Guide 6 · When you’ve made a sale
Getting your money out.
Where your commission sits, when it actually becomes yours, and how to move it to your bank.
10 minutes to set up · once onlyTwo things that catch everyone out
1. The money isn’t yours the moment you make a sale.
TikTok waits until the buyer has actually received the item and the return window has closed. That’s normally about 15 days after delivery, and it can stretch to 31 days.
2. If the buyer sends it back, the commission goes away.
A full refund takes your commission down to nothing. A partial refund shrinks it. This is normal and it happens to everyone who sells anything.
You can still get paid, just a different way. The brand pays you directly instead of TikTok. There’s a full explanation in the Getting Verified guide.
Find your earnings
On your phone:
Profile → TikTok Studio → TikTok Shop for Creator → Earnings
You’ll land on a screen showing your available balance at the top and a red Withdraw button under it.
The rest of that screen is worth knowing:
- Earning history — everything you’ve been paid
- Affiliate orders — every sale, and whether it’s cleared yet
- Affiliate commission rules — what percentage you get on what
- Tax information — must be filled in before anything pays out
Set up how you get paid
You only do this once.
Tap Withdraw. If you haven’t set a method up yet, TikTok will ask you to now.
- Bank transfer — straight to your account
- PayPal — usually quicker to set up
The name on your bank or PayPal account must be exactly the same as the name on your TikTok tax information.
If they don’t match, the payment fails and the money sits in limbo while you sort it out. This is the most common reason a withdrawal doesn’t arrive.
Payouts are handled by PayPal, so you may be asked to confirm some details with them as well.
Take the money out
- Tap Withdraw
- Type in how much you want — all of it or part of it
- Tap Confirm
That’s it. Allow a few working days for it to land, and don’t submit it twice if it isn’t there the next morning.
Why your balance is lower than you expected
This is the most common question we get, and it’s almost never a mistake.
| What you see | What’s actually happening |
|---|---|
| Sales showing, balance £0 | Nothing has cleared yet. Commission lands about 15 days after the buyer receives the item. |
| Balance went down | Someone returned something. That commission is gone. |
| Stuck for weeks | The seller hasn’t settled their side yet. It can take up to 31 days and it’s out of your hands. |
| Withdraw button won’t work | Tax information isn’t filled in, or your payout method isn’t set up. |
Check Affiliate orders to see exactly which sales have cleared and which are still waiting.
Be patient with the first one
Your first sale to your first payment is often five or six weeks. That is the system working normally, not a problem.
After that it settles into a rhythm and money comes through steadily.
Open a ticket and tell us what Affiliate orders shows. That screen tells us in seconds whether it’s a real problem or just waiting.
Quick answers
How long until the money is in my bank?
Two waits, one after the other. About 15 days from delivery before it becomes withdrawable, then a few working days for the transfer itself.
Is there a minimum I have to withdraw?
TikTok doesn’t publish one figure for creators — it varies. Your Earnings screen will tell you if you’re under it.
Can I withdraw to a bank outside the US?
Not through TikTok. If you don’t have US tax details you get paid by the brand directly instead — see the Getting Verified guide.
Why did my commission drop after I’d already earned it?
A refund. Commission is worked out on what the seller actually keeps, so a return removes it. Nothing is taken back out of your bank — it just never arrives.
Do I have to fill in tax information?
Yes. Nothing pays out until it’s done, even if your balance looks ready.
I withdrew and nothing arrived.
Check the name on your bank or PayPal account matches your tax information exactly. That’s the cause almost every time. If it matches, open a ticket.