TikTok Shop Out of Office Checklist

This checklist is for all TikTok Shop sellers. Be vacation ready by setting your shop up for some well-deserved time away from work. Here's a streamlined checklist with three key tasks—fulfilling existing orders, activating Holiday mode, and setting up auto-replies—to keep customers informed and preserve your metrics.

Fulfill Orders

Before taking time away, it is important to process all existing orders, within the shipping service level agreement (SLA), before activating Holiday mode.
Action items:

• Process all pending orders and ship
• Mark all orders as fulfilled and set Holiday mode if your warehouse will be closed during your break.
• Confirm there are no outstanding orders before proceeding. Otherwise, the system might auto-cancel them, which may impact your Seller Fault Cancellation Rate (SFCR) and Seller Performance Score (SPS). This helps protect your store's performance metrics.

Activate Holiday mode

Holiday mode is a feature in TikTok Shop that allows you to step away for a few days. When activated:

• Orders are paused to prevent late shipments
• It helps avoid poor customer service and negative reviews
• Warehouse inventory is set to zero for the selected period

Important: Activate Holiday mode only after confirming that there are no outstanding orders, or set it up in advance, if you anticipate being unavailable, to prevent new orders.
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Set Up Auto-Reply Templates

Customers can still contact you via Instant Message (IM) during Holiday mode, so you can set up pre-configured messages to manage expectations and provide helpful resources.

Configure 4 Items:

A) IM Auto-Reply: Set up an automatic response that activates when buyers message you, while your shop is in holiday mode.
B) Enable automated updates: Automate messages for different order stages, so customers know what's happening, even when you're away.
C) Greeting with frequently asked questions (FAQs): Update your knowledge base with pre-set FAQs that automatically appear when customers start a chat. Select questions you've recently seen the most inquiries for or anticipate receiving while you are on break. Common topics for FAQs include:\n• Order processing and fulfillment\n• Order tracking and delivery times\n• Return and refund policies, and\n• Customer support availability
D) Help Center and Self-service tools: Direct buyers to TikTok Shop Help Center and self-service tools to remind them they can find help, even when you're away.

How to Set Up Automatic Messages:

1. Log in to TikTok Seller Center
2. Go to Customer Messages > Automation tools
3. Add new FAQs on the Knowledge base tab
4. Create a new Custom Greeting Message in the Automation tools tab and add your top FAQs
5. Enable Automated Messages for desired scenarios
6. Save changes
7. Go to Account Settings and turn on Holiday mode
8. Save all changes

Optional: Add a banner announcement on your shop page for additional visibility.

Message Templates

IM Auto-Reply Template:

Hello [Buyer Name],

Thank you for contacting [Your Shop Name]. Our shop is currently in Holiday mode from [Start Date] to [End Date].

For immediate assistance, please visit the TikTok Shop Help Center.

For quick answers, check our FAQs here: [insert link]

We will respond to your inquiry as soon as we return. Thank you for your understanding.

Greeting Message Template:

Welcome to [Your Shop Name].

We're currently away from [Start Date] to [End Date], but we're here to help with the resources below.

Please check our FAQs for quick answers, or visit the TikTok Shop Help Center for immediate assistance.

Shop Banner Template:

Our shop is currently on Holiday mode from [Start Date] to [End Date].

For assistance, visit the TikTok Shop Help Center.

Recommended FAQ Topics

Include these FAQs to ensure buyers are well-informed:

• Holiday mode duration: Start and end dates of your break
• Order Fulfillment: Confirm that all orders placed before Holiday mode have been shipped
• Response Time: When buyers can expect a reply to their messages
• Order Tracking: Instructions on how buyers can track their orders via TikTok Shop
• Returns and Refunds: Steps for initiating returns or refunds via the Help Center during your absence
• General Questions: Direct buyers to browse the Help Center for common queries

Tips for effective communication:

• Be polite and professional with a friendly, considerate tone
• Provide clear dates and set expectations
• Optional: Include alternative ways for urgent queries if applicable (for example, email support)