TikTok Shop vs Amazon: Which Marketplace Should You Bet On in 2026?

A new player has entered the online marketplace world, and it is moving fast. TikTok Shop has captured attention in a way that remarkably few platforms ever do. In roughly two years, it started stealing market share and surpassing older players that have been around for decades. All eyes are now on TikTok Shop.

Amazon is still the biggest marketplace in town and will likely stay that way for years to come. It has the deepest buyer trust, the strongest logistics machine, and the most predictable purchasing behavior. But that also comes with a tradeoff. Amazon is often more expensive and more reliable. In contrast, TikTok Shop is less predictable but can create faster demand when the content is working well.

This is not a “one is better” conversation. These are two different games.

TikTok Shop vs Amazon: The core difference

Amazon is intent-based

Amazon traffic is largely driven by search. People go there when they want to buy something. They type keywords, compare options, and purchase. If you rank well and your listing converts, you can scale in a relatively predictable way.

That is why Amazon feels deterministic. You can model it, optimize it, and repeat it.

TikTok Shop is discovery-based

TikTok Shop is built around discovery. People do not open TikTok thinking, “I need to buy this.” They scroll the feed, get hooked by a video, and then buy because the product was presented well.

Yes, TikTok has search too, but compared to Amazon, it is a smaller slice of the traffic. On TikTok Shop, the feed is the storefront.

A simple way to think about it:

TikTok is TV.

To win, you need to be on screen as much as possible, with the best creative, holding attention for as long as possible.

Shipping and fulfillment: FBA vs flexible options

Amazon: FBA is the scaling path

To truly succeed on Amazon at scale, most brands end up using FBA. It improves delivery speed, customer experience, and helps you stay competitive when shoppers expect Prime-level shipping.

TikTok Shop: ship with any method

TikTok Shop is more flexible. You can ship using your own warehouse, a 3PL, or any shipping method that meets platform expectations. For many brands, this makes TikTok Shop easier to test and launch quickly without committing to Amazon-style infrastructure from day one.

TikTok Shop vs Amazon fees: Cost per order table

Here is a simple comparison of the major cost drivers you mentioned. This is a planning-level view.

Platform: TikTok Shop

Typical marketplace fee: 5% to 6%
Typical growth cost: Creator affiliate fee (average) 15%

Platform: Amazon

Typical marketplace fee: 8% to 15%
Typical growth cost: PPC estimation 20% of the order

Amazon often charges you through ads and competition on keywords.

TikTok Shop often charges you through creator commissions and content volume.

The truth: both platforms require volume

If you want meaningful revenue on either platform, you need volume. But the path to volume is very different.

Amazon volume comes from search dominance

On Amazon, the job is to:

• Rank for the right keywords
• Convert shoppers once they land on your listing
• Run PPC to scale and defend positions
• Keep operations tight so you do not lose momentum

TikTok Shop volume comes from content dominance

On TikTok Shop, the job is to:

• Seed product to affiliates
• Get lots of videos produced
• Identify what creative angles convert
• Increase posting frequency and creative variety
• Stay present in the feed consistently

TikTok Shop is not about one video going viral.

It is about building a content engine that keeps you on “TV” every day.

Why TikTok Shop can look more expensive than Amazon

TikTok Shop tends to look more expensive if you only count what TikTok Shop itself attributes as sales. That is because TikTok often works as a discovery channel, not just a checkout channel.

A common buyer behavior looks like this:

1. Someone sees your product on TikTok
2. They get interested
3. They go buy it on Amazon or Walmart instead

Why?

• Amazon is often cheaper
• Amazon feels safer and more trusted
• Shipping and returns feel easier
• Shoppers already have accounts and habits

So TikTok can create demand that another channel captures.

This is the halo effect.

According to a Jungle Scout study you referenced, out of 100 orders on Tiktok Shop, around 25 to 40 end up landing on Amazon. This matters because TikTok can lift your entire business, not just what you see directly in TikTok sales. So even if TikTok looks “too expensive” when you only compare platform fees, the total impact can still be strongly positive.

TikTok Shop vs Amazon strategy: the best playbook

If you want the strongest strategy, do not treat this like a platform war. Treat it like a system.

The most practical approach

• Use TikTok Shop for discovery and demand creation
• Use Amazon for conversion, trust, and repeat purchasing

In other words:

TikTok creates the desire.

Amazon captures the demand.

That is why smart brands build both.

Where Livano Agency fits

At Livano Agency, we have helped many Amazon sellers and e-commerce brands start on TikTok Shop. We also help them create a strong system behind the scenes. We work as a TikTok Shop agency and an official TikTok Shop Partner Agency. Our focus is on actions that increase GMV, not on guesswork.

We are one of the few TikTok Shop agencies with over two years of real experience. Our qualified team manages daily tasks in creator operations, listing optimization, and growth systems. We also boost what is working well through TikTok ads and TikTok Shop ads. This helps winning creatives reach more people, allowing you to increase volume while keeping control.

If you sell on Amazon and want to use TikTok for discovery, we can help you turn attention into sales across channels. If you sell on TikTok Shop and want to improve your strategy, we can help. We can help you optimize your funnel and grow with creators, TikTok ads, and TikTok Shop ads.

Final takeaway

For predictable purchasing behavior and keyword-driven demand, Amazon is still the king.

If you want quick discovery and attention, TikTok Shop is the place to be. Many new buyers are seeing your product for the first time there.

The winners in 2026 will not choose one.

They will build a system where TikTok drives attention, and Amazon converts it.