How to Sell Custom Merch on TikTok?

There was a time when TikTok stood out as an entertainment platform. It became a powerhouse with viral trends and enticing videos, especially among youngsters. Soon, the platform garnered the attention of millions of followers, which attracted businesses and content creators to monetize their content through branded merchandise and learning how to sell custom merch on TikTok.

TikTok has now become an exciting opportunity to earn online. Its versatility is undeniable, and it empowers brands to display a diverse range of content. Businesses now showcase their products to potential buyers and ensure that interested viewers know where to find their products.

All you need is an engaged audience! Here is a guide where we will explore how to sell custom merch on TikTok and begin earning revenue.

Understanding TikTok

TikTok is a social media platform that allows users to share short-form videos and clips ranging from 6 seconds to 10 minutes. It encourages a culture of viral content remixing and can turn videos into a nationwide phenomenon.

The platform witnesses content from the most popular creators and global celebrities and allows users to enhance their videos with filters, music, voice effects, and even emotions.

Check out how Happy Soul Sisters Atlanta-based clothing brand, captured TikTok’s attention with a heartfelt video documenting the excitement of fulfilling their first TikTok Shop order. With a focus on authenticity and joy, the video amassed over 11 million views, translating into a significant boost in orders.

Let us look at some trends that show how businesses have used TikTok. Here are some critical stats on TikTok:

• Today, TikTok has more than 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. The app has been downloaded more than 4.1 billion times.
• According to NASDAQ, today, the app is worth $50 billion, and it ranks #4th among the most popular social media platforms.
• 1 out of 4 businesses have used TikTok to promote their products and increase sales.
• Putting ads on TikTok works better than sharing ads on TV, as advertisers witness an average return of $2 against a spend of $1. 
• Such facts depict how TikTok keeps its users glued to their screens for an average of 95 minutes per day.

This demonstrates TikTok’s widespread reach and potential to promote your brands. The app has an effective algorithm, and you can use it to flourish your business.

If you want to learn how to sell custom merch on TikTok, you’re in the right place. Let us uncover the secrets of effectively using TikTok to sell custom merchandise.

About Selling Custom Merchandise

It is a dream come true for many to sell their custom merchandise. It is a lucrative venture, especially if you take your business online on social media platforms. The key to profitability is understanding your audience and creating products that entice them.

TikTok, as a platform, facilitates exposure and boosts sales potential, and here, you can sell merch without any upfront costs. You simply need to understand your target audience and create content to promote products that match audience preferences. Some of the most popular custom merchandise sold by TikTokers are:

• Custom clothing like tees, hoodies, jackets, hats, gym wear, etc.
• Accessories like bags, belts, and phone cases
• Home Goods and Décor items like wall art, photo frames, mugs, etc.
• Organic tote bags
• Notebooks and stationery with the brand logo
• Tech accessories, such as phone cases and laptop sleeves

Why Should You Sell Custom Merch on TikTok?

You can use your logo or designs on custom merch and continuously advertise your products. Follow TikTok trends to generate interest among your audience.

Selling custom merchandise on TikTok offers several benefits. Let us take a look:

1. Low Overheads

TikTok is an ideal platform for selling custom merch as there are minimal initial costs. The platform doesn’t demand any sign-up fees, and it allows you to create brand videos and post them for free. You can also use various features like sound, templates, and filters with no additional expenses. At TikTok, you can generate revenue with minimal overhead.

2. Enhanced Brand Reach

With more than a billion people opening the TikTok app every day, businesses have a golden opportunity to promote their merchandise and enhance brand recognition. Even if a few followers wear your merchandise, it becomes free advertising. Brands can also enhance their visibility without spending money by participating in popular challenges.

3. Improved Brand Credibility

TikTok helps you engage with your audience through merchandise. It gives you a chance to cultivate a sense of community around your brand. Even if a few followers use your merchandise, you can advertise and promote it and eventually strengthen your brand’s credibility.

This technique helps businesses attract new followers. Your custom merchandise represents your brand, and TikTok gives you the chance to enhance your brand identity.

3. Diversified Marketing Strategy

TikTok allows you to advertise on the platform and drive engagement through contests and giveaways. You can attract new by participating in social media campaigns. It creates a sense of community among your followers.

4. Increased traffic and engagement

TikTok witnesses an increased traffic and engagement rate, which gives you a brilliant opportunity to garner higher exposure and visibility for your merch. You get support from followers and real-time feedback, and TikTok comes with low entry barriers.

By taking advantage of TikTok’s vast audience and innovative features, you can achieve thriving revenue growth for your business.

Let us look at some examples:

Influential TikTok Creators like Kall Me Kris and Leenda Dong have leveraged their humorous content to create successful merch lines. Consider how, with time, they have grown their popularity and unique brand identities. These creators have effectively monetized their content and connected with their fan base on a deeper level. 

Kall Me Kris sells clothing and notebooks featuring her signature logo and characters from her comedy skits.

Leenda Dong offers clothing and hats adorned with her iconic catchphrases and culturally resonant graphics.

How to Sell Custom Merch on TikTok?

Selling your custom merch on TikTok has become more accessible than ever before. It requires minimal time, low investment, and basic design skills. Just follow these steps and sell your custom merch successfully:

Step 1: Establish Your TikTok Presence

• Create a TikTok account dedicated to your business. Ensure your username is consistent with your brand across different platforms.
• Add a profile picture and a brief bio, and link your Instagram and YouTube accounts if available.
• Switch to a Pro account for access to analytics and other benefits.
• Based on your goals and preferences, choose between Creator and Business accounts.

Consider how Barstool Sports has been a long-time and well-established player in the merch game. See how it has harnessed the power of TikTok Shop to revamp its merch promotion strategy.

Through creative and humorous skits, the brand showcases the behind-the-scenes process of creating their merch, featuring real team members. These videos have garnered over a million views.

Step 2: Set Up Your Custom Merch Shop

• Use any of the top platforms to open a custom merch shop with customizable store themes and features like mobile-first design, instant payouts, and built-in marketing tools.
• Highlight your shop on TikTok videos.
• Showcase your products and effectively promote and sell your merchandise through TikTok content. Using the platform’s unique algorithm, you can start posting videos!
• Take care of the basics within your shop, like order fulfillment, printing, and global shipping. You won’t need to maintain a physical inventory, and you can also partner with a dropshipping platform that has no minimum order requirements for print-on-demand merchandise.

Step 3: Customize Your Products

• Select print-on-demand products and add your designs or text. Before you prepare designs for your custom merch, it is important to understand audience needs and fulfill prescribed guidelines.
• Reach for optimal print quality.
• Keep your designs simple and aligned with your brand vision. There are several tools and software available on the web. Use elite platforms like Predis.ai to customize pre-made design assets and craft your custom merch designs hassle-free.

Step 4: Describe Your Products

• When designing content to promote your custom merch, write compelling product descriptions. Start by highlighting the USPs and benefits of your custom merchandise.
• Select the products that showcase your brand and resonate well with your audience, such as printed t-shirts, home décor items, accessories, or bags.
• Keep your content light, engaging, and original to capture viewers’ attention and encourage sharing.

Here are some best practices:

1. Consider starting your challenge with a unique hashtag related to your product to boost engagement. You can also make the most of TikTok’s filters, templates, viral videos, and sound Library to enhance the appeal of your videos.

Effective content is important as it can help you simplify and augment your custom merch-selling process and maximize your online presence.

2. As your TikTok followers start sending you views, likes, and comments, you can actively engage with your audience by responding to their comments. Consistency is the key; thus, make it a point to post content regularly.

By maintaining a daily posting schedule, you increase the likelihood of your product and brand videos going viral. Consistently share engaging and entertaining content that will naturally attract more followers to your account.

3. Encourage your audience to create and share content featuring your products on TikTok. User-generated content has the potential to propel products to virality.

Many viral videos showcasing products are organic content created by customers expressing their genuine appreciation for the product. Encourage your customers to participate by launching challenges or prompts.

Let us look at some examples:

• A TikTok video featuring a catnip product called “Cat Crack” went viral. It amassed more than 21 million views and helped the brand boost sales. This is a sheer example of user-generated content that dramatically increases product sales and highlights user-generated content’s impact on brand awareness and revenue generation.

• L’Oréal Infallible Foundation has also used user-generated content on TikTok. It has effortlessly highlighted the benefits of its product through creative videos and content, which has sparked a surge in sales. This example highlights the immense influence TikTok holds over consumer behavior and product trends.

Step 5: Promote Your Merch

• Include your merch shop link in your TikTok bio and feature your products in your videos to drive sales.
• Once your store is connected and your merch is designed, it’s time to list your products and launch them. Ensure your prices remain competitive yet sustainable, and promote your products using effective content.
• Authentically showcase the creation process of your merch. Be genuine and enthusiastic about your products to enhance audience interest and drive sales.

Here are some best practices:

1. If you are looking for higher effectiveness and a broader brand reach, promote your custom merch on other social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and even on your website.
2. Use influencer marketing effectively to promote your brand on TikTok. You can start by collaborating with other successful creators and influencers who have larger followings. Partnering with influencers in your niche helps you reach a broader audience.
3. You can also explore TikTok’s Creator Marketplace, a platform that facilitates connections between influencers and brands.
4. Access audience demographic data, real-time campaign reporting, growth trends, and top-performing videos. This simplifies the process of collaborating with top-performing influencers.

Step 6: Explore Monetization Options

• Delve into TikTok ads, a low investment that promises high returns. Focus on driving sales through merch promotion, as TikTok offers a comprehensive advertising platform with various ad types and targeting options to suit your marketing goals.

Note: Depending on your preference, you can utilize self-service ad types like in-feed video ads.

• You can also go for managed ad options such as branded hashtag challenges and official brand takeovers. To initiate advertising on TikTok, you can create a business account and utilize the potential of the TikTok Ad Manager.
• Start by analyzing your ad campaign objectives and identify your goals. You can launch ads to enhance brand reach, product awareness, website traffic, or sales. You can target your ads based on demographics, location, and interests.

To Wrap Up

You are well-equipped to launch your custom merch store on TikTok and well-prepared to start earning now. Simply follow the above-mentioned strategies and best practices to sell custom merch on TikTok! Several applications, resources, and tools can help you achieve success in merchandising on TikTok.

Craft your creations with care, stay updated on trends, listen to your audience, and watch your business grow. Begin promoting your brand on TikTok, whether through your branded account or collaborations with influencers. Inject creativity into your content, ensuring it resonates with your brand identity or product ethos.

Predis.ai empowers content creators and brands to sell products effectively on social media platforms like TikTok. Use the platform to design your custom merch and maximize the potential of TikTok custom merchandising! Best of luck!