Published by the Zolyp team ·
How does the TikTok Shop affiliate programme work?
Creators feature your products in videos and LIVE streams, and earn commission when viewers buy. TikTok Shop pays the commission automatically when a sale is made, so you only pay for results. To start, log in to Seller Center and go to Affiliate, then Get Started.
Source: TikTok Shop: Affiliate marketing (United States), checked 15 October 2026
Open or target collaboration: which should you use?
You can put a product in both at once.
| Open collaboration | Target collaboration | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can promote | Any TikTok Shop creator | Creators you invite |
| Best for | No specific creator in mind | A creator you already want to work with |
| Fees | Commission per sale | Commission only, or a flat fee paid upfront (video only) |
| Commission | 1% to 80%, or an optimised rate | 1% to 80% |
| If both apply | Open rate is overridden | Target rate always wins |
Sources: TikTok Business Help Center: About open collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About target collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026
How do you set up an open collaboration?
TikTok's steps:
- Sign in to Seller Center and click Affiliate in the left-hand menu.
- Click Open collaboration, then Not added.
- Choose up to 50 products, or click Add to collaboration next to a single product.
- Set a Standard commission rate.
- Optionally turn on a Shop Ads commission rate, and Boost orders with GMV Max with a product ROI target.
- Click Apply to product.
- You can turn on Auto-add new products from the Open collaboration page.
- You can require approval before creators reach out, and offer free samples or refund samples after a creator's first sale.
Sources: TikTok Business Help Center: How to set up an open collaboration in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About open collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026
How do you invite creators to a target collaboration?
From TikTok's guidance:
- Open Find creators in Seller Center and search, or browse recommended creators, for example those whose followers bought similar products.
- Choose the products and set a commission rate for each.
- Pick a fee structure: commission only, or a flat fee you pay TikTok Shop, which releases it once videos are approved.
- Set how long the collaboration lasts and the content types you want. Optionally offer free samples.
- Send invitations individually or in bulk. Flash sales for LIVE need a single invitation to a creator who can go LIVE.
- Track and manage it on the Target collaboration page in Affiliate Center.
- With a flat fee, the invitation is sent once your payment is complete. If a creator doesn't accept, you can move the fee to another collaboration or ask for a refund under Flat fee payments.
Sources: TikTok Business Help Center: About target collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: How to set up a target collaboration in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026
How do TikTok Shop affiliate commissions work?
The rules on TikTok's pages:
- Commission is set per product, per group or for all products, between 1% and 80% of GMV per order.
- An optimised rate can be set automatically from the top 30% of products in your shop and the marketplace.
- Creators get one rate per product. A target collaboration rate always overrides an open one, so TikTok suggests setting target rates higher.
- A separate Shop Ads commission rate can apply to orders that came through ads using affiliate posts. TikTok's commission page says this is only for invited sellers.
- In open collaborations, the Shop Ads rate must be at least 30% of the standard rate, in all regions except Mexico and Brazil.
Sources: TikTok Business Help Center: About open collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About target collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About setting different affiliate commission rates for TikTok Shop Ads, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: How to set up an open collaboration in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026
Why aren't creators promoting your products?
Check what creators need and what you've set up:
- Creator eligibility: TikTok Shop's US creator page asks for age 18 or over, 1,000+ followers and a pass on an account risk check. Its FAQ says 1,000 to 5,000 followers puts creators in a Pilot Program with weekly limits on shoppable videos and LIVEs, and full access needs 5,000+.
- Low commission: creators see your rate next to other products in the marketplace.
- Approval is required: if you ask creators to request approval first, review requests promptly.
- Stock: TikTok reminds sellers to have enough stock before starting a collaboration.
- No samples: newer creators may rely on refundable samples to feature a product.
Sources: TikTok Shop: Become a TikTok Shop creator (United States), checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About open collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026; TikTok Business Help Center: About target collaborations in Seller Center, checked 15 October 2026
Where Zolyp fits (from the team behind this guide)
Zolyp, which publishes this guide, is an AI social media manager: it plans, writes, designs and schedules posts for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads, and you approve the week before anything goes out. It doesn't run TikTok Shop affiliate campaigns. It can keep your own product posts going while creators promote you.
Common questions
How much commission do TikTok Shop affiliates get?
You choose. TikTok Shop lets sellers set between 1% and 80% of GMV per order for each product.
When do I pay TikTok Shop affiliates?
Commission is paid automatically when a sale is made. Flat fees in target collaborations are paid to TikTok Shop upfront.
How many followers does a creator need for TikTok Shop?
TikTok Shop's US page lists 1,000+ followers to join, with full access to all features at 5,000+.
Can a product be in open and target collaborations at once?
Yes, but the creator gets one rate, and the target collaboration rate always takes priority.
How many products can I add to an open collaboration at once?
Up to 50 products per selection, or you can turn on Auto-add new products.