Harnessing TikTok for Dropshipping Success: A Comprehensive Guide

TikTok has over 1 billion active users, making it the fourth-largest social media platform in the world (after YouTube, Instagram and Facebook).

That's a huge audience to tap into, especially if you're targeting younger US-based customers.

Here are a few stats to illustrate just how prevalent TikTok is with this demographic:

• In the US, 18-24-year-olds account for 36.7% of TikTok’s active users.
• Millennial TikTok users are 2.3 times likelier to tag a brand in a post
• The US has the largest pool of TikTok users (over 135 million)

So, if you’re running a dropshipping business and want to use TikTok to your advantage, keep reading. 

We’re walking you through the pros and cons of TikTok dropshipping, the best products to sell on this platform, and how to use TikTok to the fullest.

That's a lot to cover, so let's dive in! 

TikTok Dropshipping: The Pros and Cons

Before leaping into the world of TikTok, it’s worth considering the positives and negatives of marketing your dropshipping business using this social network:

Pros

• You can use TikTok to boost brand awareness amongst Gen Z and Millenial audiences.
• As many as 50% of TikTok users have purchased after watching a TikTok Live.
• Similarly, as many as 55% of TikTok users have bought something after viewing it on TikTok.
• Your brand could go viral on TikTok, which could mean massive exposure for your business.

Cons

• There’s a lot of competition on TikTok, with 54% of businesses using it to promote products.
• TikTok videos typically last between 15 to 60 seconds, making it challenging to convey complex messages. 
• The minimum you can spend on a paid TikTok advertising campaign is $50, which makes testing different campaigns expensive. 
• The Shopify x TikTok integration is only available to US merchants. 

How To Dropship on TikTok

Now you know some of the advantages and disadvantages of marketing your dropshipping business on TikTok, let’s turn our attention to how to get going. 

You can do this in eight easy steps:

1. Create Your Dropshipping Store

You may already have created your eCommerce store; if so, you can proceed to the next step. 

If not, then first off:

1. Find a reliable dropshipping platform that closely vets its suppliers.
2. Launch an online store using Shopify and integrate with your dropshipping platform (don’t worry, they should provide easy-to-follow instructions on how to do this)
3. Start sourcing and adding products you want to sell. 
4. Install the TikTok app from the Shopify App Store.

The latter enables:

• One-click TikTok pixel installation:
• You can quickly launch web conversion campaigns within Shopify to drive traffic and sales.
• Launch a TikTok shop: This enables you to showcase and sell your products on TikTok’s ‘For You Page.’ You can also create shoppable videos and TikTok lives.  

Here’s how the nitty-gritty of this works:

• You can auto-sync your warehouse address, product catalog, and Shopify inventory with your TikTok shop.
• The order widget notifies users about orders that need their attention
• You can use your own shipping service (i.e., your dropshipping provider) 

Simple, right?

2. Set up a TikTok Account

Next, if you haven't already, you need to set up a TikTok account. This is simple. Once you’ve installed the TikTok app on Shopify, you can easily create a TikTok account and select a payment method to start running ads (should you wish)

Alternatively, you can register for an account using your Facebook or Google account or email address from the TikTok app on your smartphone. 

If you already have a personal TikTok account, you now need a business account. This has to reflect your brand identity like your eCommerce store does. So, it’s important, for example, to use your business's logo as a profile picture and add a link to your dropshipping store in your TikTok bio. 

To set up a business account, simply log into your ordinary TikTok account and then:

• Navigate to your profile icon (located in the top right corner)
• Select 'Settings'
• Toggle 'ON Business Account' (found at the bottom of the page)
• Choose a category that describes your account
• Tap 'Next,' and this will complete the process.

TikTok then asks you to input details such as:

• Your business name
• Location
• Currency
• Time zone
• Industry
• Mobile number

This is all simple and easy to do. TikTok walks you through every step. 

Once you input all the above, you’re taken to a page that asks you to “link to ad manager.” From there, you can choose whether to create “basic” or “advanced” ads. (You can skip this part if you don’t plan to advertise your dropshipping store yet.) 

Now, take some time to familiarize yourself with the TikTok ads manager. From here, you can monitor analytics, including audience traffic to your account. 

There are other advantages to having a TikTok business account. These include access to:

• TikTok’s Commercial Music Library- (access 1,000,000+ songs and sounds cleared for commercial use). 
• The Business Creative Hub. This houses plenty of tips and videos on best practices for creating TikTok content and marketing strategies.
• The Web Business Suite. You can access this via your desktop. This provides a centralized place for your Analytics, Workspace, and Activity and Support. Let’s take a quick look at these in turn:some text
  • Analytics: You can monitor and download data about your TikTok account.
  • Workspace: This contains your ‘Promote’ information. For the uninitiated, ‘Promote’ is an advertising tool that helps extend the reach of your TikTok videos, drive traffic to your dropshipping website, and increase the likelihood of building your following. 
  • Activity and support: This contains advice on how to grow your TikTok business account.
• You can have an email address in your TikTok profile.

3. Choose Products to Sell (Via TikTok)

To utilize TikTok to the fullest, we suggest adopting the following tactics to increase the likelihood of selling products receptive to TikTok users:

• See what your competitors are selling
• Analyze TikTok ads and hashtags
• Use Google Trends
• Find trending products to sell
• Use the TikTokMadeMeBuyIt hashtag on TikTok. 

The latter populates a mine of information about products people have bought on TikTok. Use this to see what your competitors are selling and the kind of engagement their products are achieving. Similarly, dig into TikTok ads and research hashtags in your niche to assess product popularity. 

We suggest combining this with researching potential products on Google Trends to gauge customer interest. This should provide a better understanding of whether these products attract consistent demand.

Then, armed with this information, you can turn to your chosen dropshipping supplier platform and source the same or similar products to sell. 

Pro Tip: Another way to identify best-selling products is to head to your dropshipping platform and filter for trending products. For example, Spocket permits you to search for ‘Best Sellers,’ I.e., the best-performing products on Spocket. Needless to say, products with a proven record of selling well are likely to be a success! 

4. Select the Best Supplier

It stands to reason that you’ll want return customers who leave great online reviews. To achieve this, working with reliable suppliers who provide high-quality products with quick shipping times is a must.

We’ve already mentioned the importance of working with a dropshipping platform that adopts a stringent vetting process. However, you can go one step further by assessing the reviews merchants like yourself have left about the individual suppliers. For example, in the case of Spocket, this is a star rating (out of five) based on the supplier’s order fulfillment success rate, shipping times, and product quality. 

If you’re yet to partner with a dropshipping supplier/supplier platform, ensure they offer the following before committing to working with them:

• Fast shipping times
• An accessible means of communication with each supplier
• Multiple payment options
• That you’re able to check each supplier’s returns, exchanges, and refunds policies

5. Import Best-Selling Products to Your Store

Once you’ve found products you want to sell on TikTok, you need to add them to your online store. 

In the case of Spocket, this only takes a few clicks:

• From your Spocket dashboard, hover on the product listing you want to sell
• Click “Add to import list.”
• Click “Import list” on the left side of your dashboard
• Customize the product listing
• Once done, click “Push to Store.” 

Simple, right?

6. Promote Your Products on TikTok

Now it’s time to market your products on TikTok organically or by running TikTok ads. 

Discussing TikTok marketing strategies would be a whole blog post in and of itself, so unfortunately, we can’t go into much detail here. 

But for now, here are a few pointers to help you hit the ground running:

• Use hashtags: TikTok users can utilize hashtags to search for content they’re interested in, which means you, as a merchant, can leverage hashtags in your niche to extend your reach. For maximum exposure, use hashtags that your ideal customers use. You can pinpoint these by heading to TikTok’s Creative Center tool to research trending hashtags in your niche.

• Consider investing in ads: If you have the budget, it would be wise to research which of TikTok’s paid ad types would benefit your brand the most. This could go a long way to boosting your reach.  
• Collaborate with influencers in your niche: Influencer marketing on TikTok can be an excellent way to get your brand in front of a new audience. However, for this to be effective, ensure you only work with influencers who align with your brand values - otherwise, the collaboration may seem inauthentic and potentially damage your brand. 

7. Fulfill Customer Orders

Providing you’ve integrated your Shopify store with your dropshipping platform, these orders are automatically sent to your chosen supplier, who packs and ships the product directly to your customers. 

The Best TikTok Products for Dropshipping

Now you know how to start selling on TikTok; based on what we found under the #tiktokmademebuyit hashtag, here are a few ideas for TikTok dropshipping products:

Cruelty-free Tanning Drops

Let’s kick off with a lovely addition to any customer’s beauty bag: cruelty-free tanning drops to add a glow to your skin after Winter. 

Google Trends tells us that interest over the past 12 months has remained pretty steady, so it’s worth trying to sell these as TikTokers prepare for the summer!

Bed Sheets

Who doesn’t want to slide into bed after a long day and have the best night’s sleep ever? Buying premium soft bed sheets made from 100% bamboo fabric has many benefits, making this product pretty easy to market. 

Google Trends also tells us that global interest in bed sheets is consistently high, and our choice here comes in a range of pleasing, neutral, and contemporary shades and sizes. 

Extendable Cleaning Brush

Keeping our homes clean is part of a positive self-care mindset, and this extendable cleaning brush could reach all those dusty corners! Interest in cleaning brushes is high on Google Trends, and this particular model is lightweight, extendable, and comes in an attractive blue.

Silk Pillowcase

Silk pillowcases are popular because this fabric absorbs less moisture than other bedding fabrics. When your skin and hair retain moisture, they’re less dry and itchy. Plus, silk pillowcases are excellent for reducing frizzy hair.

These 400 thread-count pillowcases come in 16 colors and sizes to suit all needs and are an attractive addition to your customer’s home decor. Interest in Google Trends for this item was exceptionally high around Christmas, making it a potentially great gift!

Eye Makeup Palette

Check out this selection of eye shadow colors. They’re water-resistant, long-lasting, and available in matte, shimmer, and natural finishes. 

Searches for eyeshadow and eye palettes remain consistent. As such, this product could be a nice addition to a TikTok store selling other beauty and personal care items like makeup brushes and eye pencils. 

Retro Glass Mug Set

Interest in glass mugs peaked around Christmas time but has remained relatively steady throughout the rest of the year. 

This attractive set of retro glass mugs comes in four colors and could make an ideal addition to someone’s home. They’re heat resistant and non-porous, so they don’t retain flavors, stains, or odors. 

The beauty of this product is that it may appeal to impulse shoppers keen to add glamor to their homes without breaking the bank. 

Women’s Sleepwear

There are tons of products to choose from here, depending on your target audience’s preferences. For example, they may prefer silky sleep fabrics, while others may go for something a little cozier made from cotton. Overall, interest in sleepwear is high, with a particular peak around Christmas since sleepwear is a great gift!

We’ve chosen this organic cotton long-sleeve jogger set, which can double as loungewear and sleepwear, depending on your mood. It’s 100% GOTS Certified Organic and comes in a stylish black.

Fairy Lights

These are a fabulous addition to a home office, bedroom, or living space. Outdoor versions are also super popular, whether to light up the garden during holiday periods or just to have some pretty twinkling lights on your terrace all year round. 

This particular set is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It's made from high-quality copper, giving a warm white light. They are the perfect addition to any home or garden year-round or during holidays like Valentine’s or Christmas. 

Searches for “fairy lights” peak around holiday times, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sell these all year round.

Starry Night Projector

This starry night projector emits a range of colors, making it a lovely accessory for the bedroom, at a party, or in the garden. The projector emits 15 different kinds of water ripple patterns, which can be combined in a single color, two, three, or four colors. You can add a musical element via the projector’s built-in Bluetooth, card reader, or U-disc.  

Searches for starry night projectors have highs and lows, with highs around Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and the Summer holiday periods. 

Dog Water Bottle

Pet products are big business in the TikTok dropshipping world, and this dog water bottle could be a great addition to your TikTok store if you’re also selling other pet products like dog clothes, leads, and so on. 

This particular product comes in various colors and may appeal to fashion-conscious pet owners. You could even sell matching dog and dog owner bottles in the same or complementary colors!

Searches for dog water bottles are consistently high, so this could be a great accessory to promote to pet owners on TikTok.

TikTok Dropshipping: Our Final Thoughts

So there you have it—our guide on the best TikTok products to dropship and how to go about it. Armed with this information, you’re giving yourself a better chance of extending the reach of your dropshipping store.

If you’re interested in exploring how Spocket can help you kickstart your dropshipping venture, be it on TikTok or elsewhere, why not give us a try? It’s free for 14 days!

Are you ready to start selling TikTok dropshipping products? Perhaps you’re already doing it. If so, let us know about it in the comments below!