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55.5 million – that’s the number of people who made a purchase on TikTok Shop in 2023, . With its popularity only set to grow, ecommerce businesses have every reason to prioritize TikTok shipping going forward. Like with other sales channels, fulfillment and shipping play a massive role in everything from customer satisfaction to brand reputation to repeat sales. 

This article weighs everything to consider in the big decision all sellers face today: choosing between TikTok Shipping vs Seller Shipping vs Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT). Keep reading as we compare these options in terms of cost, scope, flexibility, customer service, and more.

What Are the TikTok Shipping Options?

The TikTok fulfillment and shipping system you establish today has the potential to massively impact order preparation timelines, delivery, and customer satisfaction down the line. There are currently three options for TikTok order fulfillment: TikTok Shipping, Seller Shipping, and Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT).

However, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer when comparing TikTok Shipping vs. Seller Shipping vs. Fulfilled by TikTok. Picking the right one for your business starts with knowing what each option is. See high-level summaries for all three below. 

Seller Shipping

With seller shipping, the merchant assumes all of the responsibilities involved in fulfilling and shipping orders to customers. These include picking and packing orders, procuring shipping labels, uploading tracking numbers, and handling requests for refunds and returns. TikTok is only actively involved in and responsible for facilitating sales transactions in TikTok Shop. TikTok Shop merchants using Seller Shipping can either fulfill their orders in-house or partner with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) to handle fulfillment for them.

TikTok Shipping

TikTok Shipping is a semi-supported arrangement that aims to simplify certain aspects of shipping for TikTok Shop sellers. Although businesses are still expected to prepare and hand parcels off themselves, some aspects of the process are made easier; the main difference is who’s responsible for acquiring labels. In this system, TikTok generates shipping labels for merchants and sends them once they’re ready to print. Like with Seller Shipping, merchants using TikTok Shipping can fulfill TikTok Shop orders in-house or partner with a 3PL.

Fulfilled By TikTok (FBT)

Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) is an order fulfillment system offered to select merchants on TikTok Shop. It provides end-to-end solutions for ecommerce fulfillment, including warehouse storage, order picking and packing, shipping, and customer service. Sellers use FBT in hopes of benefitting from the convenience and scalability of managed services. 

Fulfilled By TikTok vs Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services

TikTok currently outsources its fulfillment infrastructure from partners across the United States. Inventory is kept, and orders are fulfilled in facilities owned by third parties rather than TikTok itself. This is essentially a form of third-party logistics (3PL), where external service providers handle business logistics operations for a fee.

FBT is slightly different than just working with a 3PL in that TikTok acts as a middleman between the merchant and the 3PL providers within its network. Sellers using FBT cannot choose their own logistics partner – their orders are fulfilled by the partner TikTok chooses.

Comparing TikTok Shipping vs Seller Shipping vs Fulfilled By TikTok (FBT)

There are quite a few differences to note when comparing TikTok Shipping vs Seller Shipping vs FBT. Learn where responsibilities fall across these options below. 

At a Glance

Setup Process

TikTok Shipping is the default option for ecommerce merchants on the platform. Upon signing up for TikTok Shop, you’ll be able to designate one or multiple order pickup and return locations (such as your own in-house fulfillment operation or the warehouse of the 3PL you’re working with), as well as select preferred shipping carriers. 

Seller Shipping can be set up in the TikTok Shop Seller Center under ‘Shipping Options.’ Turning the ‘Shipped from seller’ shipping option on means assuming responsibility for finding carriers and uploading tracking numbers to the system, both of which can be done from the Seller Center.

Fulfilled by TikTok is currently an invite-only program for sellers who ship at least 6,000 units per month. Those who are eligible to enroll start the onboarding process by sending inventory directly to TikTok's fulfillment centers. The same goes for 3PL solutions, although qualification thresholds vary by service provider. Some accept clients of all sizes, while others focus on helping businesses that ship a minimum number of orders per month. 

Fulfillment and Shipping Fees

A confluence of programs and currently impact how shipping fees are applied to TikTok Shop ecommerce orders. In every case, shipping fees are set by outside service providers. 

Businesses enrolled in both Seller Shipping and TikTok Shipping pay the market average rate for shipping services and can choose to either cover the cost themselves by factoring it into product prices or pass it on to customers through shipping charges at checkout. In cases where TikTok’s free shipping promotions apply, merchants cover the shipping costs upfront and receive reimbursement within 30 days. 

The only exception to having to pay market rates for Seller Shipping and TikTok Shipping is for businesses working with a 3PL. Well-established 3PLs can lessen shipping expenses through their existing, high-volume relationships with carriers and consolidate those charges into one invoice. 

Fulfilled by TikTok fulfillment costs are split in two, with a predetermined rate for the picking and packing of individual items within a seller’s catalog. Little information is currently publicly available on the cost of TikTok’s services in the United States. One paying £0.95 to pick and £0.24 to package a £7.5 product.

It’s important to realize that these charges are in addition to several other costs of doing business on TikTok Shop, such as and .

Order Returns

Returns are an inevitable part of ecommerce. While their likelihood can be reduced with accurate fulfillment, a few customers will always want to send orders back for other reasons. Catering to this expectation requires a solid reverse logistics system. 

With both Seller Shipping and TikTok Shipping, it’s the merchant’s responsibility to approve or reject returns. Requests for select product categories are subject to automatic approval by TikTok, while the rest must be reviewed by the seller within 48 hours. Upon approval, TikTok gives customers the option of arranging shipping themselves or dropping their parcel off to a partner in its returns network. Depending on what the business wants done with unwanted orders, packages may then go to a designated facility for inspection, or be donated or disposed of. 

The difference between TikTok Shipping vs Seller Shipping vs FBT here is who processes the items that are kept. Businesses using Seller Shipping and TikTok Shipping can designate their own warehouse or that of their 3PL as a returns address. FBT returns are inspected at TikTok’s fulfillment centers. 

In any of these three systems, shipping costs are determined by the product’s category and reason for being returned. A full breakdown is available on . 

Customer Support

Just like returns, customer support is a must for every ecommerce business. That’s true whether you’re using Seller Shipping, TikTok Shipping, or using FBT. The quality of service buyers receive, however, isn’t consistent across all options. 

Seller Shipping leaves customer support in the hands of the merchant. Either the business’ in-house team or 3PL will be responsible for responding to inquiries about order status and delivery times, addressing concerns about lost or damaged packages, coordinating the return process, and providing updates on any shipping delays or issues. 

TikTok Shipping comes with the option of offloading core customer service issues from in-house and 3PL teams to TikTok, with the exception of return approval and rejection. Businesses are still responsible for addressing product-specific questions and concerns. This hybrid approach aims to balance efficiency with personalized service.

FBT customer support is even more comprehensive, effectively relegating everything to TikTok. There are only a few scenarios where merchants will need to directly accept or deny refund requests. A hands-off arrangement like this can be a good or bad thing – it ultimately depends on TikTok’s performance.  

Order Processing and Delivery Timelines

How long does TikTok Shop take to deliver orders? The answer to that question depends on the arrangement at hand. Businesses using TikTok Shipping and Seller Shipping must hand orders off to a third-party carrier within three days. Those using Seller Shipping are also responsible for uploading the order’s Tracking ID, Shipping Provider, and Shipping Service information to the Seller Center before shipment. 

Eligible Seller Shipping carriers currently include:

• USPS
• UPS
• FedEx
• DHL
• Amazon Logistics
• AxleHire
• Better Trucks
• Deliver-it
• GLS US
• Lasership
• Lone Star Overnight
• OnTrac
• Spee-Dee Delivery
• TForce
• Wizmo

Businesses using TikTok Shipping and FBT are automatically assigned USPS, UPS, or FedEx delivery based on their preset preferences. 

Standard shipping from TikTok’s three main carriers generally takes between two and five business days. Sellers have the option of paying extra for express options like UPS Next Day Air Saver and FedEx Standard Overnight regardless of whether they’re enrolled in Seller Shipping, TikTok Shipping, or FBT. 

Determining Which TikTok Shipping Solution Is Right for You

Shipping should play a role in your overall TikTok ecommerce strategy, and choosing which option to use for TikTok fulfillment shouldn't be a rushed decision. Each of the three options available to sellers has something to offer. Be sure to do the following when weighing Seller Shipping vs TikTok Shipping vs Fulfilled by TikTok.

Think About Your Individual Business and Products

The TikTok shipping arrangement you choose should consider both your business and the products it