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Launching a TikTok Shop in the United States is the fastest way to put your products inside the world’s most engaged social-commerce feed. US consumers now spend more than 1 hour per day on TikTok, and according to Insider Intelligence the platform is projected to generate 62 billion USD in US e-commerce sales by the end of 2025. If you want a piece of that pie, the clock is ticking.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know – eligibility rules, platform fees, and a lightning-fast 7-day launch plan – so you can start selling to real American audiences next week.
- TikTok’s algorithm now surfaces in-feed Shop listings next to organic videos, eliminating extra clicks.
- Early sellers receive discounted commission rates and prominent placements in Live Shopping carousels.
- Brands that launched in Q1 2025 report a 17 percent lower cost per acquisition compared with Instagram Shops (source: CommerceNext survey, May 2025).
TikTok keeps tightening seller requirements to protect buyer trust. Before you apply, confirm you can tick every box below.
1. Legal entity in the United States
• LLC, C-Corp, or Sole Proprietorship registered in any US state.
• Foreign companies must either form a US subsidiary or join the separate Cross-Border program that caps category selection and requires overseas fulfillment.
2. Employer Identification Number (EIN)
Matches the legal name and address on your formation documents.
3. US-based bank account
TikTok Shop processes payouts via ACH in USD only.
4. Government-issued ID for the account owner
Passport or state ID photograph must match a live selfie during verification.
5. US return address
TikTok’s buyer-protection policy mandates domestic returns within 30 days.
6. Compliant product catalog
• No restricted categories (vapes, supplements making FDA claims, weapons).
• UPC or GTIN codes for each SKU.
• Clear ingredient lists and fabric composition where applicable.
7. Content policy adherence
Your TikTok account must be free of Community Guideline strikes and must disclose sponsorships where required by the FTC.
If you operate outside the United States, TokPortal can provision a fully verified US TikTok account tied to a local LLC and SIM registration, giving you a compliant foundation to pass steps 1 through 4 without flying in-country.
TikTok uses a blended fee model that combines commission and payment processing.
- Commission: 2 percent of the item subtotal through December 31 2025 (introductory rate). It reverts to 4 percent on January 1 2026.
- Payment fee: 30 cents per transaction.
- Referral incentives: Up to 50 percent commission reduction on your first 90 days if you meet TikTok’s New Seller Milestones (five fulfilled orders plus 100 USD GMV).
- Optional ads and affiliate payouts: Budget dependent, not mandatory for launch.
Put simply, a 25 USD product sold in 2025 costs you 2 percent × 25 USD = 0.50 USD plus 0.30 USD, or 0.80 USD total. That is materially cheaper than Amazon FBA’s 15 percent referral plus fulfillment fees.
Time is money. Follow this day-by-day roadmap to move from zero to open storefront in a single week.
Create a shared drive with PDF copies of formation papers, EIN letter, bank statement, driver’s license, and your first five product photos. Triple-check that all business names and addresses match.
1. Visit Seller.TikTok.com and select United States.
2. Complete business verification. Expect an instant decision if information matches IRS records.
3. Link your TikTok account or request a new US handle through TokPortal if you are abroad.
- Upload at least five SKUs.
- Write titles under 34 characters with the primary keyword first.
- Add three lifestyle images plus one white-background hero shot.
- Enable Video Shopping by linking an existing TikTok video or scheduling one inside TokPortal’s dashboard.
1. Select USPS or UPS discounted labels inside the dashboard.
2. Enter carrier pickup times.
3. Add a prepaid return address (3PL or home office).
4. Activate free shipping for orders above 30 USD; TikTok’s algorithm boosts sellers with lower buyer friction.
- Link your US checking account via Stripe Connect.
- Enable automatic sales-tax calculation across 46 marketplace facilitator states.
- Download the exemption certificate for your records.
Produce or repurpose at least six short videos:
- Two 15-second problem-solution hooks.
- Two aesthetic demos using trending US audio.
- One live unboxing teaser.
- One creator stitch or duet.
Schedule them at 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time via TokPortal for the next three days. Each video should tag one catalog item to activate product anchors.
- Open your storefront and toggle products to “public.”
- Go Live for 30 minutes demonstrating your best-selling SKU. Pin the item to the stream.
- Offer a 10 percent Live-only coupon. TikTok’s Boosted Live module accelerates reach for streams with coupon engagement above 20 percent.
1. Pull the Shop Performance report.
2. Identify click-through-rate leaders and duplicate their hook style in next week’s videos.
3. Turn on the Affiliate Marketplace and set a 15 percent commission to recruit US creators.
4. If you are overseas, continue uploading through TokPortal to avoid location mismatches that suppress reach.
Congratulations – you are officially a US TikTok Shop seller.
- Fulfill within 72 hours to maintain a Good shipping score.
- Respond to all messages within 24 hours. Response rate under 90 percent downgrades your Shop Quality label.
- Refresh your catalog every 30 days with new bundles or seasonal SKUs to stay in TikTok’s New Item Push carousel.
- Run weekly Lives. Shops that stream at least 50 minutes per week average 2.3× higher GMV.
1. Using a VPN to manage the seller account – TikTok flags IP inconsistencies and can freeze payouts. TokPortal provides secure, US-validated endpoints to keep your sessions clean.
2. Copy-pasting Amazon listings – TikTok prioritizes native language and informal tone. Rewrite product descriptions accordingly.
3. Ignoring local fulfillment – Overseas shipping times longer than nine days trigger automatic order cancellations.
4. Late compliance updates – Categories like cosmetics now require ingredient certificate uploads. Monitor TikTok’s policy emails weekly.
- View-through rate on shoppable videos ≥ 8 percent.
- Product clicks per 1000 impressions ≥ 42.
- Add-to-cart rate ≥ 4 percent.
- Fulfillment defect rate ≤ 2 percent.
Hit or exceed these benchmarks, and TikTok’s algorithm will continue pushing your products to higher-value buyers.
Whether you operate from New York or New Delhi, TokPortal gives you everything you need to launch and manage a genuine US TikTok account, schedule shoppable videos, and reach real American audiences without geographic headaches.
Start your 14-day free trial at https://www.tokportal.com and turn your product catalog into a US TikTok Shop success story today.
Any question? Contact us.
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