TikTok Shop Latest Update: Everything Sellers Want to Know

TikTok Shop has recently posted an update on its Customer Service Communication Requirements, which would come into effect from 15th August 2025. Under this update, sellers will have to make changes to their customer support strategy to improve their performance in the area and gain a higher store rating. The social commerce platform provides the sellers with a variety of metrics that allow the sellers to understand the areas of improvement. 

TikTok Shop Update

As per the official TikTok Shop updates page, “Strong performance in 12-Hour Response Rate will boost your Store Rating and replace the 24-Hour Response Rate.” This means sellers need to pull up their socks in the customer support area and resolve the queries within a time span of 12 hours rather than 24 hours to bag a better store rating. 

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Store rating is basically a reflection of the store's performance on TikTok, displayed just below the Shop Name. It is a rating out of 5 that depicts the reputation of the store as per the consumer, based on a variety of factors, including product quality, fulfillment, and most importantly, query resolution. The target is to respond to (and try to close) more than 85% of customer-initiated chats within 12 hours, as recorded over the last 30 calendar days. 

Exceptions as Mentioned 

There are certain exceptions that would be excluded while calculating the business performance to rate the store. The following are the ones: 

• Messages received during the Holiday mode. 
• When the seller sends a message himself (including broadcast)
• Chats that are resolved by the bots and automated systems
• Texts received from blocked customers.

How Does This Help with Business Growth

Now, as a seller, you might think How is it going to help me grow my business? What might look like an additional burden is going to benefit your business in the long run in the following ways: 

Improved Customer Satisfaction

Customers, while shopping, are not just looking at the product to rate the store; they also want to have service in terms of query resolution, how their problems are solved, and timely fulfillment. When the seller quickly responds to their customers, they give way to higher satisfaction as the consumer feels important. 

Gain Eligibility for Campaigns

Campaigns, Flash Sales, and Affiliate Marketing tools of TikTok Shop have certain eligibility criteria, and the most important part of the same is related to Customer Support. With rapid answers, sellers can gain eligibility to be part of the campaign and gain customers and conversions at much better rates. 

Quality for Exclusive Seller Programs

TikTok also runs exclusive seller programmes like Mall and Star Shop, which increase the visibility of stores involved in the program. With better visibility, sellers are able to gain more store visits, turning them into possible leads. All this is possible when the store qualifies for exclusive seller programs, and faster customer service can get sellers there.

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Related Read: 10x Growth: TikTok Shop Sales Strategies to Boost Your Business 

Where Can Improvement Be Done?

Adjusting to the changes can be difficult, but it is definitely worth it. Here’s how you can boost your customer service metrics: 

Quick Response

Customers want quick replies, hence sellers need to provide them with the same. They must try to reply within two hours, and that would increase customer satisfaction to 33 per cent. Later than that, sellers can reply within 12 hours to optimize their response time to the best level. 

Enable Chat Notifications 

Chats might go unnoticed by the sellers if they do not get notified. Therefore, sellers must turn on their chat notifications on both PC and the application to reply fast. Notifications keep them alert for every message that comes in. 

Stronger Customer Support Team

For TikTok Shops that are large in size, generally, there is a customer support team that is employed to take care of customer queries. Business owners need to update the team on improved performance standards and regulate them accordingly. 

Slight Shift in Priorities 

Sellers need to prioritise the chats diverted to them by the automated bots or reply system. These are the customers who did not receive satisfactory answers from bots, these need to be prioritised to avoid customers getting furious. 

Close Chats Quickly

Sellers need to make sure that they not only reply but also solve the issue raised by the customers. It is only then that they can close the chat. This prevents the customers from giving negative reviews. 

Use Platform Tools 

There are several tools provided by TikTok Shop itself that can help with the improvement of speed and consistency. Sellers need to leverage the same to solve the queries on the initial level, so consumers don't suffer from delays. 

TikTok Shop Enhancing Shoppers’ Experience 

TikTok Shop is making its best effort to enhance the shopping experience for consumers. This effort is in line with attracting more and more customers to the social commerce site. It allows the sales platform to build a wide consumer base, which will directly benefit the sellers in reaching a wider audience and improving the conversion rate. For that, the seller too has to work, this time with the improvement of customer service, with a quick response.