A Step-by-Step Guide to Opening and Setting Up Your TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is rapidly gaining popularity as a new e-commerce channel, thanks to TikTok’s massive global audience. The platform integrates shopping features directly into TikTok, allowing users to find and purchase items without leaving the app. Its popularity stems from its seamless mix of entertainment and commerce, offering a unique opportunity for sellers to engage with potential customers in creative ways.
In this article, we’ll guide you through essential tips that are sure to help you succeed when starting your TikTok shop.
Table of contents
What is TikTok Shop?
How to Set Up TikTok Shop
What to Sell in Your TikTok Shop
How to Integrate Your Store with TikTok Shop
Optimizing Your TikTok Shop for Sales
What is TikTok Shop?
TikTok Shop is a built-in e-commerce feature within the TikTok app that allows businesses to showcase and sell their products directly to the platform’s users. Sellers can create a TikTok Shop, link their payment methods, and manage their sales through an integrated system.
As of 2025, TikTok Shop has experienced significant growth. In the first half of 2025, the platform’s global Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) reached $26.2 billion, doubling from the previous year. In the U.S. alone, GMV increased by 91% year-over-year, totaling $5.8 billion.
This platform’s key advantages include access to a younger audience, easy integration with other sales channels (like Amazon, Shopify, etc.), and the ability to promote products through viral content. Approximately 58% of TikTok users directly on the platform, equating to over 1 billion global shoppers, with around 70 million in the United States.
TikTok Shop provides an excellent way for all business owners to start a business or expand existing sales channels, whether they’re beginners or experienced sellers, in order to leverage TikTok’s algorithm to drive traffic and sales.