The reversal comes after brands were told in late January that they had to either switch to TikTok Shop’s fulfillment system, called Fulfilled by TikTok (FBT), to ship their orders or to Upgraded TikTok Shipping. In the upgraded shipping option, TikTok selects the carrier while brands continue to fulfill orders from their own warehouses. Brands were given a deadline of Feb. 25 to shift to the new fulfillment system, with full compliance required by March 31.

A letter sent to brands on Feb. 17 stated, “We are writing to clarify the current status of Seller Shipping following our previous communication regarding potential updates. At this time, Seller Shipping remains unchanged, and previously shared deadlines are not going into effect. In the meantime, please continue operating as usual. We will provide further details.”

The letter follows emerging beauty brands taking to social media to voice their displeasure with TikTok Shop’s logistics change, arguing that diminished control over shipping could hurt brand equity, squeeze margins and create operational headaches. Some brands were planning to leave TikTok Shop rather than adhere to the new fulfillment mandate.

Heaux Cosmetics applies stickers to the orders made through TikTok Shop and its website, and uses customized packaging labels and paper. Lydia Dupra, founder and CEO of the makeup and fragrance brand, was one of those opting to depart TikTok Shop if she had to modify her logistics protocol. In a TikTok video posted on Tuesday, she explained, “Unfortunately, when small businesses fulfill their order through TikTok Shop, they do not have the same control or customization…so we are leaving TikTok Shop to preserve our customers’ experience.”

TikTok Shop’s original plan to overhaul logistics could have facilitated the streamlining of fulfillment by eliminating inconsistent delivery experiences from third-party sellers and widened its margins as it looks to take on Amazon for a greater share of the beauty e-commerce market. The platform held about 1% of the U.S. beauty market in 2023, according to global investment bank TD Cowen, a figure anticipated to explode 300% by 2030. By comparison, Amazon, beauty’s largest retailer, currently controls nearly 23% of the market, according to market research firm NielsenIQ.

David Silbergleit, CEO of third-party logistics provider PIMS, reasons TikTok Shop likely didn’t realize the pushback it would get from brands of all sizes after the sellers learned of the logistics shift last month. He says, “They were rushing into this.”

So far, the reaction to the policy reversal has been positive. Brennan Tobin, CEO of OddDuck Marketing Group, an agency that’s worked to scale beauty brands like Olaplex, Josie Maran and Nutrafol across TikTok Shop, Google and Meta, posted on LinkedIn that his company spent weeks preparing for the fulfillment change to take place. “I’m glad it’s being reversed,” he writes. “The rollout had a ridiculous timeline and felt antithetical to the mission of bringing more 8-10 figure brands onto the platform.”

It’s unclear whether TikTok Shop will require brands to use platform-controlled fulfillment options in the future, but TikTok has been communicating it could revisit the fulfillment shift next month. Silbergleit predicts it will ultimately pull the trigger, although there could be more flexibility for brands. He says, “Maybe not as a forced solution, but more as a volume-based discount solution for brands that sell enough and have enough inventory to continuously supply their facilities.”

Louie Aponte, VP of sales at shipping company ParcelLogix, agrees. He warns brands not to get too comfortable with TikTok’s reversal. “TikTok will likely continue investing heavily into shipping and Fulfillment by TikTok as part of its long-term strategy,” he writes on LinkedIn. “For sellers, this is a reminder that platform logistics strategies can shift quickly. Building a flexible fulfillment network for your brand has never been more important.”