews and feedback from buyers play a big role in keeping your score strong.
Keep an eye on your account health and address any issues, like disputes or complaints, as quickly as possible. Once your SPS crosses 2.5, you can tap into TikTok’s promotional tools and gain access to exclusive seller programs, giving your shop even more visibility. Staying consistent and proactive will set you up for long-term success.
How can I make sure my product listings meet TikTok Shop’s guidelines and avoid any penalties?
To keep your product listings in line with TikTok Shop’s rules and steer clear of penalties, focus on creating listings that are accurate, detailed, and meet their standards. Use clear, high-quality images (minimum 600 x 600 pixels) to showcase your items and include truthful, thorough descriptions that match TikTok’s content guidelines. Stay away from blurry photos or descriptions that could mislead buyers.
Double-check that your products aren’t on TikTok’s list of prohibited or restricted items, and if needed, provide the proper safety certifications or documentation. It’s also important to verify your business credentials, like your business license and tax ID, to ensure compliance.
Make it a habit to review TikTok Shop’s policies regularly. Staying informed about their rules on product quality and restricted items will help you confidently list your products without running into issues.