How Smart Creators Make Money with TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop is turning scrolls into sales. From scrunchies to candy, discover how creators are building six-figure side hustles and how you can too.
Key Takeaway: TikTok Shop blends entertainment with instant shopping. From scrunchies to affiliate commissions, Gen Z and Millennials are turning content into six-figure side hustles.
The Dasha Derkach’s story: From Sewing Machine to Six Figures
When Dasha Derkach started hand-making oversized scrunchies in her bedroom at 14, she wasn’t chasing millions. She just wanted better hair ties for herself and her friends. With no investors, no Shopify store, and barely two orders a week, she could have given up.
But Dasha did something most people overlook: she kept posting. Raw, unpolished, funny clips on TikTok. She leaned into authenticity—skits about “Karen customers,” behind-the-scenes sewing mishaps, and her own voiceovers.
Then one day, a video blew up: 20,000 views, then 200,000, then 25 million. Sales spiked. By the time TikTok Shop invited her into its beta program in 2023, Dasha’s brand—Enchanted Scrunch—was moving from 2 orders a week to nearly 500 orders a week.
Why TikTok Shop Works
Unlike Amazon or Etsy, TikTok Shop blends entertainment with instant shopping. The content is the commerce. Every video, live stream, or trending sound can trigger a purchase.
- Product Tagging: Lets viewers buy directly inside TikTok with one tap.
- Live Shopping: Builds urgency and trust—creators can demo products, answer questions, and drop limited offers in real time.
- Affiliate Marketing: Promote others’ products and earn 5%–30% commissions, no inventory needed.
- AI-boosted algorithm: Surfaces authentic content to buyers at their exact scroll moment of curiosity.
Two Paths to Profit
1. Selling Your Own Products
Creators like Dasha show that small products with big stories can scale fast. Whether you sell handmade goods, print-on-demand merch, or beauty products, TikTok Shop integrates content directly with checkout.
Examples:
- MySmile: $1M in sales in just three months after leaning fully into TikTok Shop ads.
- Made by Mitchell: £1M in beauty product sales in 24 hours through live shopping.
- P. Louise: From £1.5M in 12 hours to £71M annual revenue on TikTok Shop.
2. TikTok Affiliate Marketing
Not everyone wants to manage inventory. Enter TikTok affiliate marketing: promote products already on TikTok Shop, drop your affiliate link, and earn a cut on each sale.
- Jessica (@iamjessparada): $16K her first month, then $30K the next as an affiliate mom of three.
- Kenlye Altum: $21,500 in commissions in just two months.
- Alyssa Rodriguez: $165,000 from a single viral affiliate video in 2023.
Affiliate marketing on TikTok Shop requires zero upfront cost—just your consistency, creativity, and niche focus.
Real People, Real Results
The TikTok Shop opportunity isn’t reserved for celebrities or mega influencers. Ordinary people are stacking real wins:
- Paulina (tote bags): $31,000 in one viral week after moving from Etsy to TikTok Shop.
- Ya Boy Chamoy: Turned chamoy candy into a viral e-commerce hit with 1M+ followers.
- Jordan Payne: A mom reviewing products who crossed £40,000 in a single Black Friday weekend.
- Dasha (scrunchies): From 2 orders a week to a six-figure brand driven 90% by TikTok Shop.
Your TikTok Shop Roadmap
Here’s how to go from first video to first paycheck:
- Start with What You Have: Choose your own product or a trending affiliate product you believe in.
- Sign Up: Create a TikTok Business Account, then apply for TikTok Shop Seller or Affiliate.
- Create Content: Post short, authentic videos—tutorials, unboxings, skits, before-and-afters.
- Tag Products: Use TikTok’s product tagging feature to drive direct sales.
- Go Live: Showcase products, answer questions, and build urgency with live shopping.
- Build Community: Reply to comments, stitch other creators, encourage UGC.
- Analyze & Scale: Use TikTok analytics to refine posting times, hooks, and product focus.
TikTok Shop Selling vs. Affiliate Marketing: Pros & Cons
Selling Your Own Products ✅
- Full control over brand and pricing
- Potential for higher profit margins
- Builds long-term customer relationships
- Scales into a real business or brand
Challenges ❌
- Upfront costs (inventory, packaging, shipping)
- Requires managing customer service and returns
- Higher time commitment
- Slower start compared to affiliate
Affiliate Marketing ✅
- No inventory or shipping to manage
- Zero upfront cost to start
- Faster path to commissions
- Wide range of products to promote
Challenges ❌
- Lower commissions (5%–30%) compared to selling your own product
- Less control over product quality or shipping
- Competitive niches with many affiliates
- Harder to build a personal brand
Selling vs. Affiliate Marketing: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Selling Your Own Products | Affiliate Marketing |
|---|---|---|
| Startup Cost | Moderate — inventory, packaging, shipping | Low — zero upfront cost |
| Control | High — full control over brand, quality, and pricing | Low — rely on seller’s product quality and fulfillment |
| Profit Potential | High — bigger margins, scalable into a full brand | Moderate — 5%–30% commissions per sale |
| Scalability | High — can grow into six or seven figures | Medium — limited to promoting existing products |
| Best For | Creators wanting long-term brand + business | Beginners wanting fast cash flow, no inventory |
Hive Challenge: Test the Shop This Weekend
Want to see if this works for you? Spend a weekend creating three TikTok videos—one tutorial, one lifestyle clip, one funny skit. Tag a trending affiliate product. Watch the engagement. Even if you only earn your first $25 commission, you’ll feel the spark Dasha felt when her first video hit 20,000 views. That’s momentum you can build on.
Final Word
TikTok Shop isn’t about overnight riches. It’s about leveraging a platform that rewards authenticity, creativity, and consistency. From scrunchies to candy to tote bags, everyday people are turning scrolls into sales. If they can do it, so can you.
Ready to try? Post your first TikTok Shop video this weekend and join the hive of creators turning opinions and creativity into income.
FAQs About Making Money with TikTok Shop
Is TikTok Shop affiliate legit?
Yes. TikTok Shop affiliate marketing is legitimate and many creators are earning real commissions ranging from 5% to 30% per sale. The payouts go directly through TikTok’s Seller Center. For another realistic side hustle example, check out our Side Hustle Saturdays guide.
What’s better: selling or affiliate on TikTok Shop?
It depends on your goals. Selling your own products offers higher profit potential and long-term brand building, but requires inventory and customer service. Affiliate marketing has no upfront cost and is faster to start, but commissions are lower. If you want a slower but proven wealth path, our Acorns investing guide shows how small steps compound over time.
How much can you make on TikTok Shop?
Earnings vary widely. Affiliates can make $100 to $1,000+ monthly with consistent content, while sellers who go viral can scale into five or six figures. Want to compare? Our 50 Easy Ways to Make Extra Money breakdown shows how TikTok Shop stacks against classic side hustles.
Do you need followers to make money on TikTok Shop?
No. While having followers helps, many small creators make sales by posting authentic, trending content that gets picked up by TikTok’s algorithm. Even new accounts can go viral and earn commissions. If you’d rather focus on cutting spending than chasing sales, see our No-Spend Challenge that helped Maya save $600 in a month.
Is TikTok Shop available in the U.S.?
Yes. TikTok Shop is live in the U.S., U.K., and several other countries. Availability continues to expand, so check the TikTok Seller Center for the latest updates. For debt payoff strategies that work everywhere, explore our Debt Snowball guide.
See Also: More Hive Guides
- Side Hustle Saturdays: How Jordan Turned Spare Hours Into $300
- Smart People Invest with Acorns: From Spare Change to Wealth
- The Hive Challenge: How Maya Saved 0 in a Month
- Dave Ramsey’s Debt Snowball: The Fastest Way to Pay Off Debt