App Category Selection Guide

1. Overview (What & Why)

App Category is the business classification you must select when creating an App in TikTok Shop Partner Center. It describes the primary business scenario your application is designed to serve.

Choosing the right category typically affects the following:

• Available API Scope: The default set of API capabilities you can apply for varies by category.
• App Store positioning: The category helps merchants understand what your app does and whether it fits their needs.
• Target user matching: An accurate category helps the right merchants discover your app faster.

Intended audience:

• Third-party ISVs (Independent Software Vendors)
• Seller in-house development teams

⚠️ Important: Once an App Category is selected, it cannot be changed. Please confirm carefully before creating your App.

2. How to Choose Your App Category (Capability Matrix)

The table below lists every App Category and the core business capabilities each one covers, so you can quickly identify the category that best matches your business scenario.

• ✓ — The category includes this capability area by default in its main API Scope.
• ✗ — Not included, or only minimally covered.
• – — Public information is currently insufficient; please refer to the actual Partner Center application page.

L1 (Primary)	L2 (Sub-category)	Business Scenario	Product	Order	Fulfillment	Finance	After-sales	Customer Service	Marketing	Affiliate	Content / LIVE	Analytics
eCommerce Management	Connectors	Connect storefront systems and sync operational data	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
eCommerce Management	Enterprise Resource Planning	Integrate ERP to unify operational workflows	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
eCommerce Management	Multi-Channel Management	Centrally manage products and fulfillment across channels	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
eCommerce Management	Print On Demand	Produce and fulfill customized products per order	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
eCommerce Management	Dropshipping	Connect suppliers and complete drop-shipping fulfillment	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Merchandising	Product Design & Sourcing	Connect design, sampling, and sourcing workflows	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Merchandising	Optimization	Optimize product titles, images, and listing quality	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
Shipping & Fulfillment	Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT)	Manage workflows tied to the official FBT system	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Shipping & Fulfillment	Order Management (OMS / WMS)	Sync fulfillment status through OMS / WMS systems	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Shipping & Fulfillment	Shipping	Manage warehouse shipping and logistics callbacks	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Shipping & Fulfillment	Returns	Manage returns, refunds, and exchange workflows	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Customer Engagement	Shoppable Content	Tag products in content and track conversions	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓
Customer Engagement	Promotions	Create and manage promotional campaigns	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Customer Engagement	Customer Reviews	Analyze review feedback and run reputation programs	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Customer Engagement	Affiliate	Manage creator collaborations and affiliate orders	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗	✓	✓	✓	✓
Customer Engagement	Loyalty & Rewards	Run membership rewards and repeat-purchase programs	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Customer Engagement	LIVE Shopping	Support live commerce interactions and order flows	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Finance	Finance	Retrieve transaction settlement and cash-flow data	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Finance	Accounting	Pull bill / order details for fine-grained reconciliation	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Catalog	Product Listing	Map products and continuously sync listing information	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
Catalog	Product Information Management	Maintain product titles, attributes, and images	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Catalog	Digital Asset Management	Manage product images, videos, and other media assets	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Marketing	Ads	Enrich tracking identifiers and support ad attribution	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✗	✗	✗	✗
Marketing	CRM	Segment customers and run targeted outreach	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Marketing	Analytics & Reporting	Track operational KPIs and run analytical reviews	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✗	✓	✗	✗	✓
Global Selling	Full Service	Serve fully-managed or comprehensive cross-market operations	✓	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Seller in-house developer	TikTok Shop Seller	Manage your own shop's products, orders, and operations end-to-end	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Legend: ✓ = capability included by default · ✗ = not included or only minimally covered · – = not yet specified, refer to Partner Center for the latest. Final permissions are subject to the actual application review result.

3. Category vs. API Scope (Quick Reference)

The App Category determines the default set of API Scopes you can apply for after creating your App, although some sensitive Scopes may still require additional review. We recommend selecting a category based on your business positioning first, then verifying that the capabilities you actually need are surfaced on the application page.

If a Scope you need is not listed under your category, that does not necessarily mean it is unavailable — please refer to the Partner Center page and the actual review outcome.

3.1 Common Baseline Scopes

The following Scopes appear in most categories and can generally be treated as common baseline capabilities:

• Shop Authorized Information
• Product Basic
• Product Modify
• Product Optimization
• Order Information
• Fulfillment Basic
• Logistics Basic
• Finance Information
• Return & Refund Basic
• Manage Seller Redeem Info Callback

3.2 Signature Scopes by Primary Direction

eCommerce Management

• Typical coverage: products, orders, inventory, fulfillment, finance, after-sales, business analytics
• Signature capabilities: Fulfilled by TikTok(FBT) Info, Bestsellers, TikTok Shop Analytics

Merchandising

• Typical coverage: product information maintenance, listing optimization, order / fulfillment linkage
• Signature capabilities: Bestsellers, TikTok Shop Analytics

Shipping & Fulfillment

• Typical coverage: order processing, shipping, logistics, reverse after-sales
• Signature capabilities: Fulfilled by TikTok(FBT) Info

Customer Engagement

• Typical coverage: content commerce, promotions, creator collaborations, loyalty programs, LIVE scenarios
• Signature capabilities: Content Posting, Read Creator Affiliate Collaborations, Manage Affiliate Messages, Manage Seller Affiliate Collaboration, Read Affiliate Partner Campaigns, Read Affiliate Share Link, Read CAP earnings order, Read Creator Marketplace, Read Seller Affiliate Collaboration, TikTok Shop Analytics, Bestsellers

Finance

• Typical coverage: bills, settlement, cash-flow, reconciliation
• Signature capabilities: centered on Finance Information

Catalog

• Typical coverage: product listing, product maintenance, product asset management
• Signature capabilities: Bestsellers, TikTok Shop Analytics

Marketing

• Typical coverage: ads delivery, customer operations, business analytics
• Signature capabilities: Bestsellers, TikTok Shop Analytics

Seller in-house developer

• Typical coverage: end-to-end capabilities for your own shop — products, orders, fulfillment, content, customer service, creator collaborations
• Signature capabilities: Customer Service, Content Posting, Manage Affiliate Messages, Manage Seller Affiliate Collaboration, Read Affiliate Share Link, Read Creator Affiliate Collaborations, Read Creator Marketplace, Read Seller Affiliate Collaboration, Fulfilled by TikTok(FBT) Info, Bestsellers, TikTok Shop Analytics

Global Selling

• Typical coverage: cross-market and integrated operations
• Signature capabilities: refer to the actual application page for the latest list

4. FAQ

Q1. Which category should I choose?

A: Pick the one that best represents your primary business scenario:

• I build eCommerce / ERP integrations → eCommerce Management
• I build logistics / fulfillment solutions → Shipping & Fulfillment
• I build marketing / advertising tools → Marketing
• I am a seller building for my own shop → Seller in-house developer
• I run fully-managed or cross-market integrated services → Global Selling

If your product spans multiple directions, choose the one that most accurately represents your core product value.

Q2. Can I change the category after creating the App?

A: No. Once selected, the category is locked and cannot be changed through any channel. If you choose the wrong category, you will need to create a new App.

Q3. Does the category determine which API Scopes I can apply for?

A: Yes. Each category comes with a default set of applicable API Scopes. Some sensitive capabilities may also require additional review.

Q4. What is the difference between Seller in-house developer and ISV categories?

A:

• Seller in-house developer is intended for in-house teams of sellers — applications that only serve their own shop.
• ISV / third-party categories are for applications that serve multiple merchants and are designed to be offered to external sellers.

Q5. Some Scopes I need are missing from my category — are they unavailable?

A: Not necessarily. The Scope coverage of each category continues to evolve. If you do not see a Scope you need, please confirm availability with your account contact or through official support channels.

Q6. Will choosing the wrong category affect my review?

A: Yes. A category that does not match your actual business may restrict the API Scopes you can apply for and may also affect app review and listing efficiency.

Q7. Will the category names change over time?

A: Yes. As the product evolves, categories may be added, merged, or renamed. Always refer to the latest options shown in the Partner Center UI.

Q8. I cover product management, fulfillment, and analytics — which one should I pick?

A: Choose the most core, stable, and frequently-used primary capability. If your main value proposition is system integration and operational orchestration, eCommerce Management is usually the best fit.

Q9. My app only serves my own shop — should I still pick an ISV-oriented category?

A: Generally no. If your application is used only for your own shop internally, Seller in-house developer is the more appropriate choice.

Q10. What kind of apps fit Global Selling?

A: Apps designed for cross-market operations, fully-managed services, or comprehensive end-to-end solutions. If your solution does not focus on a single operational link but instead orchestrates the full operational lifecycle, Global Selling is worth considering.

5. Quick Recommendation

If you are…	Recommended Category
Building an integration / ERP / order-management connector for multiple merchants	eCommerce Management
Focused on product creation, sourcing, or listing optimization	Merchandising / Catalog
Building shipping, FBT, OMS / WMS, or returns workflows	Shipping & Fulfillment
Building promotions, loyalty, content commerce, LIVE, or affiliate tools	Customer Engagement
Building reconciliation, settlement, or accounting tools	Finance
Building ads, CRM, or analytics solutions	Marketing
A seller building an app only for your own shop	Seller in-house developer
Building cross-market / fully-managed comprehensive services	Global Selling

Final API Scope availability is determined by the actual application review in Partner Center. When in doubt, contact your TikTok Shop account manager or official support channel before locking your category.