TikTok Shop just made a move that will change the economics of selling on the platform in 2026.
By March 31, 2026, TikTok is fully discontinuing “Seller Shipping” for U.S. local sellers. In plain English: most merchants will no longer be able to fulfill TikTok Shop orders the way they do for Shopify. TikTok wants fulfillment routed through TikTok Shop Logistics Services like Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT), Upgraded TikTok Shipping, or Collections by TikTok (CBT).
TikTok is rolling this in fast:
Feb 25, 2026: phased enforcement begins for existing sellers
March 31, 2026: Seller Shipping is fully discontinued
What TikTok is actually doing here
TikTok is trying to turn TikTok Shop into a “controlled experience” the Amazon way.
When a platform owns fulfillment, it can standardize:
delivery speeds
tracking quality
refunds and disputes
reliability for creators promoting products
Adweek reported that businesses will need to either move inventory into TikTok’s network (FBT) or use TikTok’s internal logistics options, or risk being cut off when Seller Shipping ends.
This is TikTok saying: we want commerce at scale, and we do not trust your shipping stack to deliver it.
What this means for brands (the part nobody wants to say out loud)
1) TikTok Shop just became its own supply chain.
This is no longer “Shopify plus a new traffic source.” You are operating inside TikTok’s rules, timelines, and logistics lanes.
2) Your margins are about to get stress-tested.
When fulfillment shifts to platform logistics, fees and constraints come with it. If your contribution margin is thin, TikTok can quickly turn into a volume channel that looks great in revenue and ugly in profit.
3) Your cash flow gets tighter.
FBT and similar models push you toward allocating inventory ahead of demand. More inventory sitting elsewhere usually means more working capital pressure.
What you should do right now (not next month)
Step 1: Make the channel decision.
Ask this bluntly: “Do we want to play inside TikTok Shop’s walled garden?”
If the answer is no, you can still use TikTok for demand gen and send traffic to your site. That is a totally valid strategy.
Step 2: If you are staying in TikTok Shop, start with a tight FBT test.
Do not move your whole catalog. Pick:
1 to 3 hero SKUs
stable demand
clean margins
low return risk
Treat it like a controlled experiment, not a migration.
Step 3: Build a TikTok Shop P&L.
Separate it from Shopify. Track:
fulfillment fees
return rates
cancellations
net contribution margin
If you do not do this, TikTok will convince you you are winning while your bank account quietly disagrees.
Step 4: Use TikTok to acquire customers, then move them to owned channels.
TikTok can change the rules again. Your email and SMS list cannot.
The takeaway
TikTok is not “encouraging better fulfillment.”
TikTok is making a strategic decision that says:
Commerce on TikTok is going to run through TikTok.
The winners in 2026 will be the brands that adapt early, protect margin, and treat TikTok Shop like its own operational lane.