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Diving summary:
- The e-commerce platform said in a Nov. 14 communication with sellers that the TikTok Store will require all US Postal Service shipping labels to be purchased and printed through TikTok Shipping starting in January.
- The TikTok store, which did not provide a reason for the change, said shippers can still work directly with carriers outside the Postal Service. The platform added that vendors should be ready for the change by December 31 to avoid disruption to project implementation.
- The move means that USPS labels will be rejected from external sources such as Shopify, ShipStation and Postal Service accounts, which tightens the TikTok store’s control over the shipping process for orders placed on its platform, according to Logistics Tactics.
Diving Insights:
TikTok Shipping provides sellers with in-house shipping label creation and offers multiple ground and expedited shipping options from FedEx, UPS, and the Postal Service. As the USPS shift is happening, affected shippers should look to TikTok shipping or work directly with other carriers for Postal Service labels, Tactical Logistics Solutions says.
According to Tactical Logistics Solutions, “most established brands end up with a mix: USPS through TikTok where the pencil comes out, and higher volume UPS/FedEx where control and consistency are more important.”
Submitters are currently evaluating their options before the TikTok Store change takes effect. Axion, a third-party logistics provider focused on e-commerce, doesn’t use TikTok store tags because they add complexity to tagging and reduce margins, CEO Logan Black said on LinkedIn.
“We can disable USPS and ship TikTok orders with UPS, FedEx, Amazon Shipping, etc. with no change in speed,” Black said. “It’s a cost issue. For many TTS sellers, especially those who ship small and light products, USPS is the only cost-effective option. Changing carriers increases shipping costs that either sellers or buyers must absorb.”
TikTok did not respond to a request for comment on the matter, and the Postal Service declined to comment.
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