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TikTok Shop: Connect, Map and Publish from Pattern PXM

Authorize TikTok Shop, map your warehouses and category templates, and publish products, images and SKUs from Pattern PXM.

Written by Sean Bentley

Pattern PXM publishes your approved product content, images and SKUs to TikTok Shop through a direct API connection. You approve Pattern's access in TikTok Seller Center (no API key needed), Pattern maps your warehouses, and you map a template for each TikTok category, then publish whenever your content changes.

TikTok Shop US, UK and Germany (DE) are separate connections and channels, and each market has its own category tree. Availability can vary by account; check with your Pattern CSM.

Before you start

  • An active TikTok Shop seller account with KYC complete: KYC is TikTok's business, tax, identity and bank verification. Without it, products can be created but edits fail. Only you and TikTok can complete it.

  • A contact who can sign in to TikTok Seller Center: only you can approve Pattern's access.

  • Pattern Connect access for that contact: the person who approves must be able to sign in to Pattern Connect. Missing access is the most common first-day delay.

  • Your warehouse IDs from TikTok Seller Center. They're needed for inventory.

  • Your role: setting up channels and templates and publishing need the Admin or Super Admin role. What other roles can do depends on how your account's permissions are set up. See User Roles and Permissions in Pattern PXM.

  • Only approved values are sent. Draft values don't publish until they're approved, and approving a value doesn't publish it. Someone still has to publish it to the channel.

  • Only mapped, selected fields are sent. A field reaches the channel only when it's mapped on the channel's template and selected in the job.

What PXM can send

  • New products and updates: title, description, category and attributes.

  • Images: main, description, attribute, size chart and certification images. PXM uploads them to TikTok for you.

  • Variants (SKUs and sales attributes), certifications, and package weight and dimensions.

  • Price and inventory for each SKU, with warehouse mapping. Price changes only when it's included in a job or changed in Seller Center; editing it in PXM alone doesn't update TikTok.

Product reviews can't be sent, and listings in invite-only categories need TikTok's approval first. Product video availability can vary by account; check with your Pattern CSM.

Every product is audited. TikTok reviews each product before it goes live, and every edit except price and inventory goes back through audit. Expect a delay between a finished job and a live listing, and batch your content changes.

Step 1: Get Pattern Connect access

  1. Tell your Pattern CSM who will approve the TikTok connection. Pattern adds that person to your organization in Pattern Connect.

  2. They'll receive an invitation from notifications@pattern.com with an Enter Account link.

  3. Once they sign in, they should see your organization at the top right.

Step 2: Authorize TikTok Shop in Pattern Connect

Work with your Pattern CSM on this step.

  1. Go to connect.pattern.com and confirm the organization selector (top right) shows your organization.

  2. Click Add new connection, choose TikTok, then click Next.

  3. Name the connection so your markets are easy to tell apart, for example "Brand — TikTok Shop US". Leave Support ID blank; Pattern fills it in.

  4. Select the Region that matches your shop: US, UK or DE.

  5. Click through to TikTok Seller Center, sign in to the correct account, scroll through the consent page and approve.

  6. Back in Pattern Connect, confirm the connection shows as active.

If you have shops in more than one European country under one TikTok authorization, Pattern Connect picks the shop that matches each connection's region.

Step 3: Map your warehouses

TikTok matches inventory on the exact warehouse ID, and whatever is saved in Pattern Connect is what gets sent. A mismatch breaks inventory without an error.

  1. Check which warehouses you have in TikTok Seller Center.

  2. Confirm with your Pattern CSM that the same warehouses are mapped on your TikTok connection.

  3. If a warehouse is in Seller Center but not in Pattern Connect, send its warehouse ID to your Pattern CSM to add.

  4. If a warehouse is in Pattern Connect but not in Seller Center, create it in Seller Center first.

Step 4: Create the TikTok Shop channel

  1. In Pattern PXM, open Settings in the left navigation, then go to MARKETPLACES > CHANNELS.

  2. Click CREATE CHANNEL (bottom right).

  3. Under API Channels, choose your TikTok Shop connection.

  4. Choose a Default Media Stack, then create the channel. A default media stack is required. If you don't have one yet, create it under Settings > Assets > Media Stack Group.

Under each channel name, a green Marketplace · [name] line means the channel is connected through the API, and grey No API connection means a spreadsheet channel. CHANNEL STATUS shows ACTIVE or INACTIVE (No active template). A new channel stays inactive until at least one of its templates is active, and an inactive channel can't be picked when you publish. For more on channels, see Creating a Channel in PXM.

Each market is its own channel. Repeat these steps for each additional region or TikTok account, and name channels so they're easy to tell apart.

Pre-release view; your screen may differ slightly.

Step 5: Map a template for each category

TikTok templates are set up one per TikTok category, and each category needs its own mapping. A template is usually named after its category and TikTok category number (for example Home 2312464), with the full category path under PRODUCT TYPE.

  1. Go to Syndicate > TEMPLATES > API TEMPLATES and filter Channel to your TikTok channel. To add a category, click ADD API TEMPLATES, choose the channel, then choose the Product Type (the TikTok category). Repeat for every category you sell in.

  2. Click EDIT on a template. Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory, and some fields carry a RECOMMENDED tag. Use the search and filters at the top of the template to find fields.

  3. Each row shows the TEMPLATE ATTRIBUTE, EXAMPLE VALUES, the MAPPED ATTRIBUTE and ACTION. Click MAP and choose a PXM attribute, a default value or a media stack position. A dash (—) means the field isn't mapped yet.

  4. Fields use TikTok's own names, such as seller_sku, title, description, category_id and main_images. Related fields are grouped and nested; for example, warehouse_id sits under skus > inventory. Use ADD and REMOVE to add or remove entries in repeatable groups such as main_images and skus.

  5. Map every starred (*) field, then map the RECOMMENDED fields too. A template may star only a few fields, such as seller_sku, but TikTok still requires many RECOMMENDED fields to create a product.

  6. Click SAVE TO THIS TEMPLATE to save the mapping on this template, or APPLY TO ALL CHANNEL TEMPLATES to copy the same mapping pattern to the channel's other templates.

Pre-release view; your screen may differ slightly.

Pre-release view; your screen may differ slightly.

A template stays inactive until every starred (*) field is mapped. For a full walkthrough of the template editor, see Channel & Marketplace Templates in PXM.

Product Type list empty? It isn't a mapping problem. TikTok categories appear in PXM only after Pattern Connect has collected them for that market. Wait, or ask your Pattern CSM to confirm; don't change the mapping.

US shops use TikTok's newer category tree (version v2, 7 levels); UK uses the older 3-level tree. Mapping a US shop against the older tree causes failures that look like missing attributes.

TikTok fields most products need

Field names and grouping can vary by template, and TikTok adds required fields to categories over time, so check the template before each large listing run.

  • title: 1 to 255 characters (US and UK).

  • description: up to 10,000 characters. Plan for plain text.

  • category_id: must be the lowest-level (leaf) category.

  • main_images: PXM uploads them to TikTok for you; TikTok doesn't accept outside image links.

  • skus and seller_sku: at least one SKU per product. Seller SKUs are usually mapped to your PXM SKU.

  • SKU price (amount and currency): set on each SKU, for example 19.99 USD.

  • SKU inventory (warehouse_id and quantity): the warehouse ID must match Pattern Connect.

  • Package weight and dimensions: use one measurement system, the one your market accepts. In the US, weight can be in KG or LB; in the UK, use KG. Enter dimensions as whole numbers.

  • Certifications: up to 10 per product, where the category asks for them.

  • Language: write titles and descriptions in the language of the market you sell in.

  • Category attributes, identifiers, certifications and size chart: required depending on the category. Identifiers (GTIN, EAN, UPC, ISBN or JAN) must be unique per SKU and are locked once the product leaves draft.

TikTok can change these limits; check Seller Center for current rules.

Images TikTok will accept

  • Map up to 9 main images under main_images (at least 5 recommended), with the first on a white background.

  • Keep images between 3:4 and 4:3. Outside that range TikTok crops them to square, so crop them in PXM first.

  • Use JPG, JPEG, PNG, WEBP or BMP images between 100×100 and 20,000×20,000 px, up to 10 MB each.

  • Main images need at least 300×300 px.

  • Add up to 30 images in a description. Size chart images need at least 1,024 px on the shorter side.

  • After publishing, check the gallery order in Seller Center.

Variants

  • TikTok treats variants as SKUs on one product, told apart by sales attributes such as Colour and Size, in the sales_attributes group.

  • Use up to 3 sales attribute types, with names up to 20 characters and values up to 50 characters.

  • Give every SKU the same number and types of sales attributes.

  • Give each SKU its own seller SKU (1 to 50 characters, no spaces), price and inventory per warehouse. Inventory per warehouse can be from 1 to 99,999.

  • Choose one attribute type to carry the variant images, and supply an image for every value of it.

Step 6: Test, then roll out

  1. Publish a small set of products first, and resolve any errors before the full catalog.

  2. Confirm the job reaches HISTORY, then check the products and their audit status in Seller Center.

  3. Roll out category by category. TikTok sets daily upload limits (about 100 products a day for new shops in probation and about 1,000 for established shops), and they can change, so plan large loads with your Pattern CSM.

Publish to TikTok Shop

  1. In Products, select the products you want to send, then click PUBLISH TO CHANNEL (bottom right).

  2. In Channel*, choose your TikTok Shop channel. CONTINUE TO REVIEW stays disabled until a channel is picked.

  3. Complete the publish options: the publish type where offered (Full or Partial; see below), the template and the media stack. Labels and order can vary by account.

  4. Select only the fields you're changing. Fields you don't select stay as they are on the channel.

  5. Review the content and fix any errors inline. You can filter the review columns by Required, Recommended or Errored, and use a column's pencil icon to edit down the column.

  6. Submit the job, then follow it under Syndicate > JOBS.

  7. PXM uploads the images to TikTok first, then sends the product. Copy the Job ID if you need to contact Pattern about the job.

Every publish is manual. Changes reach TikTok Shop only when someone publishes them.

Update a live product without losing data

  • Full update: replaces the whole product. Fields left out are cleared, except price and inventory. Always send the complete content. Category changes always need a full update.

  • Partial update: single fields can be sent on their own, but if you change one part of a grouped field (for example package dimensions), send all of its parts, or the missing ones are cleared.

  • Price and inventory: updated separately, without a new audit.

A failed audit doesn't take a listing down. The live version keeps selling, and only the edited version fails. TikTok's reasons are on the product in Seller Center.

Track your jobs

  • Syndicate > JOBS has four tabs: DRAFT, ACTION REQUIRED, IN PROGRESS and HISTORY. Filter Channel to your TikTok channel.

  • A new job can take up to about 10 minutes to appear. Click REFRESH (bottom right) to update the list.

  • IN PROGRESS means the job was sent and PXM is waiting on TikTok. "0 of N" means it's still processing.

  • HISTORY holds finished jobs. Expand a job to see PRODUCTS IN THIS JOB and each product's Item Status, or click DOWNLOAD REPORT for the detailed results.

  • ACTION REQUIRED holds jobs that TikTok rejected in full or in part. A rejected job shows REJECTED with FIX ISSUES: open it, correct the highlighted errors and resubmit.

  • A job is a snapshot of your content and template when it was created. If either changes afterwards, start a new job.

  • A finished job isn't a live listing yet: TikTok still audits the product. If TikTok rejects it, open the product in Seller Center to see the field, the reason and TikTok's suggestion.

  • If Pattern manages syndication for you, failed jobs can stay in IN PROGRESS while the Pattern team works on them.

  • If a job stays IN PROGRESS for more than about 2 hours, contact your Pattern CSM rather than waiting longer.

Common errors and fixes

First check the basics: KYC is complete, the connection is active for the right region, the warehouse IDs match Seller Center, the channel and category template are active, the values are approved, and the field was selected in the job.

  • Inventory is wrong after a successful job: the warehouse IDs in Pattern Connect don't match Seller Center. Reconcile them (Step 3).

  • A working connection suddenly fails with invalid credentials: the authorization needs renewing. In Pattern Connect, open Connections, then Details on the connection, then Refresh OAuth, and approve again in Seller Center.

  • Attributes seem to be missing after mapping: the template uses the wrong category tree. US uses version v2; UK uses the 3-level tree.

  • A field is suddenly required: TikTok added a required attribute to the category. Map it on the template, then publish again.

  • Data disappeared after an update: a full update cleared fields that weren't sent, or a grouped field was sent incomplete. Publish the product again with its complete content.

  • A product was created but never went live: the category is invite-only and your shop isn't approved for it. Get the category approved in TikTok's Qualification Center.

  • A full update is rejected on a healthy shop: KYC isn't complete.

  • A listing fails on cash on delivery: cash on delivery is allowed on a category that doesn't support it. Check the category rules, and leave it unset when in doubt.

  • Images are cropped: the aspect ratio is outside 3:4 to 4:3. Crop the images in PXM first.

  • A price change in PXM never reached TikTok: include the price in a job, or change it in Seller Center.

  • The channel can't be picked when you publish: activate a template on the channel first.

Still stuck? Contact your Pattern CSM with the Job ID, the TikTok channel, the market, an example SKU, the audit reason, the exact error and when it happened.

FAQ

Do I need to give Pattern an API key?

No. TikTok uses an authorization: you approve access in TikTok Seller Center.

Why isn't my product live after a successful job?

TikTok audits every product, and every edit except price and inventory is audited again. Check the product's status in Seller Center.

Why is only one field starred on my template?

The star marks what the template needs to be active. TikTok still requires fields such as title, description, category, images, price, inventory and package weight to create a product, so map the RECOMMENDED fields too.

Can I fix a wrong GTIN or UPC?

Only while the product is still a draft. After that the identifier is locked, so get it right on the first submission.

Does the Match report cover TikTok Shop?

No. TikTok listings don't get Match scores. See Match: Find and Fix Marketplace Content Mismatches.

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