TikTok Shop starts a $9.99 monthly membership to rival Amazon Prime

TikTok Shop has launched a paid membership called TikTok Shop Plus. It costs $9.99 a month after a 30-day free trial. Over the weekend, the company began offering it to more than 1 million people it considers its most loyal US shoppers. It is a pilot, so most people cannot sign up yet.

What members get

Plus members get free shipping on eligible items marked with a "Plus" badge on the product page. They also get an extra 10% off select products. Each month, they receive three coupons:

• $5 off with no minimum spend
• $10 off orders of $59 or more
• $30 off orders of $119 or more

There is also an instant refund perk. On qualified products, members can get up to two instant refunds a month. The money arrives as store credit in the TikTok Shop balance before the return is even dropped off. During Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which the article says kicks off Wednesday, members will see extra coupons and deeper discounts on select items.

How it compares

TikTok is copying a familiar idea. Amazon Prime costs $14.99 a month and Walmart+ costs $12.95 a month. At $9.99, TikTok Shop Plus is cheaper than both. The perks are not identical, though, and the free shipping applies only to items with the Plus badge.

Why TikTok is doing this

TikTok Shop launched in the US in 2023. It now holds about 20% of the US social-commerce market, according to Capital One Shopping. Social commerce means buying things inside social media apps. This year, Best Buy, Ulta Beauty and Sephora are selling on the platform for the first time during the holidays. Shoppers can also buy directly from the For You feed and use a new AI shopping assistant. A membership gives people a reason to keep buying there.

What to do

If you get an invitation, treat the free trial as a test. Billing starts after 30 days.

• Check how many of your usual items carry the Plus badge.
• Remember the $10 and $30 coupons only work if you hit the minimum spend.
• Add up what you would actually save, then compare it to $9.99.
• Cancel before the trial ends if the savings do not add up.

What is not known yet

TikTok says the pilot is open to an expanding group of eligible US users and that access will grow gradually. The company has not said when everyone will be able to join, or whether the price and perks will change after the test.