Recently,the risk control measures of TikTok Shop US have undergone a major upgrade, with multiple Chinese sellers' stores being banned for violations and funds being frozen for up to 90 days.
For example, two stores of a seller in Guangdong were suddenly shut down after accumulating thousands of dollars in sales, and another seller was unable to withdraw $12,000 in payment due to the cancellation of more than 800 orders.
This series of actions is not accidental, but rather a concentrated crackdown by the platform on gray practices such as low-quality mass listing, store group arbitrage, and counterfeit brands. This rectification not only changes the way sellers operate, but also signals that US social e-commerce is entering a new stage.
Image source:Google
Policy Tightening: The Platform Fully Raises Entry Barriers
In addition to store closure measures,TikTok Shop has also tightened its entry and operation policies. Now, sellers wishing to open cross-border stores in the US and UK must meet higher thresholds.
The platform clearly requires sellers to have enterprise-level or localized qualifications, meaning that it is much more difficult for individual sellers and purely cross-border operations. The newly added tax compliance and account health scoring system set clear operational red lines for sellers.
These measures together form a stricter management ecosystem, making the cost of violations extremely high. Through these initiatives, the platform is sending a clear signal:TikTok Shop does not want to become another low-quality, cheap e-commerce platform.
Image source:Google
Impact on Sellers: Business Models Face Comprehensive Transformation
This risk control upgrade has had an immediate impact on the seller community. Sellers relying on the store group model and mass listing strategies have suffered the most, with not only their accounts being banned but also their funds being frozen for a long time, severely affecting cash flow.
This forces sellers to re-examine their business models. The previous extensive operation of uploading large numbers of products and testing for bestsellers is no longer sustainable; refined operations have become the inevitable choice. Sellers need to pay more attention to product quality and store health, rather than simply pursuing product quantity and short-term traffic.
The challenges faced by small and medium-sized sellers are particularly severe. They not only need to cope with the short-term pressure of frozen funds, but also quickly adapt to the new platform rules, which places higher demands on their ability to survive.
Image source:Google
Response Strategies: Compliance and Refined Operations as the Way Out
In the face of the platform's policy adjustments, sellers need to actively adjust their business strategies. Transforming to refined operations is the most urgent task. Sellers need to focus on a few categories, deeply cultivate product quality and user experience, and build differentiated competitive advantages.
Improving the compliance system has become a top priority. Sellers need to pay great attention to tax compliance, product certification, and intellectual property protection to avoid store closures due to violations. Establish a professional operations team, continuously monitor account health scores, and adjust operational strategies in a timely manner.
Brand building is another important direction. By creating independent brands and increasing product added value, sellers can avoid the risk of counterfeiting while establishing a more stable market position and greater profit margins, achieving sustainable development.
Image source:Google
Conclusion
Although this rectification storm has brought short-term pain, it marks thatTikTok e-commerce is maturing. By raising thresholds and strengthening supervision, the platform is building a healthier and more sustainable e-commerce ecosystem.
For sellers, the era of barbaric growth has ended, and refined operations and compliant management will become the new rules for survival. Only those sellers who quickly adapt to changes and adhere to long-termism can stand out in this reshuffle.