A TikTok spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the email to ADWEEK, saying sellers will be required to choose from platform-approved fulfillment options, including Upgraded TikTok Shipping, Collections by TikTok (CBT), and Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT).
The move represents a major strategic pivot under TikTok’s new American-led board. By forcing brands into its own fulfillment lanes, TikTok is moving to own the entire customer journey—and the massive amounts of first-party data that come with it. It is a “closed-loop” model that mirrors Amazon’s, but with stricter requirements, sources said. Unlike Amazon, which still allows high-performing sellers to ship their own packages via “Seller Fulfilled Prime,” TikTok is removing the independent option entirely.
“This is stricter than Amazon,” said Ethan Kramer, a fractional growth consultant at We The Hobby.
In its email to advertisers, TikTok framed the move as a way to create a “vibrant marketplace.” However, Kramer pointed out that the reality for smaller sellers and drop-shippers will be a significant hit to cash flow and operational stability.
For TikTok, the shift under new U.S. ownership hinges on whether it can manage the swings of viral commerce—which powers popular brands like Stanley tumblers or period-care brands like August—without sacrificing the predictability brands associate with Amazon.
That type of virality-driven commerce adds “complexity to any logistics system,” Kramer said.
