Dropshipping lets people sell items from other companies to buyers without storing the items. So, you can understand that TikTok dropshipping is a business model that uses this social media platform to help make sales. Dropshippers can promote the products available in their online store on TikTok.
Are you interested in learning more about how it works? If you are, there is a full guide for starting your own business. This guide aims to help newcomers get started without having products in their possession.
In this guide, we will cover:
- How does TikTok dropshipping work?
- How to do dropshipping on TikTok?
- Pros and Cons of TikTok dropshipping
- 10 best products to dropship
- How to promote your dropshipping products?
Keep reading to discover TikTok dropshipping now!
How Does TikTok Dropshipping Work?
There are various methods to promote a dropshipping business to create sales, including through TikTok. Let’s quickly explore how TikTok can be utilized for dropshipping.
- You set up a TikTok business profile and connect it to your dropshipping shop.
- To promote your products, you use TikTok, employing methods like ads, influencer collaborations, or organic content.
- Customers notice your advertised items on TikTok, click on them, and buy from your dropshipping store.
- Once an order is placed, you receive payment and shipping fees.
- Next, you forward the customer’s order details to the supplier.
- The supplier manages the packaging and shipping of the customer’s items.
How to Do Dropshipping on TikTok
If you wonder how to make money on TikTok, TikTok dropshipping can be a way. To help you get started with dropshipping on TikTok, we have curated a step-by-step guide for you. Scroll down to learn more.
Step 1. Find a niche/products
The first step in creating a successful TikTok dropshipping store is to select a niche or a sought-after product. A niche represents a specific field, such as sports gear. In this case, your store would specialize solely in sports equipment.
Some dropshippers worry that narrowing down to a niche might limit growth opportunities. If you share the same concern, our advice is to start with a broad niche. For example, you can focus on women’s fashion and expand later. Initially, you might concentrate on selling high-heel shoes, gradually adding items like sneakers, blouses, jackets, and more. It’s crucial, though, to stick strictly to one category—such as apparel—without mixing it with other products like cosmetics, preventing your store from becoming a generic women’s shop.
Even when you’ve chosen a niche for TikTok sales, it’s important to consistently explore new product ideas.
You can employ these product research methods to find TikTok dropshipping products:
- Observe competitors
- Examine TikTok advertisements and hashtags
- Use Google Trends
- Explore best-seller sections from suppliers
For instance, exploring hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt unveils popular products on TikTok that many users have tried themselves.
Step 2. Select a dropshipping supplier
Once you have identified the best-selling products, it’s time to connect with platforms where you can source these items for our store. Choosing a dependable dropshipping supplier is essential. Here are the essential criteria to consider when selecting a top-tier supplier:
- Global warehouses
- Fast delivery periods
- Favorable return, shipping, and payment regulations
- Outstanding customer service
- Diverse and reasonably priced product selection
- Positive feedback from customers
- Various payment alternatives
There are some prominent platforms like AliExpress, Walmart, or CJDropshipping that meet these criteria for your reference.
Step 3. Build a dropshipping store
The next step of doing TikTok dropshipping is creating a store. This means choosing a platform where you can set up your online shop. Specifically, it is a selling channel where your products are displayed, and your TikTok followers will go to make purchases. There are several best-selling platforms and top marketplaces for selling products available, including:
- Shopify
- WooCommerce/WordPress
- Wix
- Facebook Marketplace & Facebook Shops
- eBay
- Amazon
- Etsy
For example, Shopify provides full website customization options. However, it lacks organic traffic. Nevertheless, you can use strategies, like promoting your dropshipping business on TikTok, to reach and engage our audience.
Step 4. Sign up for a TikTok Shop and facilitate TikTok integration
Creating a TikTok account is easy, and it is also the last step in our TikTok dropshipping guide. There are two account options: Personal and Business. You can create a business account by signing up through TikTok Business. While you can switch between personal and business accounts like on Instagram, it’s better to choose the right one from the start.
Once you have a business account, you can apply for a TikTok shop. Do you know what is TikTok Shop? Click the link to learn more. If this option isn’t available yet, it means you don’t qualify; you’ll need at least 1,000 followers to be eligible for the TikTok Shop program. Read our guide on how to set up TikTok Shop for more information
The final step is integrating your TikTok Shop with your online store. This will enable you to manage your TikTok shop from your store dashboard. If you’re using Shopify for your online store, you can integrate your TikTok Shop by clicking the setup buttons in the Sales Channel section of your Shopify dashboard.
Pros and Cons of TikTok Dropshipping
Using TikTok for dropshipping comes with its pros and cons. It’s essential to weigh these aspects before adopting this business model.
Pros
- Low initial costs: You don’t need to store inventory, which helps reduce upfront expenses. Although setting up the a store requires some investment, getting started is relatively straightforward.
- Built-in audience: With around 150 million users in the US, TikTok provides a substantial audience pool. While not everyone will convert to customers, having access to such a vast user base simplifies initiating a business.
- Various ways to promote: TikTok isn’t solely about video creation; it offers diverse marketing opportunities. Additionally, you can integrate TikTok with other platforms into a broader marketing strategy, extending beyond solely relying on the platform for dropshipping ventures.
Cons
- No assurance of conversions: While the platform enjoys high engagement due to its content style, turning viewers into buyers isn’t guaranteed. Without a robust marketing strategy, your efforts on TikTok might not yield results.
- High competition: TikTok dropshipping might be a fresh trend, but it doesn’t imply there’s no competition. If your products overlap with those offered by dropshippers with larger audiences, making sales could be challenging.
- Limited customer support: TikTok offers customer support akin to other social media platforms, yet many customer reviews have shown discontent with the support quality. Additionally, content creators leveraging the platform to earn income have expressed dissatisfaction with their overall treatment.
10 Best Products to Do TikTok Dropshipping
In TikTok dropshipping, it’s ideal to focus on trending items that offer a good profit margin when sold. Remember, TikTok trends are fleeting, so seizing them quickly is essential for success.
Examples of items that tend to do well with dropshipping include:
- LED lights, like strip lights and night lights
- Clip-On Book Light
- Beauty products
- Jewelry and accessories
- Clothing
- Sunglasses
- Cleaning products
- Kitchen appliances
- Home tools and appliances
- Pet-related products
When finding potential items for TikTok dropshipping, it’s beneficial to analyze your target audience, their potential spending capacity, and the product sourcing costs. Engaging with the platform to observe popular purchases and how dropshippers promote these items can offer valuable insights. Beside these top items, you can also do organic ones since organic products are likely to grow in recent years.
If you want a shortcut to a list of top products to do dropshipping with TikTok, you can check our article about viral products to sell on TikTok. <box xanh>
How to Promote TikTok Dropshipping Products?
There are many ways to promote your TikTok dropshipping business. You can employ one or a combination of these strategies to develop an active following. Some effective approaches for advertising on TikTok as a dropshipper include:
TikTok Ads
TikTok allows users to pay for ads on its platform. To begin, you’ll require a TikTok business account. Through the Ad Manager, you can create campaigns for ads with various ad formats aligned with your objectives. After setting up the campaign, you can allocate your advertising budget to define your expenditure on promoting your TikTok dropshipping business.
Collaboration with influencers
Collaborating with influencers can significantly benefit your business When influencers promote your products to their audience, it enhances your visibility and could drive sales. Often, collaborations entail providing an influencer with your product and requesting them to create a video review. However, note that influencers might anticipate a payment for endorsing your business. This aspect requires careful consideration of the potential return on investment.
In-content marketing
If you lack funds for ads and face challenges in networking, you can use your own content to market your TikTok dropshipping products. You can make tutorials or mini-reviews that introduce products straight from creator content.
For example, if you sell makeup products like contour, you can create helpful tutorials, like how to apply contour correctly. This allows showing products and their features without relying on ads alone.
Dropshipping on TikTok: FAQs
Starting a TikTok dropshipping business is usually inexpensive since you don’t need to handle inventory. Top methods to market dropshipping with TikTok include paid ads, teaming up with influencers, and creating unique content. The simplest method to discover products on TikTok is by searching in the bar and checking the hashtags to see the level of buzz around those items. You can opt to sell those same products through dropshipping or explore a related niche that isn’t widely covered by dropshippers. Dropshipping on TikTok might offer good prospects for business, yet achieving success may require time. Understanding the mechanics of dropshipping, fostering a dedicated audience on TikTok, and discovering strategies for gaining traction could elevate your small business.
Let’s Make Money with TikTok Dropshipping Now
TikTok dropshipping may be profitable, but success requires patience. You should spend time learning the model, gaining loyal followers on TikTok, and studying viral tactics to aid your small business growth.
Doing dropshipping with TikTok can also be challenging sometimes. That’s why LitCommerce is here to help you. We have a Blog section with helpful guides for e-sellers. You can find various tips and tricks around dropshipping there. We also open a Facebook community where you and your fellows can share and discuss the eCommerce field. Join us now!
If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us.
