TikTok Shop sheds bargain-bin reputation as average prices climb across categories

"While TikTok doesn't publish aggregate marketplace metrics, product-level prices and sales counts are visible in the app. An analysis of that data by e-commerce intelligence firm Charm shows average prices climbing across more than a dozen key categories. The average unit price between April 2024 and October 2024 in the footwear category, for instance, was $14.06. By comparison, the average unit price in this category over the same period in 2025 surged 103% to $28.64."

"Other categories seeing higher prices in the double digits include toys, women's apparel, and computers and office equipment. When TikTok Shop launched in the U.S. in September 2023, the e-commerce company offered strikingly low prices compared to other web stores. That's because TikTok Shop initially relied on heavy subsidies to woo sellers and shoppers with deeply discounted bits and bobs. In time, those subsidies went away with the introduction of new seller fees."

"Recent entrants include household names like Samsung, Disney and QVC, all of which now sell their wares on the platform. That growth is likely helping push prices higher, Charm's CEO Alex Nisenzon told Modern Retail in an interview. "When you have a lot of emerging brands, you also have a lot of inherently cheaper products on the marketplace," he said. "As you have more established brands entering, you're going to see prices rise across all the categories those brands are playing in.""

Average unit prices on TikTok Shop increased sharply across many categories between April–October 2024 and the same period in 2025. Footwear rose from $14.06 to $28.64, a 103% increase. Sports and outdoor goods, luggage and bags, and fashion accessories climbed 54%, 43%, and 42%, respectively. Toys, women's apparel, and computers and office equipment also saw double-digit increases. Initial low pricing relied on heavy subsidies used to attract sellers and shoppers. Those subsidies were phased out with new seller fees. Entry of established brands such as Samsung, Disney, and QVC contributed to higher marketplace prices.

Read at Digiday