1. Overview

1.1 Introduction

• Building a positive shopping environment on TikTok Shop;
• Providing a shopping experience that consumers can have confidence in.

All sellers and customers who use the TikTok Shop platform must abide by this policy.

1.2 Scope

These guidelines are intended to facilitate seller compliance and ensure a positive shopping environment on TikTok Shop. They are not exhaustive and not intended as legal advice. We encourage sellers to seek independent legal advice if they have questions about the laws and regulations concerning their products.

2. General Requirements

The following are general principles regarding customer service:

• All sellers must have a professional customer service team (or personnel) (hereafter "the seller") to provide necessary service to consumers directly.
• Customer service includes but is not limited to before-sales services such as product consultation or inquiry, order shipping, after-sales support, complaints handling, and other additional product-related communications.

3. Customer Information

Sellers must keep all records of consumer communications confidential in accordance with our TikTok Shop Privacy Policy*. Unless authorized by the TikTok Shop, sellers are strictly prohibited from disclosing customer information under any circumstances.Note: Under TikTok Shop's policies, as well as local laws and regulations, TikTok Shop may not disclose customer information such as names, phone numbers and addresses. If sellers need to verify this information, they may do so by contacting the customers directly through the Buyer Messages feature.

4. General Communication Guidelines

4.1 Customer Service

• Sellers should use the TikTok 'Buyer Messages' feature to provide customer service where possible. Sellers must ensure that they are contactable via the 'Buyer Messages' feature when selling on our platform.
• When using 'Buyer Messages' feature to provide customer service, sellers must:
  • Manage their customer service team or personnel at all times.
  • Manage their customer service team's account access and permissions appropriately.
  • Be responsible for all activities and communications sent using their account;

4.2 'Buyer Messages' Feature Guidelines

• Sellers must use appropriate language and act professionally when communicating with customers via the TikTok Shop 'Buyer Messages' feature. We strictly prohibit the behaviours identified below.

4.2.1 Harassment and Bullying

• TikTok Shop strictly prohibits any harassment, slanderous or bullying behaviour. This includes but is not limited to any form of communication or message intended to threaten, intimidate, disrespect, abuse, harass, belittle, humiliate, discriminate, cause emotional/physical harm or defame another person or other seller's/brand's products or services.

4.2.2 Diverting Traffic Off-Platform / Circumventing Sales Processes

• TikTok Shop prohibits any attempt to circumvent the established TikTok Shop sales process or divert TikTok users to unauthorized websites or sales processes. Prohibited behaviour includes but is not limited to:
  • Sending any unauthorized third-party information to customers (e.g. sending unauthorized third-party links, bank accounts, third-party payment accounts, QR codes, other instant communication accounts, e-mail addresses, offline store addresses and contact information)
  • Offering customers an off-platform return and refund. All return and refund requests must be carried out through the TikTok Shop platform. Please refer to TikTok Shop Customer Order Cancellation, Return and Refund Guidelines for Sellers (Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia)
  • Asking buyers to cancel an order.

4.2.2 Spamming or Unsolicited Marketing

• TikTok Shop prohibits unsolicited marketing or promotional messages to customers. This includes but is not limited to sending spam or any repeated advertising information without the customer's consent.

4.2.3 Illegal Activities and Promoting Prohibited Products

• Sellers are prohibited from promoting or engaging in the following actions while messaging customers:
  • The sale or promotion of prohibited, counterfeit and illegal products
  • Gambling or incentivizing consumers to engage in gambling
  • Frauds and scams
  • Any action that could potentially deceive customers in order to gain unlawful advantages or benefits
  • Sending viruses, malicious code, or software.

4.2.4 Data Privacy

• Sellers should use the customers' personal information strictly in accordance with "Merchant Terms of Service" under the section titled "Data TikTok Makes Available to You". Sellers are prohibited from using customers' personal information other than for the purposes of processing and fulfilling the order from the customers unless sellers have obtained the customers' prior express and informed consent in accordance with applicable laws. Sellers are also prohibited from using customer service messaging functionality for any marketing or promotional purposes.

4.2.5 Intellectual Property

• Sellers are strictly prohibited from infringing, encouraging, or enabling the infringement of the intellectual property or personal rights of others. This includes but is not limited to, transmitting texts, images, photos, software, or other materials protected by copyright or trademark rights. For more information, please visit the TikTok Shop Intellectual Property Policy which will apply to Buyer Messages.

4.2.5 Pornography, Adult Nudity and Sexual Content

• Sellers are prohibited from communicating or sending any messages to customers that contain or alludes to pornography, sexual behaviour or adult nudity.

4.2.6 Minor Safety

• Sellers are prohibited from communicating or sending any messages to customers that contain or alludes to Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). This includes but is not limited to messages or content promoting pornography or sexual content related to minors.

4.2.7 Soliciting Feedback and Tampering

• Sellers must not use the TikTok Shop 'Buyer Messages' feature to solicit, incentivise or offer customers any form of monetary or non-monetary reward in exchange for a positive review or altered feedback. This includes but is not limited to offering compensation such as money, gift cards, free/discounted products, refunds, rebates or reimbursements. Examples include:
  • "I'll give you an additional voucher if you give me 5 stars."
  • "Only a 5-star feedback will get you a discount voucher next time."
• Sellers are strictly prohibited from engaging in abusive, threatening or inappropriate behaviour with the intent to get customers to act in the interest of the seller or prevent them from giving honest feedback. Examples include:
  • "If you don't give me a good review, I will block you."
  • "I know your address, so you better give me a good review."
  • "I'll make sure you regret it if you request a return/refund."
  • "I'll report you as a malicious buyer if you give me negative feedback."
• Sellers are prohibited from tamping with TikTok Shop's 'Buyer Messages' feature or using plug-ins or unauthorized third-party tools/services to access our platform.

4.2.8 False, Inaccurate or Irrelevant Information

• TikTok Shop prohibits sellers from providing false or inaccurate information regarding promotions, product features, pricing, and availability.
• Sellers are prohibited from sending customers irrelevant information unrelated to TikTok Shop.

5. Before and After Sale Communication Guidelines

Sellers must obey the following guidelines when providing before-sales service and after-sales services.

5.1 Before-sales Service

5.1.1 Customer Service Response Time (Before-sales)

• Customers may raise inquiries about the product, logistics, warranties and more, before an actual purchase.
• Sellers must respond to such inquiries within 12 hours of the customer message being sent. Note: we may take enforcement actions against sellers who do not respond to customers within 12 hours.

5.1.2 Provision of Accurate Information

• Sellers must ensure that the information in messages sent to the customer is accurate and consistent with the information on the product detail page.
• If there are any gaps or inconsistencies, the seller must make immediate corrections and ensure there is no customer confusion.
• Sellers are solely responsible for any customer confusion or dispute arising due to unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate information. Sellers must handle any resulting customer inquiry, request, or complaint swiftly, appropriately, and comply with applicable laws and regulations.
• Sellers are prohibited from using misleading or fraudulent language during customer communications (such as offering better prices or discounts, favorable warranties or services, and other after-sale deductions).

5.2 After-sales Service

5.2.1 Customer Service Response Time (After-sales)

• Customers may raise after-sales inquiries or complaints, on topics such as order cancellation, shipping details, shipping status, returns and refunds and other warranties requests.
• Sellers must respond to such inquiries within 12 hours of the customer message being sent. Note: we may take enforcement actions against sellers who do not respond to customers within 12 hours.
• Sellers must comply with our TikTok Shop Customer Order Shipping Guidelines and TikTok Shop Customer Order Cancellation, Return and Refund Guidelines and provide appropriate and high quality customer service.

5.2.2 Return/Refund Requests

• When providing after-sales services, sellers must strictly follow the order cancellation, returns, and refund information displayed on their product detail page.
• Changing the service conditions to less-preferential ones after a customer's order is placed is strictly prohibited.
• Sellers must note that their cancellation, return, and refund policies must not be less favourable than the guidelines set out in our TikTok Shop Customer Order Cancellation, Return and Refund Guidelines.
• Sellers are solely responsible for any customer confusion or dispute arising due to unclear, incomplete, or inaccurate information.
• Sellers must swiftly and appropriately handle any resulting customer inquiry, request, or complaint and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

5.3 Customer Behaviour and Communication

We encourage sellers to handle all post-sales issues and communicate with customers positively and professionally. If a seller experiences any of the following situations from customers, they may file a ticket in Seller Center. The situations include:

• Bullying or harassment from customers
• Obscene, threatening, or malicious communications from customers
• Requests or threats to the seller to offer unreasonable warranties, refunds, discounts, and more from the customers
• Advertisements or irrelevant messages sent by customers

When raising a ticket, sellers should submit relevant supporting materials such as historical communications with the customer. Once verified, these messages will be excluded from the seller’s performance evaluation.

6. Customer Service Performance Evaluation

6.1 Key Performance Index

All the messages sent via TikTok Shop's 'Buyer Messages' feature must comply with the response times set out in this policy. Sellers should note that TikTok Shop will evaluate them based on their customer service response time. If sellers fail to meet the targets outlined below, we may take enforcement action against their accounts in accordance with our TikTok Shop Seller Performance Evaluation Policy. The table below outlines the response time sellers must abide by when responding to customers.

6.2 Performance Evaluation

• TikTok Shop evaluates seller's customer service quality every Monday (based on the last 7 calendar days of their shop's performance). Weekends and public holidays are included in this calculation.
• If a seller is not planning to monitor their shop, including during public holidays, we recommend using the 'Holiday Mode' feature to temporarily close their shop and inform buyers about their absence. While a seller's shop is in Holiday Mode, customer service performance will not be assessed..
• Customer messages that are responded to by auto-reply features or FAQ responses will be considered as a response.

7. Enforcement Actions

TikTok Shop reserves the right to review seller communications sent via the 'Buyer Messages' feature to identify if there are any violations of these guidelines.TikTok Shop will investigate all customer complaints or escalations caused by any before or after-sales customer service behavior. If sellers fail to adhere to these guidelines, we reserve the right to take enforcement actions as set out in our TikTok Shop Seller Performance Evaluation Policy (Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia) and Merchant Terms of Service.

8. Appeal