Amazon vs. TikTok Shop: A Detailed Comparison

The success of your sales largely depends on which platform you choose. Amazon and TikTok Shop are two of the most popular online platforms today, each offering unique opportunities along with its own set of advantages and challenges. Understanding the specifics of each platform is crucial to making the right decision for your business.

In this article, we’ll compare TikTok Shop vs. Amazon and share valuable tips on how to start selling on each one.

While both TikTok Shop and Amazon are well-known selling platforms, each has distinct characteristics that can impact your selling strategy. Here’s a deeper look at the top three differences:

Amazon is built on a traditional e-commerce model, with products listed for sale in a marketplace setting. Sellers have the option to use various business methods, such as reselling existing products, launching their own branded products, or dropshipping.

Unlike Amazon, TikTok Shop is built around a social-commerce model. Rather than just listing products, sellers need to integrate their items into engaging, creative videos. This platform is especially beneficial for new and emerging brands looking to leverage trends to gain visibility.

Amazon attracts a broad, diverse audience with clear intent who may be searching for specific products or seeking convenience. In contrast, TikTok Shop primarily appeals to a younger audience, especially members of Gen Z and millennials, where product discovery is often impulsive and driven by viral videos, trends, or influencer promotions.

Amazon marketing relies heavily on paid advertising, with sellers using PPC (Pay-per-Click) ads to increase product visibility. TikTok Shop, on the other hand, focuses on content-driven marketing, where viral videos and influencer collaborations are key to boosting visibility and credibility. Additionally, TikTok Shop ads offer further opportunities to expand reach and drive sales.

Now that we’ve broken down the key differences of Amazon vs. TikTok Shop, let’s dive deeper into what selling on these platforms looks like in practice. Below you’ll find a comparison between the experiences of selling on each one.

Launching a TikTok Shop opens up an exciting opportunity to tap into the world of social commerce. By following a straightforward process, you can display your products, engage with a vibrant audience, and turn interactions into tangible sales. Here’s how:

While TikTok thrives on engaging and creative content, it's important to remember that offering a great product is just as crucial to success. Despite the millions of products available on TikTok Shop, not all of them are profitable.

Finding the right product goes beyond chasing accidental sales—it’s about spotting opportunities that lead to consistent, long-term success. This process often involves scrolling through numerous videos to spot emerging trends and assess market demand. However, without concrete sales data, predicting a product's performance can be challenging.

To make smarter, data-driven choices, consider investing in professional research services to ensure that you're selecting the right products for your TikTok Shop. A reliable option is Sellerhook, which identifies booming product ideas based on expert research, and provides
TikTok trends reports that highlight products with high-profit potential.

To get started with this service:

1. Review the service page.
2. Place your order. Choose how many product ideas you want you receive—either one or five.
3. Get an idea for a booming product with an in-depth analysis of its profitability. Expect your report containing thorough data via email within 8-10 business days.

Sellerhook not only provides profitable product ideas but also offers guidance on how to integrate these products into engaging videos. By leveraging this expert research, you save time and gain access to strategies that can significantly increase your chances of success on TikTok.

To get started with selling on TikTok Shop, follow these steps to set up your store and begin reaching potential customers:

1. Download the TikTok Seller Center App. Create a TikTok Business Account and enter your information to access the platform's selling tools.
2. Add your products. Upload your product information, including descriptions, images, and pricing. Make sure your shop profile is polished to attract visitors and encourage sales.
3. Set up your payment method. Choose your preferred payment gateway, and be sure to review the fees and transaction details for each option.

Once everything is set up, you'll be ready to tap into TikTok’s vast, dynamic audience and start selling directly on the platform.

When selecting a fulfillment method for your TikTok Shop, you have three main options. Here they are:

When deciding on the best fulfillment option, consider your priorities—whether it’s saving money by handling more tasks yourself, or freeing up time by outsourcing to a third party for a smoother, more hands-off experience.

By following these steps, you’ll be ready to set up your TikTok store. Remember, due to TikTok's viral nature, focus on creating engaging content and collaborating with influencers to boost visibility and attract customers.

While some of the details of selling on Amazon depend largely on your particular business model, there are three main steps all sellers need to follow. Here’s a general overview:

To make money on Amazon, selecting the right product is crucial. The ideal product should strike a balance between high profitability, strong demand, and low competition. It’s also important to adhere to Amazon’s policies to ensure a smooth and quick launch.

There are three main approaches to finding a profitable product:

Note: Check out a sample report to see what you will get.

By choosing the right product, you ensure that your investment pays off, making this step crucial for the long-term health and success of your business.

Now that you know what you’re going to sell, it's time to create your Amazon store and upload your products. Here’s how:

1. Create an Amazon account. Choose your plan (The Professional plan for $39.99/month or the Individual plan for $0.99/sale) and enter your details. After completing a verification call, your account will be live.
2. Upload products. Go to the inventory section. If you're reselling, you can join an existing listing by entering the product's ASIN, then set your price and quantity. If you're selling a new product, you’ll need to create a listing from scratch.
3. Organize delivery. You can benefit from Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) by sending your goods to Amazon’s warehouse, where they handle storage and shipping each time a customer buys your product. Alternatively, find a reliable courier to deliver and manage inventory yourself.

With these steps in place, you'll be well-equipped to launch your business on Amazon and start generating sales.

Even the best products can go unnoticed without effective marketing, and scaling your business is key to growth. Here are some helpful strategies used by top sellers for boosting your visibility and sales:

By consistently applying these strategies, you'll gain a better understanding of what resonates with your audience and optimize your growth over time.

These steps will enable you to start selling on Amazon. Success takes time, but with consistency, patience, and dedication, your efforts will pay off.

Now that we’ve explored the key differences between Amazon and TikTok Shop, let’s take a closer look at the benefits and challenges of selling on each platform. Here’s an overview:

By carefully weighing the pros and cons of each platform, you can make an informed decision and better prepare yourself to succeed. There's no need to limit yourself to just one. Using both platforms can expand your reach, provided that each one aligns with your product and audience.

Selling on Amazon involves various costs, with fixed costs being $39.99/month or $0.99/item sold (depending on which type of account plan you choose). Additionally, Amazon charges referral fees, which typically amount to around 15% of the order total, along with fulfillment fees if you’re using Amazon FBA. Advertising costs are optional but they can help improve product visibility and sales.

Creating a seller account on TikTok Shop is free, but TikTok takes a commission on sales starting at 4.5%, depending on the country. Transaction fees typically average around 3.5%. If you choose to collaborate with content creators to promote your products, be prepared to pay influencers—top creators can charge up to $1,000 for a single post.

TikTok Shop can be a profitable platform if you have the right approach. Success comes down to picking lucrative products, reaching the right audience, and creating fun, engaging content that clicks with TikTok users. It’s important to keep adjusting your strategy and building a strong community, as that’s what really helps you tap into TikTok’s sales potential.

To promote Amazon products on TikTok, you need to build a strong presence by consistently posting content that resonates with your audience. Collaborating with TikTok influencers can amplify your reach, while using TikTok’s built-in promotion features can also increase visibility.

The right platform for your business depends on your goals and preferences, but one thing remains clear—winning products drive success. Consider outsourcing your product selection to Sellerhook’s experts to streamline this process. With data-driven insights and handpicked products, you’ll maximize your chances of success, while saving time and effort.