TikTok Product Selection Strategy: Boost Sales with Winning Tips

Running a successful TikTok shop takes more than just setting up your TikTok shop on the platform. It requires good products, reliable suppliers, promotion, and other key factors.

Selecting the right products is the foundation for keeping your store running smoothly and boosting your profits. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to pick the best TikTok products for your store.

Let’s dive in!

9 TikTok Product Selection Strategies to Increase Your Sales

TikTok is a fast-moving platform with new hot products and trends every week; Some products take off while others fade away quickly. Mastering the following 9 product selection strategies can make you stand out in TikTok shops and significantly boost your sales.

1. Find Trending Hashtags

Hashtags often signal TikTok trends. Regularly checking trending hashtags can give you a sense of what’s popular right now. For example, if you notice #SummerFashion trending, it might be a good time to find swimsuits and sunglasses.

TikTok’s Explore page is a great place to start. Click “Explore”, then choose a particular category based on your niche. It shows you the top videos and what’s currently trending in that category. Spending a few minutes each day scrolling through can help you spot potential hits.

In the TikTok Creative Center’s Hashtags page, by filtering specific industries, regions, and timeframes, you can discover the new and most popular hashtags on TikTok. If you are interested in a particular label, click “see analytics” for an in-depth analysis.

Third-party apps like TrendTok can also help. These tools track trending hashtags and provide insights into what is gaining traction. Use them to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your products align with the latest trends.

2. Follow Influencers and Creators

Influencers and creators often set trends on TikTok. By following influencers in your niche, you can see what products they recommend and promote. If a popular influencer starts talking about a particular product, this product is likely to sell well.

Pay attention to the details. Notice how they highlight products and how they engage with their audience. This can give you ideas on how to promote similar products in your store.

3. Leverage TikTok Creative Center

Using TikTok Creative Center’s Top Products page can help you directly find the most popular items on the platform.

The page lists the current most popular products on TikTok, sorted by their popularity. You can filter by regions and different product categories, such as beauty, apparel, health, etc. Choose the categories relevant to your store to find the best products to sell.

Each product will have detailed data, including posts, views, likes, audience age range, regional popularity, etc. Select products with strong performance data, as they have already proven popular on TikTok.

4. Analyze Popular Videos

Look at the most popular videos in your industry to see what products are being showcased.  The “For you” page, “Explore” page and Creative Center will show you lots of the hottest videos in your niche.

Analyzing these videos helps you understand what your audience is interested in. Maybe it’s the way the product is demonstrated, the editing method, or even the background sounds. Using these insights is not only beneficial to product selection but also helps create compelling content.

Don’t forget to pay close attention to the comments section. Sometimes, viewers will express interest and post real reviews. This provides you with direct feedback on what’s catching people’s eyes. Also, it helps you to decide whether this product is worth selecting.

5. Use Data Analysis Tools

If you want to find the best products for your TikTok store, data analysis tools can be incredibly helpful. 

Some famous data analysis platforms, like Kalodata, Fastmoss, and Echotik, gather data on trending items, sales performance, and customer preferences.

• Analyze trends: The data can show you which products are rising stars, helping you make decisions about what adds to your store. For instance, look for products that show consistent growth. These items are likely to keep gaining traction and can be a good addition to your store. 
• Understand customer preferences: These platforms also provide insights into customer behavior. By understanding what people are looking for and buying, you can tailor your product selection to meet their needs.

Most data analysis tools come with a fee. If you’re looking to save money, consider using free alternatives like Google Trends and TikTok Analytics. However, they provide more general insights rather than precise data, guiding your product selections in a broad direction.

Google Trends is a powerful tool that provides real-time insights into the popularity of the product you search for. For instance, In the following picture, the fluctuation indicates sunglasses had a high search volume in June and July. It might be time to add them to your inventory.

TikTok Analytics, TikTok’s built-in tools, can give you detailed insights into what’s working and what’s not, including total views, total engagement, top posts, etc. This data helps you make informed decisions about what to stock.

Using data analysis tools allows you to make decisions based on solid information rather than guesswork. You can track performance, predict trends, and understand customer behavior. All of these are crucial for selecting the right products for your TikTok store.

6. Check E-commerce Platforms

Regularly visiting platforms like Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress and Temu will keep you up to date with current best sellers.  If some items are popular on these e-commerce platforms, there’s a good chance they will be well-received on TikTok too.

Take Amazon as an example. There are three ways to find popular product ideas:

• Best Sellers
• Most Wished For
• Gift Ideas

First, Checking best-seller lists and trending products on the platform. Despite high sales and income for top best sellers, competition is fierce.  Focus on mid-range and lower-range categories and products. These items often have good potential with less competition, making it easier to get decent sales.

Second, Look at Most Wished For. Analyze what consumers have on their wish lists. These items show what people want. You can find similar products to sell, tapping into the existing demand to boost your sales.

Third, Check out Gift Ideas. Look through gift recommendations and sell similar products. Just make sure to avoid any copyright issues. Ensure your product design and packaging don’t infringe on the original product’s copyright to avoid legal trouble.

Using these three methods, you can find potential products to boost your TikTok store sales. Don’t forget to look at customer reviews to understand what people like and dislike about these products.

7. Leverage Crowdfunding and Unique Gadgets Websites

When it comes to finding unique and popular products for your TikTok store, sometimes you need to think outside the box. Here’s a great way to discover new products:

Crowdfunding Websites

Check out crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Look for products that have exceeded their funding goals by 500% or more. These products have proven demand and can be a goldmine for your store. They’re usually innovative and not yet widely available, giving you a competitive edge.

Unique Gadet Websites

Visit websites like Shut up＆take my store and This is why I’m broken. The sites feature quirky, fun, and unique products that are perfect for catching the eye of TikTok users. Browse through their listings to find items that stand out and have the potential to go viral.

By using crowdfunding websites and unique gadget sites, you can discover exciting products that will make your TikTok store stand out and attract more customers.

8. Induct Competitive Analysis

Knowing what your competitors are doing can help you refine your product selection strategy. Here are some tips for conducting competitive analysis effectively:

Identify your competitors: Find other TikTok shops in your niche. Look at their products, pricing, and promotional tactics.

Analyze their performance: Use tools like Social Blade or TikTok’s analytics to see how your competitors’ content is performing. What types of products get the most engagement? What strategies do they use? For example, if a competitor’s video featuring a new item gets a lot of views and engagement, it’s a sign that there’s interest in that product.

Find gaps in the market: Look for gaps in your competitors’ offerings. Maybe there’s a demand for a popular type of product that they’re not selling. That’s an opportunity for you to fill the void. By offering something unique or different, you attract customers who can’t find what they’re looking for elsewhere. 

9. Use Douyin to Find Products

Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, can be a great source for finding hot products for your TikTok store. Here’s how you can use it:

• Analyze Trends: Look at the hashtags and challenges that are going viral on Douyin. These trends often drive product popularity.
• Follow Influencers: Just like on TikTok, influencers on Douyin play a big role in setting trends. Follow popular influencers in your niche and pay attention to the products they promote. If an influencer with a large following is recommending something, it’s likely to become popular.
• Explore Popular Videos: Browse through popular videos on Douyin to see what products are trending. 
• Check Douyin Shops: Douyin has its own integrated shopping feature where users can buy products directly from the app. Check out what’s selling well in Douyin shops. Products that are doing well there might also perform well on TikTok.
• Use Douyin data analysis tools: Tools like Douchacha and Chanmama can guide your product selection by providing data on what’s popular, rising trends, and customer preferences. 

Using Douyin as a source for product ideas can give you an edge in finding unique and trending items for your TikTok source. However, the language barrier can be a challenge, as the entire interface is in Chinese, making it hard to navigate and find what you need.

Case Studies: TikTok Product Ideas

Case 1: Toys

Products: Mini toys, dolls

Format: Mixed packages

Highlights: These come in blind boxes, adding an element of surprise. They’re customizable, with diverse styles and fast updates. The scenes are immersive and the warm tones are inviting.

Case 2: Educational Toys

Products: Puzzles, learning kits

Format: Single-item display

Highlights: These toys are engaging and interactive, making them perfect for attracting viewer attention and encouraging longer watch times.

Case 3: Imported Snacks

Products: Chinese snacks

Format: Combo packs

Highlights: The scenes are realistic and immersive, with well-coordinated colors. The image quality and proportions are comfortable, and the presenter feels authentic, creating a strong connection with viewers.

Boost Your Sales with 6 Practical Tips

Choosing the right product is just one part of the equation. Here are 6 practical tips to keep your TikTok shop running smoothly and increase your sales.

1. Partner with reliable suppliers

Reliable suppliers can handle demand fluctuations and deliver quickly and consistently. Imagine running a sale and suddenly your best-selling item is out of stock. That’s a customer service nightmare waiting to happen. Having a supplier who can keep up with your inventory needs is crucial to avoid such a situation.

A dependable supplier also helps maintain product quality. Consistent quality means fewer returns and happier customers. You should keep in touch with your suppliers regularly to anticipate demand changes and ensure product quality.

2. Enhance customer service

Providing excellent customer service, handling inquiries promptly, and solving issues quickly are important. Sometimes, customers may have problems with your TikTok products, responding quickly and offering a solution can turn a potential negative review into a positive one.

Use multiple channels—email, chat, and phone—to ensure customers can reach you in their preferred way. Some customers might prefer chatting online, while others might want to speak to someone directly. Offering various contact methods makes your customer service more accessible and responsive.

3. Invest in Effective Marketing

Create engaging ads: Create a short, catchy video that highlights your product’s unique features. Think of a 15-second video showing a before-and-after using your product. It’s quick, grabs attention, and shows the product in action. TikTok’s audience loves quick, visually appealing content.

Engage with your audience: Reply to comments, ask questions, and encourage user-generated content. Engaging with your audience builds a community around your brands and increases loyalty.

Influencer marketing: Collaborate with influencers who have a large, stable fan base to reach a broad audience. They can showcase your product to their followers, driving traffic to your store.

4. Offer Promotions and Discounts

Running promotions and offering discounts can attract more customers and increase sales. Limited-time offers create a sense of urgency, encouraging customers to make a purchase. For instance, customers are likely to be attracted by a “24-hour flash sale”. By pushing them to act quickly, you can boost sales.

Creating bundle deals is another great way to increase sales. If you’re selling skincare products, offering a discount for a bundle that includes a cleanser, toner, and moisturizer can entice customers to buy more. Also, seasonal promotions, like a summer sale on swimwear, can help you sell seasonal items before they go out of style. 

5. Optimize your TikTok product listings

Clear and attractive product listings are crucial for converting visitors into buyers. Make sure your product titles, descriptions, and images provide all the necessary information. A well-written product description with high-quality images can make a huge difference in attracting potential buyers.

Using keywords in your product titles and descriptions can improve search visibility, making it easier for potential customers to find your products. For example, if you’re selling eco-friendly water bottles, make sure to include keywords like “eco-friendly,” “reusable,” and “water bottle” in your listing.

6. Analyze TikTok Shop Performance

Regularly analyzing your shop’s performance metrics can show what’s working and what needs improvement. 

TikTok’s built-in analytics tools can track the performance of your content and ads. Metrics like conversion rates, customer retention rates, and average order value provide valuable insights. This allows you to adjust your strategies accordingly. For example, if you see that certain products consistently perform well, you might decide to focus more on promoting those items to sell more.

Summary

This guide shows you some TikTok product selection strategies to drive sales. Of course, to pick the best products, you can’t rely on just one strategy. Instead, you need to combine them and conduct a comprehensive analysis based on your specific situation.

Additionally, always adjust these strategies according to market trends and your own circumstances.

Hope you can choose the best products for your TikTok shop and see your sales soar!

If you encounter any problems, please feel free to contact us.