Since its inception in 2016, TikTok has become one of the most popular apps worldwide, with over 1 billion users. Its interactivity and massive user base provide opportunities to build a successful dropshipping business. Read on to learn the ins and outs of TikTok dropshipping and how to succeed in it.
Dropshipping is a business model that allows you to sell products without keeping inventory. You’ll outsource the procurement and shipment to a third party and focus more on marketing.
TikTok dropshipping is a model that leverages TikTok to generate buzz for your products. It involves using TikTok to advertise your products, leveraging its massive reach to build a loyal customer base.
Using TikTok to create a successful dropshipping business is similar to leveraging Instagram or Facebook. Social media platforms let you advertise to the perfect target audience and get higher conversion rates.
TikTok offers a native e-commerce platform called TikTok Shop. You can create an account on this platform, list products, and sell them directly to TikTok users. Many dropshippers use this platform to promote their products and get high sales.
TikTok is a video-based app. Hence, TikTok dropshipping revolves around promotional videos to entice people to buy your product.
With dropshipping, you’ll focus primarily on marketing while outsourcing procurement and shipment to a third party. Zendrop is the perfect third party that gives you access to high-quality manufacturers with industry-leading shipping.
TikTok has over 1 billion active users across virtually all niches. Think of any niche, such as technology, cosmetics, toys, gaming, home decor, eco-friendly products, etc., and you’ll likely find people interested in it on TikTok.
TikTok has a massive user base spread across many countries.
Source: Statista
The massive user base provides ample opportunities to find your target market and promote your products. The average TikTok user spends nearly 6 minutes on TikTok, compared to 2 minutes and 44 seconds on Instagram and 3 minutes and 42 seconds on Facebook. This higher engagement rate makes TikTok dropshipping lucrative if you play your cards right.
The beauty of dropshipping on TikTok is that you don’t need significant capital to start. TikTok doesn’t charge you money to create an account and post videos. You can build an audience on this app without spending considerable money.
Even when you want to run ads, TikTok lets you create campaigns with as low as $20. Dropshipping is very scalable, so you can always increase your budget as your business grows. The starting point is affordable for most entrepreneurs.
TikTok has over 1 billion active users, including 120 million in the U.S. alone. Few other apps provide the massive audience reach you’ll find on TikTok. You can promote your content to users in virtually any country and niche.
TikTok has many communities you can become a part of and showcase your products. Not every TikTok user is a customer, but the enormous traffic source is unbeatable. With the right content, it’s easy to build an audience and loyal customer base.
You have flexible options to promote your products for TikTok dropshipping. You can create pre-recorded videos for your products, e.g., a guide demonstrating how to apply a makeup kit. You can also stream live videos to promote your content, e.g., a makeup tutorial suggesting viewers try your cosmetics.
Likewise, you can collaborate with TikTok influencers in your niche. You’ll pay the influencers upfront or offer commissions for every sale they generate.
A shoutout from a reputable influencer can significantly boost your TikTok dropshipping success. The flexible marketing options make dropshipping with TikTok Shop easier for the average entrepreneur.
Rapidly changing trends drive TikTok. Many products go viral and cool off in short periods. These evolving trends provide ample opportunities to test new products and win customers’ hearts. If you notice a product trending in your niche, you can swiftly list and promote it to TikTok users.
Even if you don’t succeed with the current trend, you can always watch out for new trends and try your luck. Dropshipping with TikTok Shop is effective because it lets you quickly test products and adjust your content for better results.
TikTok dropshipping is a very competitive space. Multitudes of dropshippers are attracted to TikTok’s massive user base and high engagement, so you’ll likely face tough competition in your niche.
However, competition shouldn’t discourage you from dropshipping on TikTok. Having a unique value proposition and competitive prices helps you stand out from the rest.
Like most other social media platforms, TikTok has restrictions. Some products are prohibited from the TikTok Shop, such as alcohol and tobacco, adult content, maternity products, iGaming, and supplements.
If your dropshipping business lies in these niches, TikTok is an unsuitable place to build a customer base.
We’ve mentioned TikTok being driven by rapidly changing trends, which constitutes both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the bright side, rapid trends help you latch onto new viral products and make money.
However, volatile trends lead to inconsistent sales. You could latch onto a trend that dies out within days, with no option but to find another product despite your earlier marketing efforts.
In TikTok dropshipping, you’re dependent on third-party suppliers to send products to customers, and any little mishap from the supplier reflects on your business. For example, delayed shipments can cause customers to cease ordering from your store, and low-quality products can cause buyers to request returns.
To mitigate this issue, research extensively when choosing suppliers. Check previous reviews to see if a supplier offers high-quality products and quick shipping. Luckily, you don’t need to go far to find the best suppliers.
Zendrop links you with first-rate product manufacturers offering super fast shipping and excellent customer service to keep your TikTok dropshipping business running smoothly.
The first step is researching the products to list in your store. You need extensive research, not mere intuition. The most popular products for TikTok dropshipping include cosmetics, toys, jewelry, fashion, and accessories.
TikTok works best for products with visual appeal, such as cosmetics, where viewers are wowed by the videos they watch.
It's advisable to choose a niche market with less competition. Selling products that most merchants already sell reduces your chances of winning customers. Zendrop gives you access to 1 million+ products to list on your TikTok dropshipping store, so it’s a good starting point.
Suppliers make or break your dropshipping business, so choosing a reliable supplier is non-negotiable. You need suppliers that provide high-quality products and quick shipping times.
Research extensively about a supplier before choosing them. Read reviews and feedback from dropshippers who have previously worked with the supplier.
Fortunately, Zendrop removes the stress of choosing suppliers. Our platform gives you access to a vetted supply chain offering first-rate products and industry-leading shipping.
Unlike other dropshipping apps that link you with random products sourced from AliExpress, we control the supply chain for our products to guarantee quality.
After choosing a product and vetted supplier, the next step is building an online store to showcase your products and receive payments. This process might seem technically complex, but it isn’t.
E-commerce platforms like Shopify and Wix have simplified the process of creating an online store. They handle the complex backend aspects while you focus on design and marketing.
Visit the TikTok website to create a business account. Registration requires basic information about your business, such as name, niche, and location.
A TikTok business account gives comprehensive analytics for your videos and complementary tools like a commercial music library to spice up your content. After all, a lovely song might keep someone glued to your video.
Source: TikTok
Apply for a TikTok Shop account on the official website. Registration requires providing many details about your business, including the legal business name, registered address, and employer identification number (EIN).
TikTok Shop is only available for merchants in the U.S., Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, and the U.K. TikTok reserves the right to approve or deny your application.
Source: TikTok
TikTok Shop lets you sell products from your online store directly on the app. You can link your online store, and users can buy products without leaving the TikTok app.
This seamless purchasing experience encourages TikTok users to purchase items from your store. Dropshipping on TikTok Shop can be lucrative if you deliver engaging content to your target audience.
TikTok provides extensive opportunities for promoting your products. You can partner with influencers who have a loyal following and solid reputation in your niche. A recommendation from a fairly popular influencer can greatly boost your sales.
You can also rely on user-generated promotional content, offering discounts to people who talk about your products. When people post about your product on their TikTok pages, you’ll get significant brand reach without much effort.
Sample TikTok ads
Source: TikTok
When people buy a product on your TikTok dropshipping store, you should ship it to them quickly. Dropshipping involves outsourcing procurement and shipment to suppliers, so your suppliers should offer quick shipping and high-quality products.
Zendrop links you to the best suppliers that fulfill orders efficiently. With Zendrop, you can automate your dropshipping process and focus more on building a distinct brand.
We’ve mentioned extensively researching the products to sell on your TikTok dropshipping store. This research is crucial to your success, as certain products sell more on TikTok than others. Let’s explore the top product categories for TikTok Shop dropshipping.
People spend a lot on the clothes they wear. TikTok is perfect for fashion items because many users check the app for clothing ideas. When a user sees a piece of clothing they love on a TikTok video, chances are they’ll save it for future reference or buy it immediately. You can make high-quality videos to promote your fashion items and earn money.
Many people, specifically women, spend significant amounts on personal care items. The beauty and personal care market is worth over $600 billion and is projected to surpass $700 billion by 2027.
TikTok users often scroll through endless recommendations for personal care products and won’t hesitate to buy something they love. This niche is ideal for collaborating with beauty & personal care influencers to promote your product.
You’d be surprised how much people are willing to spend on home decor products. Many TikTok users check the app for ideas on beautifying their homes. You can give them this content and recommend your products.
Promoting home decor items to the ideal target audience helps you get high sales. The key is using high-quality visuals and having a clear value proposition, e.g., “This mirror beautifies and lights up your living space.”
Source: Today.com
Source: MOFT
You can leverage TikTok's trends and algorithms to maximize your product visibility. This involves constantly monitoring trending topics and adapting your content to match the trends.
Pay attention to trending songs and include them in your promotional videos. Someone might try to ignore your video, but the music could be what keeps them glued.
TikTok’s algorithm prioritizes informative content that viewers will likely watch from start to finish. Hence, any product you’re promoting should have a clear value proposition.
For example, you can advertise a makeup brush set by creating a tutorial video with the brushes. Someone who watches the video might love the brushes and place an order on your TikTok dropshipping store.
TikTok offers a self-serve ad platform for businesses. You can use it to create ads for the ideal target audience. For example, if you’re selling male suits, you can create promotional videos and show them to men between 30 and 40 in the U.S. who have shown previous interest in suits. TikTok lets you target ads according to gender, location, device type, behavior, and other factors.
Influencers command respect on TikTok. A shoutout from the right influencer can lead to a massive sales boost, so leveraging influencers is vital to learning how to dropship with TikTok Shop.
You can contact influencers to discuss a potential partnership. Some influencers demand upfront payment, while others can work with commissions. The golden rule is that the more popular an influencer is, the more you’ll pay them.
However, popularity doesn’t always translate into sales. What’s essential is choosing a relevant influencer with a highly engaged audience. You can work with a micro-influencer (1,000 to 100,000 followers), macro-influencer (100,000 to 1 million followers) or mega-influencer (1 million+ followers).
You can build a formidable organic TikTok presence with consistent posting and user-generated content. For example, a cosmetic brand can ask customers to post videos of their products in exchange for discounts.
When people post videos of themselves trying out the cosmetic kits, they spread the word about the brand. The posters get a discount, and the brand receives substantial organic exposure, which is a win-win.
No business stays the same size forever. Scaling is crucial to learning how to dropship on TikTok Shop, so let’s explore the tenets.
Automating mundane tasks helps your business scale more efficiently. For example, you can automatically import products from a dropshipping app and list them on your store with a specific markup.
You can automate order fulfillment so that every customer’s order is automatically sent to the supplier for fulfillment. You could automate importing best-selling products in your niche to keep up with trends.
Optimizing your product listings is also essential when learning how to dropship on TikTok Shop. This optimization includes using high-quality images, adding alternative text to images, and adding clear product descriptions for search engine indexing.
Zendrop lets you automate the core aspects of your dropshipping business. Any order will be automatically passed to the supplier for fulfillment. Our network connects you to suppliers who ship orders speedily and offer high-quality products. Round-the-clock support is available if you need external help.
The buck doesn’t stop with knowing how to dropship on TikTok. Over time, you can expand your dropshipping business from TikTok to other social platforms. Instagram and Facebook let you sell directly on their apps, so you can list your products and find ideal customers.
YouTube also provides ample opportunities to promote your products and increase sales. Diversifying your customer sources is a wise decision, so don’t hesitate to expand when you have the chance.
Automation makes managing high order volumes on your TikTok dropshipping store easier. When someone places a large order, the details should be automatically passed to the supplier for speedy fulfillment. However, you should also keep track of the orders and swiftly respond to any issues.
Always respond to customers’ inquiries, such as when they’ll receive their order or the quality of your items. Large customers are crucial to your business, so always be willing to go the extra mile for them.
TikTok dropshipping is a very competitive sector. Numerous sellers use TikTok, so it takes considerable time and effort to differentiate your brand. This challenge is common with dropshippers, but you can take proven steps to help your brand stand out.
Because many dropshippers use the same suppliers, custom branding and customer service are the best places to stand out. Offer superb customer support, answering every question and guiding them to choose the right products. Your products should have a clear value proposition to entice buyers. Likewise, monitor your competitors’ prices and keep yours on par.
Running TikTok Ads can get expensive, especially in competitive niches. Dropshippers often lack significant capital for marketing campaigns, but you can innovate around this issue.
Detailed targeting gives the best results for your advertising budget. Have a clear picture of your target audience before running a campaign. As a small-time seller, you can work with micro-influencers with less than 100,000 followers, which are more affordable. You can always increase your marketing budget as you get higher sales.
Many TikTok dropshippers struggle with delivering orders quickly and responding to customers’ inquiries. You can solve the former by choosing the right suppliers offering industry-leading shipping. Zendrop links you with this cohort of suppliers.
The key to customer service is responding swiftly to messages. Provide honest answers and try your best to answer users’ questions. Superior customer support keeps customers loyal to your store.
TikTok dropshipping can be lucrative when you follow the proper procedures. These include researching the best products and choosing reliable suppliers with superfast shipping.
Zendrop gives you access to a well-vetted dropshipping supply chain with a diverse product range. Many dropshippers have built successful businesses with Zendrop, so you can join them and begin your dropshipping journey.
Yes, TikTok’s massive user base and high engagement rates make it good for dropshipping. Many TikTok users scour the app for product recommendations, and selling the products can be lucrative. Learning how to dropship on TikTok Shop is a productive endeavor.
The best-selling TikTok products include perfumes, hair care & skincare items, makeup, clothing, and accessories. TikTok thrives on aesthetic videos, so any product that looks appealing on videos is perfect for the app.
The first step is researching the product(s) to sell and choosing reliable suppliers. Then, you’ll create an online store to list the products. Afterward, sign up for a TikTok business account and apply for TikTok Shop. If approved, you can start selling products immediately on TikTok.
You can run TikTok Ads targeted at your ideal customer profile. You can also partner with influencers to promote your products. Likewise, consistent posting helps you build a solid organic presence and get customers.
Yes, you can connect your Shopify store directly to TikTok to manage inventory and advertising campaigns. Orders placed via TikTok Shop will be fulfilled on your Shopify dashboard.
Getting approved for TikTok Shop requires various documents, including a government-issued business registration certificate, a valid business bank account for verification, tax information, and government-issued personal identification.
The key to going viral is creating content people can relate to. Monitor trends and create videos related to the latest trends. Your videos should be informative and of high graphical quality.
