Exclusive: TikTok Shop launches a paid premium tier for 1M of its top US shoppers

The program is TikTok Shop’s latest effort to grow retail sales in the U.S. as live commerce takes off outside of Asia. TikTok Shop launched in the U.S. in 2023 and now represents about 20% of the social-commerce market in the country, per Capital One Shopping. With TikTok Shop Plus, the platform is offering extra perks similar to other paid membership programs like Amazon Prime ($14.99 a month) and Walmart+ ($12.95 a month). Business Insider first reported that TikTok Shop was testing a version of the program in July.

“TikTok Shop Plus is currently being piloted with an expanding group of eligible U.S. users,” Patrick Nommensen, president of strategic initiatives at TikTok Shop, said in a statement to Modern Retail. “As we gradually scale access to the pilot, we’ll continue to gather feedback and refine the experience, with the goal of delivering more value and convenience to shoppers.”

TikTok Shop Plus members have access to multiple perks. First, they can get free shipping on eligible items marked with a “Plus” badge on the product page. Plus members also receive an extra 10% off select products. In addition, each month, Plus members will get three coupons for a range of products. The deals are: $5 off with no minimum spend, $10 off orders of $59 or more, and $30 off orders of $119 or more.

What’s more, for qualified products, members can get an instant refund (up to two times per month), issued as store credit to their TikTok Shop balance before they drop off the return. For TikTok Shop’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday period — which kicks off Wednesday — TikTok Shop Plus members will receive additional exclusive coupons and deeper discounts on select items. The app will display specific offers.

TikTok Shop has high hopes for the holidays this year. Notably, 2026 will be the first holiday season when big names like Best Buy, Ulta Beauty and Sephora will be selling products on TikTok Shop, meaning that shoppers will have more major retail players to choose from than in any previous year. And, this year, shoppers can browse and buy holiday gifts with the help of TikTok Shop’s new AI assistant. Shoppers can also now buy directly in TikTok’s For You feed, without leaving the app.

Nearly a third of U.S. TikTok users expect to buy a gift this Black Friday, per TikTok Shop data. Like previous years, live shopping and limited-edition products will be front and center in TikTok Shop’s holiday strategy. During the 2025 four-day Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, TikTok Shop’s sales surpassed $500 million, and sellers hosting livestreams saw 84% year-over-year sales growth across more than 760,000 sessions, per a press release. 

Americans spend about $43 million per day shopping on TikTok, according to Capital One Shopping. Many of these purchases are health and beauty products, but the platform continues to expand into new categories every year, including big-ticket items like comforters and above-ground pools. Today, TikTok Shop is becoming so crucial to some brands’ businesses that many, including Harry’s and Stila Cosmetics, are creating dedicated positions for heads of TikTok Shop.

TikTok Shop U.S. is now home to retail companies of various sizes, including Vera Bradley, True Religion, Beachwaver and Mellow Sleep. Last month, PF Global’s TikTok’s Economic Impact Report found that economic activity on TikTok helped generate $81 billion in GDP for U.S. businesses in 2025, and that 54 million Americans purchased a product after watching a TikTok video last year. Earlier this month, TechCrunch reported news of a standalone TikTok Shop app in select markets like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

“TikTok Shop is no longer experimental,” Nommensen said at a summit in October. “It’s now a key component to these brands’ e-commerce strategy, and we’re really seeing that shift accelerate as time goes by.”