How to Manage Returns on TikTok Shop: A Complete Guide for Local and Global Sellers

For any brand that sells online, TikTok Shop is a huge opportunity.

It’s a captive audience on a global scale, buying directly on the platform where they already spend their time.

But if you’re coming in cold from another ecommerce platform, there are some differences with TikTok Shop returns you need to be aware of – and ways to expand the features of the native app to help you manage your returns more smoothly.

Here’s what you need to know about TikTok Shop returns: 

How do TikTok Shop returns work?

Like most ecommerce platforms used natively (without an integrated returns app), returns on TikTok Shop need to be manually approved by the seller.

There are some differences depending on the country you’re selling in. But in general, it works like this:

Before return shipping:

• • The customer requests a return
  • The request is automatically approved (in most cases)
  • If it’s not auto-approved, you have 2 days to approve it
  • The customer has 30 days to ship the product to you (usually)

After return shipping:

• • Once you get the product, you assess its condition
  • You have 2–4 days to approve or reject the refund (depending on the country, and the product value)
  • If you reject the refund, you’ll need supporting photos

That covers the basics, with all the manual steps you’d expect from a native ecommerce returns process.

But there’s one big difference you might not have seen in other platforms. As well as auto-approving most return initiation requests, TikTok Shop can also automatically approve refunds.

In general, TikTok Shop will automatically approve a refund if:

• • You’ve taken too long to approve or reject it (usually 2 or 4 days)
  • The customer is eligible for an ‘advanced refund’ or ‘refund without return’
  • The product was $10 or less (in the US only).

How do returns differ by region?

For brands selling globally in multiple countries, the general returns process is mostly the same. But there are some differences in the returns policy for sellers on TikTok Shop – which means you need to adapt your processes for each country you sell in.

TikTok Shop returns in the UK

For sellers in the UK, TikTok Shop gives you:

• • Automatic approval on most return initiation requests
  • 2 calendar days to make a decision on refunds
  • No mandatory ‘refund without return’.

TikTok Shop returns in the US

For US sellers, the returns policy in TikTok Shop is slightly different:

• • Automatic approval on most return initiation requests
  • 2 business days to decide a refund (for lower-priced items)
  • 4 business days to decide a refund (for higher-priced items)
  • Mandatory ‘refund without return’ for certain items ($10 or less).

TikTok Shop returns in the EU 

For sellers in the EU, TikTok Shop gives you:

• • Automatic approval on most return initiation requests
  • 2 calendar days to make a decision on refunds
  • No mandatory ‘refund without return’.

TikTok Shop return policy for sellers: How each region compares

Do you need a local address for each region?

Yes – for TikTok Shop returns, you need a valid local return address for each country you sell into.

It’s a requirement from TikTok Shop. But it’s also a good business practice for returns – and one that we advocate for all our clients.

With a local return centre in each country, you can get:

• • Faster verification and processing of returns – with a shorter first-mile journey
  • More convenience and options for your shoppers (creating a better customer experience)
  • Faster refund decisions (which means more happy loyal customers).

For many brands looking to expand into new markets, this requirement from TikTok Shop can be a difficult sticking point.

It means negotiating with multiple third-party services to secure a warehouse in each country, and manage the ongoing logistics that come with it.

So instead, sellers on TikTok Shop are streamlining their global returns processes into one channel, by expanding on the native system with an integrated app:

Is there a returns integration to TikTok Shop?

With the ReBound Returns integration for TikTok Shop, you can automate many of the time-consuming manual processes involved in managing and processing your returns.

But it also goes one step further than just software: connecting you to a real-world logistics network, physical item processing – and the local addresses you need to sell in multiple countries.

ReBound Returns integration for TikTok Shop: How does it compare with the native app?

How can I manage TikTok Shop returns better?

Like the video platform it’s built on, TikTok Shop favours speed in your returns and response times. And as your brand grows into larger sales volumes (and larger return volumes), it becomes more difficult to keep up with the fast response times using manual approvals.

But there are plenty of steps you can take to improve the efficiency of your returns (and deliver a better experience for your customers). 

That usually means thinking about:

• • Creating automatic rules to process returns and refunds – either with the native automations, or with an integrated returns app for TikTok Shop
  • Using local warehouses – for a short first-mile journey, and faster verification and refunds
  • Outsourcing your item verification and grading – to reduce the strain on your teams, and cope with larger returns volumes without sacrificing the customer experience.

If you’re selling on TikTok Shop (with an eye on global markets and high-volume sales), you need to be prepared for high-volume returns.

With the ReBound Returns App for TikTok Shop, you can link your store’s data and orders with our extensive global network of carriers, warehouses, and item-processing services – to keep your returns manageable, your refunds fast, and your shoppers happy and loyal.