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TikTok Shop vs Pludor

Updated 1 October 2026 · Pludor team · 3 sources

TikTok Shop sells inside TikTok, where buyers already watch videos and LIVE, for a referral fee of 6% in most US categories (TikTok Shop); Pludor is your own free store with shoppable video and live selling you control. Use TikTok Shop to reach TikTok's audience and your own store to keep buyers, sell services and own the customer list; many sellers run both.

Open my free store →Free to start - no card needed

TikTok Shop and Pludor side by side

From each platform's published terms.

TikTok ShopPludor
Where buyers areInside the TikTok appYour store link anywhere: TikTok, Instagram, WhatsApp, your website
Fee per sale (US)6% referral fee in most categories; 5% in some (TikTok Shop)4.99% + 90¢ per order plus Stripe 2.9% + 30¢ (pricing, Stripe)
Monthly cost$0$0; optional plans lower the fee (pricing)
Customer relationshipTikTok controls buyer data and messagingYou own the customer list
Beyond productsPhysical products, affiliates, LIVEProducts, downloads, bookings, courses, live selling, AI answering

Checked 1 October 2026. TikTok Shop availability and fees vary by country.

What one Pludor store replaces

Many sellers pay for several tools to cover these jobs. Pludor includes them in one free store, with free amounts every month and pay-as-you-go past them (pricing).

JobUsual separate toolOn Pludor
Online store and checkoutShopify Basic, $39 a month billed monthly (Shopify)Included, $0 a month, no item limit
Bookings and depositsCalendly Standard, $10 per seat a month billed yearly (Calendly)Included; 30 bookings free each month, then pay as you go
Email marketingMailchimp Essentials, from $13 a month (Mailchimp)Included; 500 marketing emails free each month
AI receptionist for callsSmith.ai AI Receptionist Pro, $150 a month for about 75 calls (Smith.ai)Included; 10 AI-answered calls and 100 AI replies free each month

Monthly subscriptions in this table add up to about $212.00 a month before any per-sale fees; on Pludor the same jobs start at $0 a month plus 4.99% + 90¢ per paid order and card processing (pricing). Prices checked 1 October 2026 on each tool's pricing page.

Start here

TikTok Shop is built for discovery: people buy while watching. Your own store is built for ownership: repeat buyers, services and every other channel.

What you need

  • TikTok Shop fits products that sell well in short videos and LIVE
  • Your own store fits services, digital products and repeat customers
  • Running both lets TikTok bring new buyers while your store keeps them

Beginner mistakes to avoid

  • Relying on one app for all sales
  • Ignoring affiliate commissions when calculating margin
  • Not collecting buyer contact details anywhere you control

How to do it

How do I work out TikTok Shop fees?

Apply the referral fee for your category to the sale, then add any affiliate commission you offer (TikTok Shop).

  1. Find your category's referral rate in Seller Center (6% in most US categories)
  2. Add the affiliate commission if a creator sold it
  3. Add shipping and packaging costs
  4. Compare with your own store fees

How do I sell with short videos outside TikTok Shop?

Post the same videos with your own store link and pin products where your platform allows it.

  1. Film the product in use in the first two seconds
  2. Put your store link in your bio
  3. Repost to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts
  4. Use shoppable video on your own store

How do I go live and sell?

Plan a short show with a few products, clear prices and a reason to buy now.

  1. Pick 5 to 10 products
  2. Write an opening, a moment per product and a close
  3. Offer a live-only deal
  4. Follow up with buyers after the show

How do I turn TikTok buyers into repeat customers?

Include an invitation to your own store in every order and follow up.

  1. Add an insert card with your store link or QR code
  2. Offer something only on your store
  3. Collect emails with consent
  4. Post restocks to your list first

How do I work with affiliate creators?

Offer a clear commission and send samples to creators whose audience matches your buyers.

  1. Set a commission that still leaves margin
  2. Send samples with key selling points
  3. Track which creators sell
  4. Build long-term deals with the best

How do I get found in TikTok search?

Use the words buyers type in your captions, on-screen text and spoken words.

  1. Search TikTok for your product and note the suggestions
  2. Put the main phrase in the caption and on screen
  3. Say it in the first seconds
  4. Keep videos focused on one product

Common questions

How much does TikTok Shop take?

In the US, a 6% referral fee in most categories, with some categories at 5% (TikTok Shop). Affiliate commissions are extra.

Can I sell services on TikTok Shop?

TikTok Shop focuses on physical products. Services, bookings and digital products need another tool.

Is Pludor a TikTok Shop alternative?

It is a complement: your own store with shoppable video and live selling, which you can link from TikTok and every other app.

Do I own my TikTok Shop customers?

TikTok controls the marketplace relationship; on your own store you own the list.

Can I link my own store from TikTok?

You can add a website link to your profile once your account qualifies under TikTok's rules.

Which is better for live selling?

TikTok LIVE brings an audience; your own live selling keeps the buyers and has no marketplace fee beyond your store fee.

Going further: scale and grow

Diversify channels

Selling only inside one app ties your income to its rules. Mirror your best products on your own store.

Know your true margin

Referral fee, affiliate commission, discounts and shipping can take a large share; calculate per product.

Use TikTok for discovery, your store for loyalty

New buyers find you on TikTok; repeat buyers can come straight to you.

Batch content

Film several product videos in one session and post across the week on every platform.

Test live formats

Try short daily lives and longer weekly shows; keep the format that sells.

Use AI for this

AI speeds up the content that video selling needs.

  1. Hooks. Generate opening lines for each product.
  2. Scripts. Write live selling scripts.
  3. Captions. Create search-friendly captions.
  4. Product photos. Make lifestyle images for listings.
  5. Replies. Draft answers to buyer questions.

Be careful

Show products honestly; edited or AI images must match what buyers receive.

Doing this on Pludor

Pludor gives you your own free store with shoppable short video, live selling, bookings and an AI receptionist, so buyers from TikTok or anywhere else land on a store you own.

  • $0 a month
  • Shoppable video and live selling
  • Your customer list
  • Products, downloads and bookings together

Free to start - no card, no item limit. Pay only for what you use past the monthly free amounts.

Open my free store

Sources

  1. TikTok Shop US referral fees
  2. Stripe pricing
  3. Pludor pricing

Checked 1 October 2026. Fees and rules change; follow the links for the latest.

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