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[Order Intake - GCW] Connecting TikTok Shop stores to GelatoConnect

Written by Kyle Sawyer

This guide provides a step-by-step process for connecting TikTok Shop stores to GelatoConnect, allowing for automated order flow from TikTok Shop directly to your production workflow.

Note: The GelatoConnect TikTok Shop integration is currently available only for TikTok Shops operating in the United States.

Prerequisites

Before you begin connecting a TikTok Shop store to GelatoConnect, ensure you have:

  • Customer set up in GelatoConnect: The customer who owns the TikTok Shop store must be created with Storefronts access enabled

  • Active TikTok Shop shop: The shop should be set up and have active product listings

  • Admin access: Either the PSP (Print Service Provider) or your customer must have administrator-level access to the TikTok Shop shop to authorize the connection

Connection process overview

The connection process involves four key phases:

  1. Preparation: Ensuring proper setup in GelatoConnect

  2. Store Connection: Establishing the link between TikTok Shop and GelatoConnect

  3. Product Setup: Configuring products for printing

  4. Testing: Validating the integration with test orders

Let's walk through each phase in detail.

Phase 1: Preparation in GelatoConnect

1) Set up your customer

  • Go to the Customers section in the left navigation menu of your GelatoConnect account

  • Select the customer who owns the TikTok Shop store. If they do not already exist, add a new customer

2) Decide if you want to give your customer access to the Storefronts Connect interface

Storefronts Connect is the interface used by PSPs and your customers to manage B2C storefronts (Shopify, Etsy, TikTok Shop, Woocommerce), CSV imports and manual stores.

Without Storefronts Connect interface access:

  • PSPs are responsible for connecting new products to the TikTok Shop store

  • Your customer may need to contact you for order details

  • You will need admin access to the TikTok Shop store to authorize the connection

With Storefronts Connect interface access:

  • Your customers can add new products to their TikTok Shop store when they want

  • Your customer has access to order history and tracking details

  • You will not need admin access to the TikTok Shop store, but your customer will to authorize the connection

3) Access the Storefronts Connect interface

  • PSPs can access Storefronts using their existing GelatoConnect login details

  • Your customers will need to be given access to Storefronts Connect

To do this:

  • Navigate to the Customers section in the left navigation menu of your GelatoConnect account

  • Select the customer and then navigate to Edit customer in the top right of the page

  • Enable the toggle "Enable storefronts"

  • Provide your customer's email address, first name, and surname

  • When you click the "Add admin" button, an email will be sent to your customer with details on how they can login to Storefronts Connect

  • Your customer will need to reset their password after logging in for the first time

4) Prepare your product catalog

Before connecting the store, ensure you have products configured in GelatoConnect:

  • You will need to have created product models and customer products using these product models

  • Within a customer product, you can define which customer should have access to this product

  • You can subsequently use the catalog management section in GelatoConnect to group your products in categories

Phase 2: Connecting an TikTok Shop store

For merchants (Your customer)

  1. Log in to Storefronts

  2. Navigate to Stores:

    • Click on the Stores tab in the left side navigation

    • Click on the TikTok Shop icon to begin the connection process

  3. Authenticate with TikTok Shop:

    • You'll be redirected to TikTok Shop's authentication page

    • Log in if prompted

    • Review the permissions requested by Gelato

    • Click "Allow Access" to approve the connection

  4. Confirm Connection:

    • After authorization, you'll be returned to the Storefronts Connect dashboard

    • Verify your store appears in the list of connected stores with a "Connected" status

For PSPs (You)

The steps to connect a TikTok Shop store as a PSP are very similar to connecting a store as your customer.

The key difference is that you will also be asked to select which of your facilities and which of your customers the TikTok Shop store should be assigned to.

Phase 3: Setting up products

Once the store is connected, your products in GelatoConnect need to be linked with product listings on the TikTok Shop store. There are three methods for connecting products:

Method 1: Connecting existing TikTok Shop products

If the store already has products that need to be produced through GelatoConnect:

  1. Sync Products:

    • In the Storefronts Connect dashboard, click on the connected TikTok Shop store within the stores list

    • Click the Sync Products button in the top right to retrieve the store's current product listings from TikTok Shop

    • Wait for the synchronization to complete

  2. Map Products:

    • After syncing, all TikTok Shop products will appear in the All products tab

    • For each product that needs to be produced, click on the product and then click on the Connect button

    • You will see the product catalog you previously defined in the GelatoConnect catalog management section

    • Choose the product you want to connect from the catalog

    • For products requiring design files, you will be directed to the design editor where you can upload a design file to your product

    • Click Connect to save the mapping

Method 2: Creating new products in Storefronts Connect

To create new products that will be published to the TikTok Shop store:

  1. Navigate to the TikTok Shop store within the Stores list

  2. Click on the Add product button in the top right

  3. You can add a completely new single product or select one which has already been added to an existing store

  4. If adding a new single product:

    • Select a product from the product catalog

    • Add a design using the design editor

    • Configure the product details (name, description, price)

    • Then publish the product to the TikTok Shop store

Method 3: Bulk product connection

For stores with many products, you can use the bulk operation feature:

  1. Export product list:

    • Navigate to the store's page within Storefronts Connect and click on Bulk Operations in the top right of the page

    • Select Connect products using files

    • Click Export CSV and a CSV file containing all store products will be downloaded

  2. Complete the CSV:

    • Open the CSV in a spreadsheet application

    • For each product, add the following in the appropriate columns:

      • Product UID: The GelatoConnect product identifier

      • Design File URL: URL to the printable file for each product. This must be a direct hyperlink to the file, which does not show any admin or editing tools around the file

  3. Import mapped products:

    • Return to Storefronts and click Bulk Operations

    • Enter your email address, click Upload CSV and choose your CSV

    • Click Connect products using files in the top right

Phase 4: Testing the integration

Before relying on the integration for production orders, thoroughly test the connection:

  1. Place a test order:

    • Go to the TikTok Shop store

    • Purchase one of the mapped products (consider using a test account for this purpose)

    • Complete the checkout process

  2. Verify order receipt:

    • Check that the order appears in Storefronts Connect

    • Verify it also appears in your GelatoConnect dashboard order intake manage orders page

    • Confirm that all order details are correct, including:

      • Customer information

      • Product specifications

      • Design files

      • Shipping details

  3. Follow order through production:

    • Track the test order through your production workflow

    • Verify that status updates reflect correctly in Storefronts Connect and in the TikTok Shop seller dashboard

  4. Test order cancellation (Optional):

    • Place another test order

    • Cancel it through TikTok Shop

    • Verify the cancellation is processed correctly in GelatoConnect


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