Making And Selling Your Own TikTok Merchandise

When your TikTok video suddenly goes viral, you may wonder how you might make money off of it. Making money off of a TikTok fanbase is difficult, as some monetization strategies are only available in specific areas or to certain users.

But whether you’ve just experienced a viral moment or are steadily establishing a following, you can always start selling stuff. To earn money and keep your creative freedom in today’s creator economy, e-commerce expansion is a terrific strategy.

The benefits of creating TikTok merchandise

TikTok lacks a strong ad-revenue sharing model that provides a straightforward method of monetizing content, in contrast to competitors like YouTube and Twitch.

Instead, creators on TikTok may use the creator Fund, a payment system that is less open than those on competing sites. The amount that may be withdrawn from the pool by creators is determined by the number of views, the “authenticity” of those views, and the level of engagement with the creator’s content.

How to Make Money on TikTok

When it comes to creator merch, clothing is king. A good place to start is by printing your logo, catchphrases, or artwork on t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags.

Jack commissioned a designer to produce some tongue-in-cheek bakery-themed artwork including the term “badonkadonk,” a reference to a running joke on both channels, for their first merch launch together. They offered t-shirts and sweatshirts with the graphics on them, and then released another line with a back-to-school motif.

Stickers were Julia’s first product, but she has now expanded to t-shirts and tote bags. It’s a smart idea to start with a limited selection and pay attention to your followers on social media to find out what things they’d like to see, much like she did when she decided to offer clothing when they requested it. You might either explicitly inquire about this or listen out for remarks such, “I wish I could have this on a hat.”

Making TikTok Merchandise: A Step-by-Step Guide

You may either make the merchandise yourself or hire someone else to do it. It is unclear who, if anybody, will handle shipment.

One, use print on demand to create merchandise.

If you want to start selling something, the best place to look is at print-on-demand services. If you have a design ready, these businesses can print it on the product of your choice and even handle shipment for you. That takes care of the hassle of finding blank t-shirts, stocking, and mailing them yourself.

Make your own merchandise, number two.

To generate more money, Julia decided to take a fresh approach with her merchandise. While it’s possible to have stickers produced on demand, Julia opted to print them on her own specialized machine and handle shipping herself. StickerMule is what she uses, but you may also use StickerApp or a nearby printer. Stickers may be made at home with a regular printer and a cutting machine, such as a Cricut. If you need more inspiration, have a look at our comprehensive tutorial on creating stickers.

Work along with well-known companies

Some TikTok stars design and manufacture their merchandise from scratch, while others partner with established companies to launch capsule collections. For instance, Emily Zugay collaborated with Panera on a set of seasonal mugs. Such collaborations need a certain level of expertise; often, the TikTok stars picked for these have already amassed a large following or had a significant viral moment.

The TikTok Guide to Merchandise Sales

Now that you have merchandise to sell, how can you get people to buy it?You must first make them aware that it exists. Promoting an imminent merchandise release may be done with the use of social media countdowns and TikToks. You could also include a link to your store’s website in your TikTok and other social media bios to help attract customers.

Limited drops, in which Jack releases a small collection that is only accessible for a limited time and in a limited quantity, have also proven to be successful for Jack. This creates a sense of urgency for each collection because of the limited quantity available.

Maximize exposure and revenue.

It’s possible for TikTok to work with online stores. Jack claims that he and Stéphanis have entirely sold each and every merch drop they’ve done, while Julia attributes her success to the popularity of her beliefs.

There wasn’t much time between when I started taking orders and when I was getting them every day, Julia explains.

As a result, Jack and Stéphanis are already plotting their next drop, while Julia’s email is bursting at the seams with requests for tattoos. Jack suggests giving it a shot, evaluating what works, and optimizing for the next drop based on what you’ve learned from the previous ones.