Blog > Seller Tips > How to Choose the Right TikTok Market in Southeast Asia? A Comprehensive Analysis of 6 Countries
How to Choose the Right TikTok Market in Southeast Asia? A Comprehensive Analysis of 6 Countries
Jayson 30 Sep 2025 08:35ENCopy link & title
As TikTok Shop accelerates its commercialization, more and more sellers are establishing multiple local stores in Southeast Asia. However, policies, logistics, and consumer habits vary significantly across countries, making a hasty entry into the market a risky proposition.
This article will provide a comparison of six major markets: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore, to help you make the most appropriate TikTok Shop market decisions.
Advantages and Highlights:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
Established, large sellers with a local team and strong logistics capabilities
Highlights:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
Newcomers or brand-based sellers seeking refined operations and high conversion rates.
Highlights:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
Professional operations teams with Thai language proficiency and local resources.
Advantages:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
Manufacturers with production capacity, warehousing, and cost control.
Highlights:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
Content-based sellers who excel at livestreaming and have an English-speaking team
Highlights:
Potential Challenges:
Recommended for:
High-end sellers with established brands and private domain traffic
This article will provide a comparison of six major markets: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore, to help you make the most appropriate TikTok Shop market decisions.
📍 Indonesia: Huge traffic market, but the highest barrier to entry
Advantages and Highlights:
- Southeast Asia's largest e-commerce market, with over 100 million TikTok users
- Beauty and consumer goods categories boast impressive sales, making them suitable for boosting sales volume
- Large order volumes make them suitable for large-scale distribution
Potential Challenges:
- Must be a local store; cross-border small packages are not eligible
- Multiple islands and complex logistics links result in a 10%+ loss rate
- Strict customs clearance and long lead times
Recommended for:
Established, large sellers with a local team and strong logistics capabilities
📍 Malaysia: The most reliable entry point for beginners
Highlights:
- Beauty and home categories have high repurchase rates, making them suitable for brands.
- Highly efficient logistics, with costs 30% lower than in Indonesia.
Potential Challenges:
- The market is relatively small, with moderate growth and increasing competition.
Recommended for:
Newcomers or brand-based sellers seeking refined operations and high conversion rates.
📍 Thailand: Fastest growth, but high localization requirements
Highlights:
- TikTok's user growth rate is the fastest in Southeast Asia.
- Mature payment system, smooth logistics, and stable conversion rates.
- Beauty, food, and apparel categories continue to sell well.
Potential Challenges:
- The Thai language is complex, and the barrier to optimizing content operations is high.
- Deep localization is required, pursuing cultural adaptation such as a "Buddhist aesthetic."
Recommended for:
Professional operations teams with Thai language proficiency and local resources.
📍 Vietnam: Low-price, high-volume sales strategy, but high after-sales pressure
Advantages:
- Strong sales momentum for fast-moving consumer goods and affordable apparel, with major promotions often exceeding 1,000 orders.
- TikTok's fast-paced consumption makes it suitable for generating traffic for viral products.
Potential Challenges:
- Return rates as high as 30%+, leading to significant after-sales pressure.
- Limited profit margins require strong supply chain support.
Recommended for:
Manufacturers with production capacity, warehousing, and cost control.
📍 Philippines: Livestreaming offers clear advantages in the English-speaking market
Highlights:
- English is the official language, ensuring seamless operational communication
- Fitness equipment and consumer electronics categories are performing well
- Livestreaming sales conversion rates are among the highest in Southeast Asia
Potential Challenges:
- High logistics and fulfillment costs
- Consumers are known for their ability to compare prices and negotiate, resulting in low gross profit margins
Recommended for:
Content-based sellers who excel at livestreaming and have an English-speaking team
📍 Singapore: High consumption, high standards
Highlights:
- Highest GDP per capita in Southeast Asia, strong spending power
- High-end beauty, smart home, and other niche markets offer potential for premium pricing
Potential Challenges:
- TikTok conversion rates are low, and consumers prefer offline shopping
- Extremely high labor and warehousing costs make it difficult for beginners to afford them
Recommended for:
High-end sellers with established brands and private domain traffic
BigSeller-Blog Senior Writer: Jayson
Sir Jayson has worked in well-known e-commerce companies such as Shopee and TikTok Shop, helping hundreds of sellers to deepen their e-commerce industry, expand their business, and eventually become high-quality sellers.
