TikTok Shop US Opens Pre-Order Feature to Eligible Stores
TikTok Shop US allows eligible stores to set pre-orders and available-to-ship dates for new products by SKU, subject to store and fulfillment thresholds.
What are the key facts?
- 1Some stores can set pre-orders for products not yet officially launched
- 2The available-to-ship date must be entered by SKU
- 3Store SPS must be at least 4 and the late shipment rate below 10%
- 4Payment is authorized first and authorized and charged again when the order ships
What happened?
TikTok Shop US published the Pre-Order Product Setup Guide on October 30, opening the pre-order feature to some eligible stores. Qualified stores can set pre-orders for new products that have not officially launched and enter the product available-to-ship date by SKU. Eligibility requirements include completing the store observation period, having a valid Account Manager on the account, a store SPS of at least 4 and a late shipment rate below 10%. After publication, the pre-order status and product release date cannot be changed freely. The payment process consists of an initial authorization, followed by another authorization and charge when the product is ready to ship. The feature applies to new-product launches, longer overseas replenishment cycles, crowdfunding-style sales and cross-border sellers that need to collect orders in advance, but is not suitable for stores with unstable supply chains. The source emphasizes that sellers should include buffer time for production, ocean freight, customs clearance and last-mile delivery in the release date, as shipment delays will directly harm store fulfillment metrics.
What does this mean for cross-border sellers?
Eligible US stores can set pre-orders for new products by SKU and collect orders in advance, but must meet thresholds for the store observation period, Account Manager, SPS and late shipment rate. Sellers should plan the available-to-ship date carefully, include buffers for production, ocean freight, customs clearance and last-mile delivery, and avoid fulfillment-metric damage from supply-chain delays after the date is set.
What should sellers do now?
- 1Check whether US stores planned for pre-orders have completed the observation period, have a valid Account Manager, an SPS of at least 4 and a late shipment rate below 10%. Produce an eligibility checklist and retain screenshots for each item.Procurement List
- 2Work backward from the production, ocean freight, customs clearance and last-mile delivery milestones for each pre-order SKU, include buffer time in the available-to-ship date, create an SKU schedule and obtain confirmation from the supply-chain lead for each item.