Creator2Commerce logo
☰

TikTok Shop Open vs Target Collaboration: How Brands Should Set Up Both

By the Creator2Commerce team · Published · Updated · 7 min read

Short answer

Open Collaboration lists your products for every TikTok Shop creator to find and promote at one commission rate. Target Collaboration is a private invitation to creators you pick, usually at a higher rate, with flat fee, commission or mixed deals. Most brands run Open as the always-on base and use Target for proven or high-value creators.

Key takeaways

  • Open is for discovery: any creator can find your products, request samples and post.
  • Target is for handpicked creators: a private offer, usually with a higher commission than Open for the same product.
  • While a Target invitation is active, TikTok says its rate applies to that creator's orders on the product; when it expires, the Open rate returns.

This guide is for brands that sell on TikTok Shop and want creators promoting their products. It explains the two ways you set up affiliate deals in Affiliate Center, what each one is good for and how to run them side by side. Platform facts come from TikTok Shop Academy pages listed at the bottom. We do not quote rates that "work", because no TikTok page gives one rate that fits every product and margin.

What changed in October 2026

TikTok rebuilt the Collaboration page in Affiliate Center. According to its October 16, 2026 guide, collaboration types are now grouped by who starts the match. There are three main entries: Open Collaboration (creators find your products), Platform Campaigns (platform-led matching such as recruitment, targeted campaigns and private collaborations) and Target Collaboration (your own direct outreach). TikTok says nothing was removed; Open and Target are both still there.

Open vs Target Collaboration at a glance

Open CollaborationTarget Collaboration
Who can see itAll creatorsOnly creators you invite
How the match startsCreators find your productsYou search for and invite creators
Commission range1% to 80%1% to 80%, usually higher than Open for the same product
Deal typesCommissionFlat fee, commission or mixed
Free samplesYesYes, with optional auto-approve for that group
Refundable samplesYesNo (Open only)
TikTok's suggested useAlways-on base; good for sellers new to affiliateHandpicked creators and higher-value deals

Source for the table: TikTok's "8 Tips for Successful Seller & Creator Matchmaking" and "Collaboration in Affiliate Center" guides.

Which commission rate wins when a creator is in both?

This is the part brands get wrong most often. TikTok's matchmaking guide gives this example: a creator is invited to promote Product A in a Target Collaboration at A%, and already features Product A through Open Collaboration at B%. While the Target Collaboration is active, A% applies to that creator's Target and Open orders on Product A. Once the Target Collaboration expires, the rate goes back to B%.

So a Target invitation is an override for one creator, not a change to your public rate. That lets you pay a proven creator more without raising the rate for everyone else. When you set the end date, remember that the creator's rate will drop back when it ends, and tell them before it does.

If you also run creator videos as ads, there is a separate, optional Shop Ads commission rate. TikTok's ACA guide says a Target Collaboration Shop Ads rate applies instead of the Open Collaboration Shop Ads rate for the same product.

How to set up Open Collaboration

  1. In Affiliate Center, open Collaboration and choose Set Up Products for All Creators (Open Collaboration).
  2. Add the products you want creators to promote. TikTok suggests enrolling broadly so you can see which products and creators stand out.
  3. Set a commission rate for each product. TikTok shows a platform-suggested commission during setup.
  4. Turn on free samples and, if it suits the product, refundable samples. Sample rules such as quantity and request period are set per product; creator thresholds are on the Sample Settings page.
  5. Decide whether to turn on auto-enrollment so new products join automatically with default sample rules.

Keep stock and commissions current. TikTok notes that creators cannot request samples or promote a product with zero stock.

How to set up Target Collaboration

  1. In Affiliate Center, go to Target Collaboration and click Invite to collaborate.
  2. Pick one or two products that match your current goal. TikTok's guide calls sending 10 random products to every saved creator a "bad case".
  3. Add the creators you have shortlisted. Tagging creators in Manage creators makes this faster.
  4. Set the deal: commission, flat fee or both. If the product is also in Open, set a higher rate; TikTok shows a "higher commission" badge.
  5. Turn on free samples. Choose manual review (sample strategy) or auto-approve for this group.
  6. Write a personal message and a short brief, then send. Creators can accept or mark "Not interested" in the TikTok app.

For more on finding and screening creators before you invite them, see our guide on how to hire TikTok Shop creators.

A simple way to run both together

TikTok's own example strategy is a loop, and it is a sensible default for most DTC brands:

  • Keep Open always on. It is your discovery channel. Use it, with samples, to find out which products and creators get traction.
  • Move standouts into Target. When a creator posts and drives orders on Open, invite them to a Target Collaboration with a better offer.
  • Plan Target by moment. Use it for hero product pushes, new launches and holiday sales, matched to the creators who fit that product's stage.
  • Review and rotate. TikTok suggests moving under-performing products and creators back to Open and refreshing your Target list with the ones that stood out.

Common mistakes

  • Setting Target at the same rate as Open, so the invitation gives the creator nothing extra.
  • Letting a Target Collaboration expire without warning the creator that their rate will drop.
  • Inviting creators to products with low stock, which blocks samples and promotion.
  • Leaving free sample requests unreviewed. TikTok cancels requests that are not reviewed within seven days.
  • Treating Platform Campaigns as the same thing as Target. Platform Campaigns are platform-led; Target is your own outreach.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between open and target collaboration on TikTok Shop?

Open Collaboration makes your products visible to all creators at one commission rate. Target Collaboration is a private invitation to creators you choose, with commission, flat fee or mixed deals, usually at a higher rate than Open.

Does a Target Collaboration rate override the Open rate?

Yes, for the invited creator. TikTok says that while a Target Collaboration is active, its rate applies to that creator's Target and Open orders on the product. When it expires, the Open rate applies again.

What commission range can brands set?

TikTok's matchmaking guide lists 1% to 80% for both Open and Target Collaboration, with Target usually set higher than Open for the same product.

Can I offer refundable samples in Target Collaboration?

No. TikTok's guide says refundable samples are only available in Open Collaboration. Free samples are available in both.

Which should a new brand start with?

TikTok suggests sellers new to the affiliate program start with Open Collaboration, set up products, commissions and samples, then add Target Collaboration for handpicked creators.

Want to talk it through?

Creator2Commerce is a TikTok Shop agency for US DTC brands, founded by Anas Gull. If you want help setting up Open and Target Collaboration, and finding the creators to put in them, book a call with the team.

Book a call ↗ · See pricing · See results

Sources (read November 5, 2026)

We could not find a TikTok page that recommends a specific Open or Target rate for a given category, so rate choices are left to your margin and testing.

More brand guides