What is TikTok Shop and how does TikTok shopping work in Switzerland?

TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms worldwide. A total of 1.5 billion users have already downloaded the app. The concept? Short videos that are constantly updated in a continuous feed and captivate the user.

What sets TikTok apart from other social media platforms is that it isn't really that social. The focus isn't so much on interacting with people, but rather on entertainment.

But that's not all! TikTok users, especially those in Generation Z, are on average very keen to buy and regularly find inspiration for new products on TikTok – whether it's fashion, makeup, or electronics.

Product marketing on TikTok is now even easier for e-commerce companies: with the TikTok Shop feature, they can create a product catalog on TikTok and link their products in short videos.

Although this feature is not yet available in Switzerland, some of its functions can still be used— if you know how to create your own product catalog and link it to an external online store.

In this article, you will learn exactly what TikTok Shopping is all about, how you can prepare for the feature in Switzerland, and what advertising opportunities Swiss e-commerce companies already have on TikTok.

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TikTok Shop is a complete e-commerce solution for boosting brand growth and sales directly on TikTok. 

This is how the platform describes its integrated shop. But what exactly does that mean?

The TikTok Shop is an integrated feature that allows e-commerce companies to sell their products on TikTok. Products are linked in feed videos, and purchases are also completed directly via TikTok. 

TikTok itself does not sell any products, but merely acts as a sales platform for other companies.

How does TikTok Shopping work?

Users can access the TikTok Shop directly from their dashboard.

If you want to sell products via TikTok Shop, you first need to set up a seller account. 

The rest is pretty intuitive. As an e-commerce company, you can create a TikTok Product Catalog, link products in videos, and handle the entire sales process directly through TikTok. 

Users, on the other hand, can purchase linked items from videos or access the shop via the TikTok dashboard. This allows them to search for and buy products directly in the app. 

To make searching easier, daily deals are displayed in the TikTok Store and products are sorted by category.

What is the product catalog all about?

The TikTok Product Catalog is created via TikTok Ads Manager and contains all data about the products you want to sell via TikTok. 

You can upload photos and images, create product descriptions, enter sizes and variants, set prices, and update product availability. 

The TikTok Product Catalog is therefore the basis for TikTok Shopping Ads and ensures that users can view all the details of your product. 

TikTok Shop vs. Showcase: What's the difference?

TikTok Shop and TikTok Showcase are two similar but different features.

TikTok Shop is an integrated feature for e-commerce companies that want to sell their products online via the app. 

TikTok Showcase, on the other hand, is a feature for creators and influencers. With TikTok Showcase, creators can create a showroom on their profile where they can promote products from other brands and earn a small commission in return.

What advantages does TikTok Shop offer e-commerce companies?

This is what the TikTok Shop could soon look like in Switzerland

It's no surprise that 15 million sellers have already signed up for TikTok Shop. The sales platform offers e-commerce companies several advantages:

  • Low commissions: One of the most important advantages of TikTok is its low commissions. While Amazon retains around 8 to 15% per purchase, the commission on TikTok is only up to 8%. 

  • Easy setup: Furthermore , setting up a TikTok shop is super easy. Companies can create their own product catalog and complete the purchase directly via TikTok without having to build their own online shop.

  • Video integration: Products can be linked directly in videos, allowing users to be engaged precisely where they spend most of their time: consuming short-form content.

  • High reach: In Switzerland, just under 3 million adults use TikTok. Worldwide, the number is in the billions. This is an enormously high reach and means that your content will be seen by numerous users. 

  • New target groups: Around a quarter of Swiss TikTok users are not registered on Instagram. Although the two platforms are similar and appeal primarily to the younger generation, you will lose many potential customers if you ignore TikTok and only market your products on Instagram. 

  • Effective influencer marketing: TikTok is one of the most important platforms for influencer marketing, which is extremely profitable for e-commerce companies. The younger generation in particular trusts the opinions of their idols and regularly buys products recommended by influencers or celebrities. Influencers can link directly to your products in their videos via the TikTok Shop and generate sales for you around the clock – whether you're sitting in the office or lying on the beach.

Disadvantages of the TikTok Shop

Like all advertising and sales platforms, TikTok has both advantages and disadvantages.

  • Not available in Switzerland: As mentioned above, TikTok Shop is not (yet) available in Switzerland. However, there are other advertising options on the platform, which we will present in the next section.

  • Paid ads: In order for your products to be discovered on TikTok, you need to create paid ads. This is probably one of the reasons why the commission on TikTok is so low. 

  • More for younger audiences: If you want to reach an older audience, TikTok is probably not the right choice. This app is mainly used by Gen Zers and millennials.

Run TikTok Shopping ads in Switzerland

In Switzerland, TikTok Ads (as shown on the right) can already be used today, or you can have products marketed via influencers.

That's all well and good, but what good is it to me in Switzerland, where TikTok Shop is not yet available? 

Don't worry! Although the integrated shop has not yet arrived in Switzerland, there are still ways to market and sell products via TikTok.

TikTok advertisements (ads)

Swiss companies and retailers can continue to place TikTok ads. A distinction is made between the following formats: 

  • In-Feed Ads: The standard form of TikTok advertising is inserted directly into the feed and thus fits seamlessly into the videos that users consume.

  • TopView: For an additional fee, you can also place TopView ads, which play when the app is opened and can be up to 60 seconds long. 

  • Brand Takeover: While TopView ads are played after the app is opened, Brand Takeover ads are displayed as soon as the app is opened, before any other videos. However, this ad is only shown to users once a day.

  • SparkAds: With SparkAds, you can boost videos to increase their reach. These can be videos you have created yourself or videos from influencers who advertise your products. 

  • Brand effects: Last but not least, you can also provide users with your own effects to draw attention to your brand. These could be stickers or AR effects, for example.

TikTok Shopping with your own product catalog - in Switzerland

Just because you can't use the official TikTok Shop doesn't mean you have to miss out on TikTok Shopping Ads!

In Switzerland, you can still market products on TikTok and link to an external online store, such as your Shopify store. In addition, you can create your own product catalog and upload it to TikTok. 

This means you can also advertise on TikTok in Switzerland. The only difference is that you cannot use TikTok as a complete sales platform and must link your products to an external online store.

How do I create TikTok Shopping Ads in Switzerland?

In-app purchases and payment processing via TikTok are not yet available in Switzerland. However, you can create video shopping ads for TikTok and link them to an external online store. Here's how it works:

  1. Create a business account for TikTok.

  2. Next, you can create your own product catalog in TikTok Ads Manager. To do this, you can either upload products manually or use plugins for Shopify and WooCommerce to create automatic product feeds.

  3. You can now create dynamic TikTok Shopping Ads that are linked to your product catalog. For the campaign, select either the "Conversions" or "Catalog Sales" objective. 

  4. The advertisements can now be used to link to external online shops where you can make sales.

What about TikTok's data protection?

TikTok repeatedly comes under criticism with regard to data protection. The company belongs to ByteDance, which is subject to Chinese security laws. As a result, TikTok is also suspected of sharing user data with the Chinese government.

Several countries have already banned the use of TikTok on work devices. However, in 2023, TikTok began storing data on European servers to address data protection concerns.

To do this, users can personalize their data management in the app, deactivate location access, and request or delete stored data.

onlineKarma: Your TikTok agency in Switzerland

Our onlineKarma social media agency has been helping e-commerce companies market their products on social media since 2009. Of course, TikTok is a must!

Although TikTok Shop is not yet available in Switzerland, we have had positive experiences with advertising on TikTok . If you too would like to take the next step on TikTok and market your products via the platform, you've come to the right place!

We create a results-oriented marketing strategy and place ads on TikTok that increase your conversions and generate higher sales for your e-commerce business. 

Curious? Then feel free to contact us for a free initial consultation and find out what TikTok can do for you!

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Frequently asked questions

  • If you don't have access to the TikTok Store, it's most likely due to your location. TikTok Shopping is not currently available in Switzerland.

  • TikTok was first released in the United States. However, the feature is now also available in Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, the Philippines, and Japan.

  • It is still unclear when TikTok Shop will come to Switzerland. However, TikTok Shopping was launched in other countries in 2025, so a launch in Switzerland is definitely not out of the question. 

  • Yes and no. Creating a TikTok shop is free, but as soon as you sell something through the shop, a fee is charged. In addition, most e-commerce companies pay additional costs for advertisements so that their products gain more reach on TikTok.

  • The commission charged by TikTok Shop is 5-8%. The exact percentage may vary depending on the category and region. TikTok also charges a small transaction fee per product sold. In some regions, you can also handle warehouse logistics and shipping through TikTok, for which an additional fee is charged.

  • If you are a retailer and want to publish a TikTok Shop, you need 1,000 followers. You must also be over 18 years of age and have a TikTok account that is more than 30 days old. As a company, the minimum number of followers does not apply and you can set up your shop straight away. 

Conclusion: Is TikTok a profitable advertising platform for e-commerce companies in Switzerland?

Although TikTok Shop is not yet available in Switzerland, the platform still offers a lot of potential for e-commerce companies. The app is particularly popular with the younger generation, so you can use TikTok to reach on social media .

This is demonstrated by an analysis by AgencyAnalyticsshows that TikTok achieves higher conversion rates than other social media platforms. For e-commerce companies, the app has become indispensable. 

This is also confirmed by many well-known brands. Weleda, for example, reports positive experiences with TikTok Shop in the US and is already in the starting blocks for its launch in Switzerland. 

We at onlineKarma therefore recommend that e-commerce companies start preparing for the launch of TikTok Shop now and, in the meantime, connect TikTok Shopping Ads to an external shop. 

Do you need help with this? Then feel free to contact us for a no-obligation initial consultation!

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