TikTok Shop is the platform everyone's talking about, and if you sell there, shipping works a little differently from eBay or Etsy. You can either use TikTok's own integrated shipping, where the platform generates the label and handles tracking, or ship yourself and upload the tracking number. Both routes are workable, and the right one depends on your margins and how much control you want over the carrier.
How TikTok Shop fulfilment works
When an order comes in on TikTok Shop, you have a choice. Ship with TikTok's own shipping service and the platform issues a prepaid label and tracks it automatically, or ship yourself, buy postage with your own carrier, and enter the tracking number manually. The integrated option is simpler, the self-ship option gives you control, and the choice is set at the listing or shop level.
TikTok's integrated shipping labels
TikTok's own labels are generated in a standard format, and like most UK marketplaces, that format is 100 × 150mm, so they print on a normal 4x6 thermal printer. The postage is either folded into the item price or charged to the buyer depending on how you've configured the listing, and TikTok handles the tracking integration so the buyer sees updates automatically.
Self-shipping and your own carrier
If you ship yourself, you can use Royal Mail, Evri, or any courier you like, and you're responsible for getting the tracking number into TikTok Shop so the order updates. This is the route to choose if you've negotiated better rates or want to use Tracked 24 or 48, and it's the same discipline as self-shipping on eBay, covered in our eBay postage guide.
Tracking and the performance metrics
TikTok Shop scores sellers on shipping speed and tracking, and orders that ship fast with working tracking protect your shop's metrics. Untracked postage is a risk here, because a missing tracking number can count against you even if the parcel arrived. For anything beyond trivial value, ship tracked, and make sure the tracking number is entered as soon as the label is printed.
Label size and printing
The labels, whether TikTok's or your own, print at 100 × 150mm, and the same print rules apply as everywhere else. Set the paper size correctly, print at 100% scale, and scan-test the barcode before a real batch. A parcel whose barcode won't scan at the courier depot is a parcel that looks late on TikTok's metrics, which matters more than on a platform with looser deadlines.
Shipping timeframes and expectations
TikTok buyers skew towards fast delivery, and the platform pushes sellers towards quick dispatch windows. That means choosing a carrier that actually hits next-day or two-day delivery, not just the cheapest option. Tracked 24 and courier next-day services are the common default, and our Tracked 24 prices guide covers the cost side.
Returns and the buyer experience
TikTok Shop has its own returns process, and the label for a return is generated by the platform. The same clean-label logic applies on the way back, a return label that scans properly gets processed faster, which matters for the customer's refund and your standing. It's the same principle as our Shopify returns guide, just on a different platform.
Getting set up properly
The setup worth doing up front is: decide between integrated and self-shipping, configure it at the listing level, make sure your printer is dialled in for 100 × 150mm labels, and set a dispatch routine that ships within the platform's windows. TikTok rewards sellers who ship fast with clean tracking, and punishes those who treat it as an afterthought.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use TikTok Shop's shipping labels? No, you can ship yourself with your own carrier and upload the tracking number, which gives you more control over cost and carrier choice.
What size are TikTok Shop shipping labels? 100 × 150mm, the standard UK format, so they print directly on a 4x6 thermal printer.
Does TikTok Shop require tracking? Tracking protects your shop's performance metrics, and untracked postage can count against you, so tracked shipping is strongly recommended.
Labels for TikTok and everywhere else
TikTok Shop, eBay, Etsy and your own store all print on the same 100 × 150mm direct thermal label, so one printer and one roll covers the lot.
Shop 4×6 Labels