How to sell on TikTok: Set up your shop and start selling

Published Friday 16 January 2026

Table of contents

• What is TikTok Shop?
• TikTok Shop requirements and costs
• How to set up TikTok
• How to set up TikTok Shop
• How to promote on TikTok
• Keep track of TikTok sales with Xero
• FAQs on selling on TikTok

Key takeaways

• Set up TikTok Shop by completing registration, verifying your identity documents, linking a bank account, and adding high-quality product images with clear descriptions to create a professional storefront that converts browsers into buyers.
• Create authentic organic content that showcases your brand's personality, provides educational value, and incorporates trending formats while giving followers behind-the-scenes access to build community engagement.
• Utilize TikTok's advertising options strategically, including in-feed native video ads (9-15 seconds), brand takeover ads for maximum visibility, and hashtag challenges to encourage user-generated content that expands your reach.
• Track your TikTok sales systematically by integrating accounting software like Xero with TikTok Shop to automatically reconcile ecommerce transactions and manage your business cash flow without manual data entry.

What is TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop is the platform's built-in ecommerce solution. It allows you to sell products directly to customers within the TikTok app.

Your products can appear in shoppable videos, during live streams, and in a dedicated shop tab on your profile. This creates a seamless shopping experience, letting users buy items without ever leaving the app.

TikTok Shop requirements and costs

To start selling, you'll need a TikTok for Business account and be based in a supported region, like the UK. You don't need a minimum number of followers to set up a shop.

Setting up your shop is free. TikTok charges a small commission fee on each sale you make, which is deducted automatically after an order is placed.

How to set up TikTok

TikTok for Business provides small businesses with tools to promote products and drive sales through video content. The platform integrates seamlessly with your existing digital marketing and e-commerce strategy.

A TikTok business account is required to access selling features and analytics. Here's how to create one and unlock TikTok's commerce tools.

1. Create your account

Follow these steps to create your account:

1. Download the TikTok app and sign up with your business email
2. Choose a recognizable username that matches your brand name as closely as possible
3. Select an alternative if your brand name isn't available, keeping it similar for customer recognition

Complete your profile with these essential elements:

• Business description: Write one compelling line explaining what you do and who you serve
• Profile picture: Upload your brand logo for instant recognition
• Social media links: Add links to your other platforms to drive cross-platform traffic

2. Switch to a business account

Switch to a business account in three steps:

1. Tap the three lines in the top right corner of your profile
2. Select 'Settings and Privacy' then tap 'Account'
3. Choose 'Switch to Business Account' and select your business category

3. Create organic content

Organic content is free content you create without advertising spend. This includes videos, stories, and photos that attract users and drive sales on TikTok.

Create effective content using these approaches:

• Entertaining content: Showcase your personality and brand culture
• Educational content: Share tips, tutorials, and industry insights
• Research competitors: Study successful content in your industry
• Use TikTok's Creative Centre: Access trending formats and inspiration

Give people on TikTok a behind-the-scenes view of your business. Show them your team, values, culture and product demos. Involve them in product decisions such as new colours, sizes and designs. Many TikTok users are seeking a sense of community and involvement. If your brand can make them feel part of something bigger, they'll be more inclined to engage with you.

Pay attention to trending videos and see how you could replicate them for your brand. Trends are things that are already popular on TikTok, so people will be watching more of those types of videos. If a recycling challenge goes viral, it could be a great time to show off your sustainable clothing brand that uses recycled materials.

Incorporating trending sounds, visuals, and formats is good every once in a while, but don't make it your whole strategy. This can come off as inauthentic if the trend doesn't link back to what you do. If you're feeling bold, try to start a trend of your own.

How to set up TikTok Shop

You have an account and you're creating engaging content. Now let's look at how to set up a TikTok shop so you can start selling your products.

Step 1: Create a shop

Complete TikTok Shop registration in two steps:

1. Visit the TikTok Shop registration page and authorize access to your TikTok account
2. Access the Seller Centre to manage customer service, analytics, and seller education

The Seller Centre serves as your central hub for all TikTok e-commerce activities.

Provide these required business details:

• Contact information: Your name and phone number
• Business address: Primary business location
• Warehouse address: Product storage or pickup location
• Return address: Where customers send returns

Step 2: Verify your documents

Identity verification is required before you can start selling. UK sellers can verify using:

• UK passport
• UK driving licence

Additional documents may be required based on your business structure. The Seller Centre will guide you through specific requirements for sole traders or corporations. For example, in the UK you must register for Self Assessment as a sole trader if you earn more than £1,000 in a tax year.

Step 3: Bind a bank account

Bank account linking enables payment processing and returns management. Set this up in three steps:

1. Click 'Link Bank Account' in the Seller Centre
2. Select 'Link Account' and enter your banking details
3. Provide required information: Account name, bank name, account number, and business address

Step 4: Add your products and begin selling

Product setup completes your TikTok Shop launch. Follow these best practices:

• Use high-quality images: Professional photos make products stand out
• Maintain visual consistency: Create a cohesive catalog that looks professional
• Write clear titles: Keep product names concise and descriptive
• Include key details: Add essential product information like sizing and materials in descriptions to avoid returns. For clothing, this is especially important, as a badly fitting item can cause a return rate of around 60%.

There's a lot you can do for free on TikTok, but you might want to explore setting up TikTok Shop ads too.

How to promote on TikTok

Selling without ads is absolutely possible on TikTok. However, strategic advertising can expand your reach significantly.

TikTok users expect authentic content that provides:

• Personality: Show your brand's human side
• Education: Share valuable tips and insights
• Entertainment: Create engaging, watchable content

Avoid hard sales tactics that feel pushy or inauthentic.

Here are some ways to promote on TikTok using ads that engage your target audience.

1. In-feed native video ads

These ads are less intrusive than traditional adverts. When you navigate a website, pop-ups disrupt your browsing. By contrast, in-feed ads appear in the same place as other videos your target audience might watch (on their 'For You' page). You'll still need to make them super engaging to stop users from scrolling to the next clip.

Keep in-feed ads short and snappy. Nine to 15 seconds is the ideal length, and don't forget to link your products in the advert so that TikTok users can shop for them.

Tracking your ad performance metrics can help you determine if a campaign is working. You can monitor clicks, impressions, views, view time, and engagement with the TikTok ads manager. Review these stats regularly and don't be afraid to test different ads until you find something that works.

2. Brand takeovers

Brand takeover ads are bolder than in-feed ads. They're the first thing TikTok users see when they open the app, and because the entire ad is clickable, a single tap can take users through to your store.

These ads have high visibility and remarkably high click-through rates. The average global click-through rate for a social media ad hovers just under 1%, but brands can see rates in the double digits for TikTok ads generally.

Brand takeovers typically take the form of animations or videos with links, and you can use them to form the basis of hashtag challenges. For example, your sustainable clothing brand invites users to share their favourite recycling tip for the chance to win a store discount.

A good example is Too Faced's brand takeover ad. The cosmetic company used a single ad to showcase the effects of one of its most popular products. Too Faced drove 2.54 million unique impressions and 1.3 million clicks to the product page, with an overall click-through rate of 18.35%.

3. Hashtag challenges

Running a branded hashtag challenge can help you engage your audience, and inspire them to create content that relates to your business. The idea is that you produce a piece of content with a specific branded hashtag, and invite others to recreate their own version of the content.

Let's use the example of a sustainable clothing brand again. Your hashtag challenge could be a video of you styling the same piece of clothing in different ways, demonstrating the value of versatile clothing items. Create a unique hashtag for the content and invite other people to share their own outfit recycling videos with the same hashtag.

Hashtag challenges aim to build a community around an idea that connects back to your brand. When your audience shares their own videos, their followers see that content too and help you promote on TikTok.

For the best result, pick a unique hashtag that relates to your brand. You can search hashtags like #smallbusiness to find inspiration.

Keep track of TikTok sales with Xero

Now you know how to sell on TikTok Shop, it's time to plan for your sales income.

Xero apps like Open Payout and Synder integrate with TikTok so you can easily track ecommerce sales and inventory. Reconcile TikTok ecommerce sales in Xero without having to manually import them.

Our accounting software for ecommerce businesses can help you manage TikTok sales as part of your business cash flow, so you can focus on publishing your next piece of content to bring those sales in. Try Xero for free.

FAQs on selling on TikTok

Here are answers to some common questions about selling on TikTok.

How do I add a product link to a video?

After uploading your video but before posting, select the 'Add link' option. From there, choose 'Product' and select the item from your shop catalogue. When you publish the video, it will feature a shoppable link.

Is it free to sell on TikTok?

Yes, signing up for TikTok Shop is free. There are no setup or product listing fees, and you are only charged a commission fee when a product is sold. However, be aware of other tax obligations; for instance, UK sellers must register for VAT if their business’s VAT taxable turnover is more than £90,000 a year.

Do you need 1000 followers to sell on TikTok?

No, you do not need 1000 followers to use TikTok Shop. As a registered business or sole trader, you can set up a shop and start selling regardless of your follower count.