TikTok Shop Updates U.S. LIVE Auction Rules
TikTok Shop requires U.S. livestream auctions to use the official LIVE Auction feature and imposes account health score, shop performance score, and certain product price limits.
What are the key facts?
- 1U.S. livestream auctions must use TikTok Shop’s official LIVE Auction feature
- 2Using the livestream-auction feature generally requires an AHR above 150
- 3Affiliate auction promotion requires an SPS of at least 3.5 and an AHR of at least 200
- 4Auction orders are generally final sale
- 5Products not received, damaged, missing items, or not as described may qualify for after-sales requests within 14 days of delivery
- 6Surprise Sets auctions have maximum price limits
What happened?
TikTok Shop’s latest policy index lists the U.S. LIVE Auction rules as updated on September 29, 2026. The published rules require U.S. sellers conducting livestream auctions to use TikTok Shop’s official LIVE Auction feature and prohibit completing transactions through off-platform tools, manual drawings, or unauthorized auction methods. Sellers generally need an Account Health Rating (AHR) above 150 to use the feature. Sellers working with affiliate creators to promote auction products must also have a Shop Performance Score (SPS) of at least 3.5 and an AHR of at least 200. Auction orders are generally final sale, and consumers cannot return them because they changed their minds; however, after-sales requests remain available within 14 days of delivery if the product was not received, was damaged, was missing items, or did not match its description. For Surprise Sets auctions, the maximum price is $5,000 for collectibles and $500 for most other categories.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
U.S. sellers conducting livestream auctions must switch to TikTok Shop’s official LIVE Auction feature; off-platform tools, manual drawings, and unauthorized methods create compliance risks. Affiliate partnerships and Surprise Sets pricing are also subject to AHR, SPS, and maximum-price requirements, while customer-service communications must distinguish final-sale rules from product-issue after-sales cases.
What should sellers do now?
- 1This week, check the AHR and SPS of U.S. livestream-auction shops and separately flag accounts working with affiliate creators. Confirm that ordinary auctions have an AHR above 150 and that affiliate collaborations have an SPS of at least 3.5 and an AHR of at least 200, then create a shop eligibility table.Creator Outreach
- 2This week, review the backend configuration for all U.S. auction livestreams, disable off-platform tools, manual drawings, and unauthorized methods, and standardize operations on the official LIVE Auction feature. Complete one test and save configuration screenshots and process records.Listing character checker
- 3This week, review the prices of products used in Surprise Sets auctions. Keep collectibles at or below $5,000 and most other categories at or below $500. Produce a category-based price list and flag products exceeding the limits.Breakeven calculator
- 4This week, create after-sales scripts and a customer-service checklist for U.S. auction orders. Specify that change-of-mind returns are unavailable, while requests for products not received, damaged, missing items, or description mismatches may be submitted within 14 days of delivery. Spot-check published scripts for coverage.AI Customer Service