Everything You Need to Know about Shipping on TikTok Shop

From entertaining videos to makeup tutorials, the content on TikTok succeeds by drawing users in and inspiring them to stay within the app as they scroll.

But outside of informational, educational, or entertainment videos, TikTok now offers users the chance to buy products in real-time as they watch.

With customer demand and the expectation for the goods they want and the speed in which it arrives continuing to grow, TikTok Shop and its shipping exists to help bridge the gap.

Of all the social platforms, it has been reported that TikTok users are the most susceptible to impulse-buying, which could explain how in 2023, an estimated 37% of TikTok users in the U.S. made purchases through links on the app.

So for SMEs and businesses looking to grow or reach new audiences, more are turning to TikTok Shop. Which as a result, means more are looking at how they can sell, pack, and ship on TikTok around the globe. 

In this guide we will cover:

• What is TikTok Shipping?

• How does TikTok Shipping work? 

• How much does it cost to ship on TikTok? 

• How long does it take to deliver?

• TikTok Tracking

• How 3PLs and Veeqo can help 

What is TikTok Shipping? 

Whether it is purchasing a new lipstick from an influencer’s LIVE or buying new products from a brand’s page, with native purchasing at the heart of TikTok’s shopping focus, users can buy goods from around the world, without even leaving the TikTok app.

40% of Americans use TikTok as a search engine now and within the same study they found 26% of TikTok users use the platform specifically for product recommendations.

Because of this, more sellers are looking to reach new audiences and engage with potential customers by listing their items on TikTok Shop. 

When we talk about TikTok shipping, this relates to the packing and shipment part of the process a customer goes through when buying on TikTok as they scroll. 

TikTok sellers can ship packages two ways, either themselves or by TikTok.

The clear dashboard and interface makes it simple for sellers to keep tabs on their shipments and customers can keep a close eye on where their product is and when they can expect to receive it.

This means both seller and customer have a clear picture of their shipment. 

Further reading: Everything You Need to Know About TikTok Shop  

Ship by seller

Choosing this option means sellers handle the packing and shipping of their inventory.

To help sellers send with relevant and trusted carriers, TikTok offers their own list of advised carriers so sellers can feel confident knowing their customers will receive their orders.

For example, some of the recommended suppliers in the U.S. include DHL, USPS and FedEx. 

Ship by TikTok

With so many shipping softwares available, for businesses wanting to free up their day to focus on other things, Ship by TikTok provides an easy and painless order fulfillment process with clear timelines for orders and shipments.

Choosing this shipping option means sellers are still responsible for packing the orders but they need to manually update the order status to “To Ship - Awaiting Collection” within two business days. 

Once the packages are packed and ready to go, one of the designated carriers will come and collect the shipment within 1 to 2 business days.

To lower the risk of incorrect products and unhappy customers, this is the time where both the seller and the delivery carrier will scan the package to ensure it is correct. Once all is approved and given the green light, the carrier will update the order status to “Shipped” within four business days from the confirmed order payment. 

How does TikTok shipping work? 

Designed to make the shipping process easy to set up and fulfill, TikTok Shipping comes with built-in shipping label creation where you can choose shipping from negotiated carrier rates. 

• You can choose Shipping Options from TikTok Shop’s negotiated rates to buy and print shipping labels, directly from the Seller Center.

• Choose from Standard Shipping and Express Shipping - standard shipping is the default shipping option but the customer may select their own option speed at checkout. 

• Sellers can choose Shipping options from leading carriers such as USPS, UPS, and FedEx.

• Once purchased, businesses have 3 business days to ship the orders - TikTok will automatically assign a service (based on the buyer’s selected shipping options and seller’s preferred carrier) to ensure the order will be delivered within the timeframe. 

The shipping services and timings include:

How much does it cost to ship on TikTok? 

When selling on TikTok, the cost mostly depends on the agreement between the seller and the buyer and this comes from TikTok’s policies and the sellers’ needs.

For example, sellers on TikTok can include the shipping cost in the product price or charge it separately.

Some sellers looking to offer “free shipping” choose to incorporate the price into the final product price as a way to attract and encourage customers to buy from them vs. another seller on the platform. 

For other sellers, they may decide to charge shipping fees separately. The buyer will therefore have to pay extra for their product to be shipped, and they will need to carefully assess the total costs before clicking the final purchase button.

As with most shipments, the final cost of shipping can depend on:

• The size and weight of the product

• Where the shipment is being sent to (and where it is coming from)

• How fast the package is being sent 

• Who it is being sent by (TikTok offer a list of carriers with negotiated rates) 

To try and encourage more of their users to buy products via their platform, TikTok will every now and then run promotions to offer special reduced shipping rates or even free shipping.

While this opportunity can help sellers partner with TikTok to provide attractive shipping for the customer, these promotions often only run for a set time and for set product categories. 

TikTok does not offer free shipping as a standard policy across all transactions and products sold, but individual sellers on the platform do have the option to offer free shipping if they wish to, as mentioned above.

If sellers do choose to offer free shipping (even if it is just included in the final product price), sellers need to state if there are any conditions - such as a minimum purchase requirement.

This way both sellers and buyers can be on the same page when it comes to what they are buying, how much they are paying, and when it should be arriving. 

How long does it take to deliver?

We all know from experience of selling or buying that deliveries do not always go to plan. From natural disasters and bouts of bad weather, things outside of our control can occur.

In normal circumstances, the recommended time frame is within 1 business day after the order date and the cut-off time for sending is within 3 business days. 

In the U.S., if an order has not reached the “shipped” status or been collected or dropped off by the designated carrier within seven days after the order is placed, TikTok Shop will automatically cancel the order. 

TikTok tracking

When sending shipments, providing tracking is essential for keeping customers updated with the whereabouts of their delivery.

Not sure where to find your tracking number? Head to the “Your Orders” page and just below the order details will be the parcel tracking number, within the Track package page.

To track TikTok orders and shipments:

1. Head to your profile and click on the “Your Orders” section which can be found beneath your bio 

2. Click “View All” - this is where you can access all your orders

3. Find the particular order you want to see, click on it, and then you will land on the “Track Package” page

4. Scroll down and you will see tracking information that confirms whether it has been shipped, if it is on its way, or if it is out for delivery 

How 3PLs and software like Veeqo can help 

In addition to TikTok, businesses can integrate with 3PLs such as Amazon and get set up on Shopify. As well as this, Patchworks - our Partner designed for integration between Veeqo and TikTok Shop, helps business owners to reduce data silos and manual transfers.

This integration helps businesses manage their TikTok Shop orders alongside other online marketplaces, so you can focus on optimizing fulfillment processes, scale business sales, efficiency, customer satisfaction, and profitability. 

You can also sign up to Veeqo for free where you can check out our shipping software, shipping rates, automated inventory and analytics and forecasting. 

Further reading: Ecommerce Retailers Guide to Private Label Products 

Whether you are weighing up whether to sell a product with white labels or private labels, or looking at which type of business insurance you need, each day looks different for businesses and finding new ways to reach new customers will always be a core part of the week.

With TikTok Shop, purchasing is designed to be easy and seamless for users, and with an established shipping process, it can ensure there is a smooth purchase-to-delivery journey for customers and sellers alike.