How to Sell on TikTok LIVE

As of November 1, 2026, based on the TikTok Shop US Academy (Creator Eligibility Policy, dated 09/25/2026, and Affiliate Creator Pilot Program Introduction, updated 05/13/2026). TikTok changes these rules often, so check your Pilot Program page in the app for your current limits.

Who can sell on TikTok LIVE

TikTok Shop has three types of creator accounts, and the rules are different for each.

• Affiliate creators promote other sellers' products for commission. You must be at least 18, based in the US, have at least 1,000 followers, and pass identity verification and compliance checks.
• Marketing creators need at least 5,000 followers to promote products from other sellers in the Product Marketplace.
• Official Shop creators sell their own shop's products. There is no minimum follower count, but they can only sell their own shop's products.

The Creator Pilot LIVE limit. Affiliate creators with fewer than 5,000 followers are placed in the Affiliate Creator Pilot Program for at least 30 days. During the pilot:

1. You can run up to 3 shoppable LIVEs per week and post up to 3 shoppable videos per day.
2. You can only promote products from shops with a Shop Performance Score of 95% or higher.
3. You cannot join campaigns.
4. Accounts TikTok tags as Extended Pilot Creators are limited to 1 shoppable LIVE and 3 shoppable videos per week.

Weekly quotas refresh every Monday at midnight Pacific time. A LIVE counts toward your limit once you add a product link and go LIVE, even if the stream is cut short. LIVEs with no product links, Practice Mode streams and canceled scheduled LIVEs do not count. Non-shoppable LIVEs are not limited.

How to graduate. Reach 5,000 followers and stay in the program at least 30 days. TikTok also offers an early unlock if you keep a Creator Health Rating of at least 176 points and complete one task: publish 6 or more shoppable videos of at least 8 seconds each, promote products in at least one LIVE of at least 5 minutes, or generate 10 orders from shoppable content.

How to add and pin products during a LIVE

Products must be in your showcase before you can feature them on LIVE.

1. In the TikTok app, tap +, then choose LIVE.
2. On the pre-LIVE screen, tap Products and add the items you plan to sell.
3. Once you are LIVE, tap the shopping bag icon in the bottom left to open your Shop LIVE list. You can add more products here during the stream.
4. Tap Pin next to the product you are talking about. Only one product can be pinned at a time. Pinning a new one unpins the last one.
5. Re-pin the product about every 30 seconds. TikTok notes a pinned product drops off after that, and fewer people click it.

If you sell from a computer, LIVE Manager lets you add, reorder and pin products from a desktop dashboard. You must add at least one product before you go LIVE, and TikTok recommends at least 10.

Setup basics: phone vs. desktop, lighting, audio

Phone. Going LIVE from the TikTok app is the simplest setup. TikTok suggests an adjustable tripod, bright and even lighting, and two charged phones: one to film and one to read comments.

Desktop. LIVE Manager is TikTok Shop's desktop console at business.tiktokshop.com/us/creator. It lets you manage products, flash sales, giveaways and billboards, and watch comments, orders and live stats in one place. It can use your computer's camera and audio, including OBS Virtual Camera, without a stream key. OBS Virtual Camera does not carry audio, so you need a separate audio source. Use Practice Mode to test your video and sound privately before you go LIVE.

Quality basics TikTok asks for:

• Light the product well enough to show its details.
• Use a microphone and a quiet room.
• Keep the camera steady with a tripod or stand.
• Show your face and show the product from more than one angle.
• Keep the background tidy, and do not show items that are not for sale in that LIVE.

TikTok's quality guidance does not set a specific internet speed. Test your connection in Practice Mode before you go LIVE.

How to structure a selling LIVE

1. Promote it ahead of time. Post at least one teaser video the day before and promote it again about two hours before you go LIVE. You can also schedule it as a LIVE Event (see below).
2. Hook in the first moments. Open with a question, a surprising fact or a clear statement of what you are showing today, then go straight into the product.
3. Demo while it is pinned. Pin the product as you introduce it. Show it working in real time. Explain why each feature matters, not only what it is.
4. State the offer clearly. Say the price, any current discount and how long it lasts. Only state deals and stock limits that are real.
5. Answer questions. Read comments out loud, answer them on camera and go back to questions you missed.
6. Walk through checkout. Show viewers how to tap the product, add it to their cart and apply any codes.
7. Repeat for new viewers. People join late. Restate the product, the price and the offer every few minutes. Billboards can keep key selling points on screen.

LIVE tools for selling

• Product pinning. Highlights one product on screen with a tap to buy. TikTok says pinning can lead to a higher click-through rate.
• LIVE Flash Sale. A time-limited price on a product with set inventory. The seller first creates a Creator Flash Deal in Seller Center and assigns it to you. You then set it up and start the countdown from LIVE Manager.
• LIVE Giveaways. The seller sets up the giveaway and allocates items to you, then you run it during the LIVE.
• LIVE Billboards. On-screen panels for selling points, deals, shipping details or size guides.
• LIVE Events. Schedule a shoppable LIVE in advance and share the event link. Viewers who register get a push notification when you start. Desktop events run from 30 minutes to 13 hours. Mobile events must be scheduled at least 2 hours ahead, and you can start within 10 minutes of the scheduled time.
• Moderators. You can add up to 20 moderators per LIVE to mute or block commenters.

Common mistakes

• Going LIVE without products added. Add and check your products before you start.
• Forgetting to re-pin. A product that is not pinned gets fewer clicks.
• Replaying recorded content. TikTok does not allow pre-recorded audio or video, AI voices, or looped content in a LIVE.
• Covering the screen with still images. Slideshows or static images covering more than half the screen, or product page screenshots laid over the stream, are not allowed.
• Making claims you cannot back up. No medical claims, fast weight loss claims, or awards and certifications the product does not have.
• Poor production. Dim, blurry or shaky video and background noise are among TikTok's top LIVE violations.
• Drifting off topic. Keep the LIVE about the products you have listed.
• Not tracking your pilot quota. If you are under 5,000 followers, plan your 3 shoppable LIVEs for the week before you use them.

Repeated violations can bring violation points, lost feature access, commission limits or account restrictions. Check your Creator Health Rating page.

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