We Tried TikTok Shop Affiliates – Here’s What We Learned

Unlocking TikTok Shop’s affiliate program requires 1,000 followers, so we started by running ads on TikTok Ads Manager to gain followers. Running ads for follows is an affordable way to hit the threshold, especially when targeting a global audience.

Next, we gathered a handful of products we already had lying around and created product videos around them. Our initial goal was to see if we could generate commissions purely through organic reach. Spoiler: We couldn’t.

Here’s our Tiktok account…. It’s very product focused, without a niche, which may have been another issue.

Running TikTok Ads for Sales

Since organic sales weren’t happening, we shifted to running ads. However, linking our shop on Ads Manager proved challenging, as it didn’t allow direct product ads. Instead, we could only run Spark Ads for video views and traffic via the desktop Ads Manager.

We decided to try running ads directly through the TikTok app, but here’s where things got messy:

• Apple Tax: Running £36 worth of ads on iOS incurs an extra Apple service fee , a whopping £25 service fee. So to run £36 in ads it would cost £61.01. This is a big issue if you’re trying to run ads profitably.

• Android Coin System: TikTok’s Android system works on a ‘Coin’ system, which isn’t transparent. when setting up ads it will say £10 worth of ads will be around 1400 coins. But when you go buy the coins you are greeted with this. 15.15 for 1400 coins.

This processed left us quite unsatisfied, and generally feeling like we were being scammed to run ads.

Did We Make a Profit?

No. The advertising cost outweighed the commission earned from sales. However, we do believe that making money through TikTok Shop is possible—it’s all about finding the right product at the right time.

If you’re considering TikTok Shop, test different products, optimize your video content, and be mindful of ad costs, especially hidden fees on mobile platforms.

Want Free Products?

If you’re interested in receiving free products, TikTok Shop has a Free Sample section!

You can apply to get products at no cost—in exchange for creating a video review.

While not every application gets approved, we had a handful accepted and did receive products to make videos with. Definitely worth a shot if you’re creating content!

Final Thoughts

Overall, making sales on TikTok Shop can be surprisingly easy, especially if you have a large enough profile to benefit from free distribution through organic reach.

We tried to speed-run the process, but in hindsight, niching down or creating more viral content would likely be more effective than running a general product shop.

Focus on building an engaged audience, find products that fit your niche, and lean into content that grabs attention. That’s where the real opportunity lies.