Shopee Ads vs TikTok Shop Ads: Where Should Sellers Spend?
Shopee Ads work best for capturing shoppers who are already searching for a product, while TikTok Shop Ads work best for creating demand through video and live content. Most sellers in Indonesia benefit from both, but the right split depends on your product, your content capacity, and where your buyers already are.
The two platforms are built on different shopping behaviors. On Shopee, people often open the app with something in mind and type it into the search bar. On TikTok, people open the app to be entertained and discover products along the way. Your advertising should follow that difference.
How Shopee Ads work
Shopee offers several ad types inside the marketplace, including search ads that appear when shoppers type keywords, discovery ads on product and home pages, and shop ads that promote your store. You can choose keywords manually or let Shopee’s automated options select them.
Strengths:
- Reaches shoppers with clear purchase intent
- Works well for everyday products people search by name or category
- Easy to start with small budgets and expand
- Results tie directly to marketplace orders
Watch out for:
- Rising costs on competitive keywords, especially during big sale events
- Heavy dependence on price, ratings, and listing quality
How TikTok Shop Ads work
TikTok Shop advertising now centers on Product GMV Max, an automated campaign type that optimizes for your TikTok Shop’s total channel return. It uses your videos, creator content, and product listings, and it optimizes both paid and organic traffic toward incremental sales. There is also a live version for promoting live shopping sessions.
Strengths:
- Creates demand for products people did not know they wanted
- Rewards strong video and creator content
- Combines well with live shopping and affiliate creators
- Automation reduces manual campaign management
Watch out for:
- Needs a steady flow of video content to perform
- Less manual control over targeting and placements
- Products without a visual story can struggle
Which products fit which platform?
- Everyday essentials and replacements — Shopee: people search by name and compare prices.
- Beauty and skincare — Both: search demand plus strong video demonstrations.
- Fashion and accessories — TikTok Shop, then Shopee: visual discovery and try-ons drive interest.
- Novel gadgets and home finds — TikTok Shop: the product is the content.
- Food and snacks — Both: taste tests on video, repeat purchases via search.
- Higher-priced items — Shopee, supported by TikTok content: buyers compare details and reviews before paying.
How to split your budget
There is no universal ratio, but these questions help:
- Where are your current sales coming from? Start by protecting what already works.
- How much video can you produce each week? Without content, TikTok Shop Ads have little to work with.
- Do you sell something people search for? If yes, Shopee search ads should be a core line.
- Do you run live sessions or work with creators? If yes, TikTok Shop deserves a larger share.
A common pattern is to start with a larger share where sales already are, test the other platform with a fixed budget for several weeks, and then shift based on return on ad spend and margin, not just revenue.
Measuring fairly across both
Compare like with like:
- ROAS (revenue divided by ad spend) per platform
- Profit after ad spend, since commissions and fees differ
- New versus returning buyers
- Halo effects, such as TikTok videos increasing Shopee searches for your brand
Big sale events
During 11.11 and 12.12, both platforms see a surge in shoppers and in ad competition. Prepare listings, content, and stock in advance, and increase budgets gradually. See our Indonesian guide to 11.11 ad strategy.
Read also: Strategi Iklan Shopee 11.11 dan TikTok Shop
FAQ: Shopee Ads vs TikTok Shop Ads
Should a new seller start on Shopee or TikTok Shop?
If your product is searched for and you have little video content, Shopee is often easier. If your product is visual and you can create videos, test TikTok Shop early.
Is GMV Max the only option on TikTok Shop?
TikTok has been steering shop advertisers toward GMV Max. Check the options in your own Ads Manager, as availability changes.
Can I use the same videos on both platforms?
Often, yes, with small edits. Remove watermarks and adapt captions to each platform.
How long before judging results?
Give each platform several weeks outside of major sale days to see a stable picture.
Spend where your buyers are
Skipjack Digital is a performance marketing agency based in Denpasar, an official Meta, Google and TikTok partner with more than IDR 25 billion in ad spend managed. We help brands and sellers plan marketplace advertising alongside their wider paid media.
