Why do some TikTok Shops explode… and others die in 90 days? This episode breaks down the foundational moves most sellers skip and the fixes that change everything.

TikTok Shop isn’t “Amazon with videos”—it’s entertainment first, shopping second. In this TikTok Thursday episode, TikTok Shop strategist Michelle Barnum-Smith explains the non-negotiable foundations sellers need in 2026, whether you’re launching from scratch or trying to scale what you already started. The big mindset shift: people open TikTok to scroll, not to search-find-and-buy, so your strategy has to be built for discovery and impulse, not intent-based shopping.

Michelle breaks down what actually wins on TikTok Shop: products that are instantly understandable, visually demonstrable, and ideally show a quick transformation or solve a clear pain point fast. She also calls out a costly structural mistake, having too many separate listings. Since most discovery happens through videos, every listing becomes its own content, affiliate, ads, and promo machine. Consolidating into a master listing with variants can protect momentum (especially when one variant goes out of stock) and make it easier to stack orders.

From there, it’s all about converting scrolls into purchases with a simple offer stack: free shipping, product discounts (like flash sales), clickable coupons, and TikTok Shop campaigns that add visibility and “deal” badging. She also warns against manually lowering the listing price because you lose the visual cues that help shoppers feel urgency. Finally, she outlines the content and ads engine that feeds the algorithm, optimizes for thumb-stopping hooks, watch time, completion, rewatches, and engagement, then iterates at volume and is prepared for a pay-to-play reality where ads and budget can be the difference-maker.

In episode 493 of the AM/PM Podcast, Bradley and Michelle discuss: