Free Shipping on TikTok Shop: A Complete Guide for Sellers and Shoppers

If you shop or sell on TikTok Shop, you’ve probably noticed that free shipping is becoming more and more important. In 2024, nearly half of U.S. consumers abandoned their online purchases at checkout because of extra costs like shipping, taxes, or fees. Free shipping isn’t just a powerful tool to attract customers—it’s a key factor for sellers to stand out in a crowded market.

As a buyer, how can you get free shipping to save money? And as a seller, what can you do to offer free shipping? This guide will answer these questions and help you shop or sell smarter on TikTok Shop.

For shoppers: How to get free shipping on TikTok Shop

When you’re ready to place an order for an item, do you notice that the shipping cost is unexpectedly higher than the item itself? Feeling anxious or annoyed? Don’t worry—here are five ways to help you get free shipping on TikTok Shop.

1. Free shipping for new users

If you’re new to TikTok Shop, you’re in luck. TikTok Shop often offers new users free shipping discounts to encourage first-time purchases. In most cases, new buyers can enjoy free shipping for orders that meet a minimum spend—sometimes just a few dollars.

2. Buy items with the “Free Shipping” badge

When you find the “Free shipping” badge on a product’s thumbnail or detail page, it means you won’t have to pay for shipping—no hidden costs, regardless of the price of the product.

But how can you find items with free shipping?

Simply enter the keywords of the product you want to buy into the search bar. Once the results appear, look for the filter options (located at the top of the screen) Then select “Free Shipping” in the filter. Only items that qualify for free shipping will appear.

Read more: Is TikTok shop legit? The Truth Behind TikTok Shop Revealed

3. Exceed the free shipping threshold in a store

In order to attract customers and traffic, many merchants will join the co-funded free shipping program, where buyers can enjoy free shipping as long as they spend more than $30 in total at their store.

Some sellers set their own thresholds that are even lower. For example, instead of requiring $30, they may offer free shipping if you spend just $20 or $25. These thresholds vary, so it’s worth checking if your chosen seller has a more budget-friendly limit.

How do you know if a store offers free shipping thresholds?

When you browse the items, it might not always be obvious, and you don’t know if the seller provides free shipping thresholds. To find out, you need to add it to the cart. Once in the cart, you’ll often see a message like “add $xx for free shipping”. if it doesn’t show, it likely means that the seller doesn’t offer a free shipping promotion.

4. Spend $30 or more across multiple FBT stores

For FBT(Fulfilled by TikTok) orders, customers can enjoy free shipping when the total purchase amount in multiple FBT shops reaches $30 or more. Unlike regular shops, FBT sellers can’t set their own free shipping thresholds——TikTok Shop requires a standard of $30.

So how can you identify FBT shops?

The eligible products in FBT shops are marked with a “Free 3-Day Delivery” badge, which is different from a “Free Shipping” badge. This means if you meet the $30 requirement, you’ll benefit from both free shipping and fast 3-day delivery.

To check if you’re eligible for shipping. First, add the product to the cart and look for the message: “Add $30 for free shipping” in the cart. It means you can enjoy free shipping by adding other products across multiple FBT stores, not just one. 

For example, in the following pictures, the two items are sold by different FBT sellers, but when I pick these two, I get free shipping.

Tip: If you’re close to the threshold, consider adding small, cheap items to your cart. By combining all the purchases from the FBT stores, you can save on shipping fees and get fast delivery. 

5. Get free shipping coupons

TikTok Shop regularly hands out various coupons, including free shipping coupons, especially during major festivals like Black Friday, New Year, and Christmas. When opening TikTok Shop, these coupons will pop up on your screen. Additionally, you can check for banners on TikTok Shop’s homepage, where special offers are usually promoted. 

That said, TikTok Shop tends to offer discount coupons more often than shipping coupons. So, if you spot a free shipping coupon, grab it quickly.

Where to find and use your coupon?

Once you claim a coupon, it will appear in your account under the “Coupons” section. When you’re ready to checkout, apply it at the checkout before completing the purchase.

Tip: These coupons usually have an expiration date often valid for a limited time, and don’t let them sit on your account unused. 

Read more: How to Monetize Your TikTok Account: Top 10 Ways to Success

For sellers: How to offer free shipping on TikTok Shop

For sellers, offering free shipping is a great way to attract customers to buy and increase traffic. Here are 4 ways to offer free shipping:

1. Join the Co-Funded Free Shipping program

2. Participate in TikTok’s FBT program

3. Offer Free Shipping Thresholds

4. Put shipping costs into product pricing. 

Let’s take a closer look at these ways and some practical steps you can take to implement them effectively.

1. Join the Co-Funded Free Shipping program

TikTok Shop introduced the co-funded free shipping program on August 26, 2024. This initiative allows shoppers to enjoy free shipping, while TikTok Shop and sellers share the shipping costs.

Here’s how the cost-sharing works:

• For standard delivery, TikTok Shop reimburses $2 per customer order.
• For economy delivery, no reimbursement is provided.

Sellers with a shop performance score of 2.5 or higher and new sellers with no shop performance score will automatically enroll in the program. So this essentially means that most sellers on TikTok Shop are automatically enrolled in the program. 

How to enroll as a seller?

If you’re a seller interested in it, start it by logging into your TikTok Shop seller account. On the left-hand menu, find “Co-funded Free Shipping” and click it. Then follow the instructions to enroll in the program.

If you’re not interested in it, you are free to opt out. However, be aware that if you choose not to participate, you must take on all the shipping costs if you want to provide free shipping to customers.

2. Participate in TikTok’s Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) Program

Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT) is a service provided by TikTok Shop where TikTok handles storage, packaging, and delivery for TikTok Shop sellers.

How does FBT work for free shipping? 

If the FBT order value>=$30, buyers can enjoy free shipping. However, regardless of whether the shopper pays for shipping or receives free shipping, sellers must pay TikTok Shop the fulfillment fee.

How to start using FBT?

To start using FBT, first, ensure your TikTok Shop is set up and active. Second, visit the TikTok Seller Center and check if you are eligible for the FBT program, which has relatively strict metrics, like order volume and shop performance.

3. Offer (Conditional) Free Shipping Thresholds

If you feel that the $30 free shipping threshold in TikTok’s co-funded program is too restrictive for your business, you can set up customized free shipping thresholds to better suit your needs and target audience. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to get started:

1. Log in to your TikTok Seller Center account.

2. In the left sidebar, navigate to “Promotions.”

3. Under the “Shipping Fee Discount” section, click “Create.”

4. You can now customize the creation of shipping discount thresholds.

• Promotion period: Choose between an indefinite promotion period or a specific time frame for your free shipping offer.
• Shipping methods: Decide whether to offer free shipping for standard shipping only or include all available shipping methods.
• Shipping areas: Target all regions or limit free shipping to specific locations, such as nearby areas, to control costs.
• Promotion criteria: Set requirements for buyers to qualify for free shipping. This could be based on a minimum purchase amount (e.g., $20, $50) or a minimum quantity of items in a single order.

5. Once you’ve configured all the settings, don’t forget to click “Agree & Publish” to activate the promotion.

4. Build shipping costs into product pricing

Another effective strategy is to include shipping costs in the product’s price, presenting it as “free shipping.” For example, Instead of listing a product at $20 plus $5 shipping, you can price it at $25 with free shipping.

On the plus side, you can attract consumers and reduce shopping cart abandonment caused by additional shipping costs. However, if the product price is low, factoring in the shipping costs may make the total price appear too high. This could create a significant price gap between you and your competitors, potentially lowering sales, especially when price is a key deciding factor for your customers.

FAQ about TikTok free shipping

1. Why does free shipping matter on TikTok Shop?

Consumers are far more likely to buy products that come with free shipping. Even a small shipping fee can cause hesitation. On the flip side, if shoppers don’t initially notice the shipping fee and only discover it at checkout, they often feel misled by hidden charges and abandon their purchase.

All in all, free shipping enhances the appeal of a seller’s store and helps boost sales.

2. How to get free shipping on TikTok Shop?

If you’re a buyer, there are 5 ways to get free shipping on TikTok Shop.

1. Free shipping for first-time buyers

2. Buy items with the “Free Shipping” badge

3. Exceed the free shipping threshold in a store

4. Spend $30 or more in multiple FBT store

5. Get free shipping coupons

3. How do I edit shipping on TikTok Shop?

1. Log in to TikTok Seller Center and go to Shipping Settings.

2. Choose an existing template or create a new one.

3. Update shipping regions, processing times, and delivery times.

4. Adjust fees: set flat rates, tiered pricing, or offer free shipping.

5. Save changes and test your settings to ensure accuracy.

4. How does co-funded free shipping work?

If a shopper’s total spend in one store (for TikTok shipping or Seller shipping) or across multiple FBT shops is $30 or more, free shipping is provided.

To get reimbursed, sellers must fulfill their orders within a specific time frame:

• For TikTok shipping or Seller shipping, delivery must be completed within 6 days (for Zones 1–6) or 7 days (for Zone 7/7).
• For orders Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT), TikTok handles all fulfillment and delivery, so sellers don’t need to worry about meeting the shipping deadline—they will automatically receive the reimbursement.

5. Why do the sellers join the co-funded free shipping program and offer free shipping?

Sellers join the co-funded free shipping program because TikTok Shop shares the shipping costs with them, reducing their overall expenses.

Additionally, participating in the program helps sellers stand out in a highly competitive market. Products enrolled in the plan are marked with a “Free Shipping” badge before the product title, increasing visibility and appeal to shoppers.

Sellers can also benefit from TikTok’s compensation: the first 500 qualified orders are eligible for up to $6 in shipping reimbursement per order. For orders fulfilled by TikTok within these first 500, TikTok covers the full shipping cost.

Conclusion

To wrap it up, free shipping is a powerful tool on TikTok Shop for both buyers and sellers. Buyers can save by looking for free shipping deals, meeting spending thresholds, or using available coupons. Sellers, on the other hand, can offer free shipping by joining co-funded programs, setting minimum purchase amounts, or including shipping costs in their product pricing.

At Sup Dropshipping, we understand that managing shipping can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Our platform simplifies the process, offering reliable, cost-effective solutions to help you offer free shipping without the headaches. If you want to grow your business, contact us today.