Ship by Platform vs. Ship by Seller: Which Method to Choose

Comparison of the Two Methods

Criteria	Ship by Platform	Ship by Seller
Carrier selection	No — assigned by the platform	Yes — self-arranged with your chosen carrier
Process	Arrange shipment → auto-print labels → hand over	Export orders → self-pack/ship → upload shipping info to the system
Status updates	Automatic once the carrier confirms pickup	Manual — the seller must update the delivery status
Proof of delivery	Yes, with J&T Express, GHTK, Ninja Van, BEST Express	Depends on your partner carrier

Ship by Platform — 3-Step Process

1. Set up a default pickup method (only needed for the first time or when you want to change it).
2. Select orders in the “To Ship” tab, click “Arrange Shipment” — the system automatically generates labels.
3. Pack and hand over to the carrier at a drop-off point or wait for pickup.

Important note: you must update the order status to “Shipped” within the required shipping time, otherwise the order may be automatically canceled or counted as a late delivery.

Ship by Seller — Manual System Updates Required

After arranging shipment yourself, you must upload the shipping information (carrier name + tracking ID) to the system—either in bulk via spreadsheet or individually. If you do not upload this, the platform will not know the order has been processed. You can export up to 200,000 orders in a single export.

Risks to Keep in Mind

With Ship by Seller, a common error when uploading bulk spreadsheets is deleting or moving columns in the template file—TikTok Shop clearly warns that this “will lead to errors during the upload process.” Always keep the template file structure intact and only fill in data in the required columns.

Source

TikTok Shop Seller Academy — Full Guide on ‘Ship by Platform’; Guide on ‘Ship by Seller’