TikTok Shop analytics: what metrics actually matter

TikTok Shop is a different animal

TikTok Shop combines entertainment, discovery, and purchase in ways traditional e-commerce doesn’t. The metrics that matter on your website or Amazon don’t translate directly. Understanding TikTok-specific analytics helps you evaluate performance accurately and optimize for how this platform actually works.

The TikTok Shop funnel

The path to purchase differs from traditional e-commerce.

Discovery through content:

Customers find products through videos, not search. Content performance drives product visibility.

In-feed purchase:

Customers can buy without leaving the app. Friction is low, but so is consideration time.

Creator-driven sales:

Affiliates and creators often drive sales more than brand content. Third-party promotion is central to the model.

Video performance metrics

Content drives everything on TikTok.

Views:

How many people saw your product content? Views indicate reach but not engagement or purchase intent.

Watch time:

How long do viewers watch? Longer watch time signals genuine interest. TikTok’s algorithm rewards videos that hold attention.

Completion rate:

What percentage watch to the end? High completion suggests compelling content that might convert.

Engagement rate:

Likes, comments, shares, and saves relative to views. Engagement indicates resonance and extends reach through algorithm boost.

Product click metrics

The bridge between content and commerce.

Product link clicks:

How many viewers click through to product pages? This measures transition from entertained viewer to interested shopper.

Click-through rate:

Clicks divided by views. What percentage of viewers take the next step? Benchmark against your other videos and category norms.

Click to view product page:

Did they just click or actually view the product? Accidental clicks happen. Product page views confirm intent.

Conversion metrics

Ultimately, sales matter.

Orders:

Total orders generated through TikTok Shop. The bottom line metric.

Conversion rate:

Orders divided by product page views. How effectively does your product page close sales?

Video-to-purchase rate:

Orders divided by video views. The end-to-end conversion from content to sale. Expect this to be low—under 1% is normal.

Revenue and AOV

Sales volume and value.

Gross merchandise value (GMV):

Total revenue through TikTok Shop. The headline number for channel performance.

Average order value:

Revenue divided by orders. TikTok AOV is often lower than website AOV due to impulse purchase nature.

Revenue per video:

GMV attributed to specific videos. Identifies which content actually drives sales.

Creator and affiliate metrics

Third-party promotion is often crucial.

Affiliate sales percentage:

What portion of sales comes through affiliates versus your own content? High affiliate dependence has margin implications.

Creator performance:

Which creators drive the most sales? Conversion rates by creator? Some creators have audiences that buy; others just watch.

Commission costs:

What are you paying in affiliate commissions? Factor this into channel profitability calculations.

Live shopping metrics

If you do live selling, track separately.

Live viewers:

Peak and average viewers during live sessions.

Live engagement:

Comments, questions, and interactions during live. Engagement correlates with sales.

Live conversion rate:

Orders during live divided by viewers. Live typically converts higher than static content.

Revenue per live hour:

GMV divided by broadcast time. Helps evaluate whether live investment is worthwhile.

Traffic and attribution

Understanding where TikTok fits in customer journey.

TikTok-originated customers:

Customers whose first touchpoint was TikTok. True acquisition versus existing customers buying through new channel.

Cross-channel behavior:

Do TikTok customers also buy on your website? Or are these separate audiences?

Attribution challenges:

TikTok attribution is imperfect. Some viewers discover on TikTok but buy elsewhere. Understand the limitations.

Return and cancellation rates

Impulse purchases have consequences.

Return rate:

TikTok Shop returns often run higher than website returns. Impulse buying leads to buyer’s remorse.

Cancellation rate:

Orders cancelled before shipping. High cancellation suggests impulse purchases reconsidered.

Net revenue:

GMV minus returns and cancellations. The true revenue from the channel.

Profitability analysis

Revenue doesn’t equal profit.

Platform fees:

TikTok takes a percentage of sales. Factor this into margin calculations.

Affiliate commissions:

If using affiliates, commissions reduce margin further.

Content creation costs:

Video production, creator partnerships, and live streaming have costs. Include in channel economics.

True channel margin:

Revenue minus COGS, fees, commissions, and content costs. Is TikTok Shop actually profitable?

Benchmarking and trends

Context for your numbers.

Category benchmarks:

Conversion rates and engagement vary by category. Beauty performs differently than electronics.

Your own trends:

Is performance improving or declining? Week-over-week and month-over-month trajectory matters.

Algorithm changes:

TikTok frequently adjusts algorithms. Performance changes might reflect platform changes, not your strategy.

TikTok Shop metrics to track

Focus on these analytics:

Video views and completion rate. Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares). Product link click-through rate. Product page views. Orders and conversion rate. GMV and average order value. Revenue per video. Affiliate sales percentage and commission costs. Return and cancellation rates. Net channel profitability. Performance trends over time.

TikTok Shop success requires understanding platform-specific dynamics. Track the metrics that matter here, not just transplanted website metrics.