Dashboardly compared marketplace costs, neither channel won outright

Seventy-seven percent of users search for a product after seeing it in TikTok affiliate content, according to TikTok group vertical director Donte Murry in an interview with Glossy. That behavior sits behind a September 30, 2026 Dashboardly comparison of TikTok Shop and Amazon costs. The comparison found neither platform costs less in every case or leaves a higher margin. Sellers should match the same product, fulfillment method, promotion plan, and time period.

For people who read labels, the shift starts with how a product is sold. TikTok Shop allows brands to sell through creator affiliates in videos, livestreams, and profiles. Sellers set commission rates between 1% and 80% and can adjust rates for individual creators or campaigns. Tiered commissions permit higher opening rates or higher rates when creators reach sales milestones.

Platform fees sit below those payments. TikTok Shop platform fees are generally around 6%, which sellers should include when setting commissions. Flat fee arrangements can pair an upfront payment ranging between $20 and $10,000 with optional performance based commissions. Fulfillment adds another decision, with seller managed shipping or Fulfilled by TikTok, while Amazon provides merchant fulfillment or Fulfillment by Amazon.

Affiliate marketing now represents nearly 10% of US ecommerce sales, or $113 billion, according to a 2025 study from The Performance Marketing Association. MySmile sold more than $1 million in products through TikTok Shop in its first three months with affiliate creators. The number describes sales volume, not proof that any formula works better when sold this way.

Amazon supplies search demand at scale, but the record on fakes calls for care. In April 2023 NOW Foods found 11 different counterfeit NOW supplements sold on Amazon by a single seller. That same month Fungi Perfecti found 23 different sellers on Amazon selling counterfeits of its Host Defense brand mushroom supplements. In August 2023 a counterfeit version of Bausch + Lomb’s PreserVision AREDS 2 Eye Vitamin and Mineral supplement was sold on Amazon.

Later cases extended the pattern. In September 2023 it was found that counterfeit versions of Pure Encapsulations L-glutamine and NatureMD’s GutConnect 365 were sold on Amazon. In November 2023 a lawsuit was filed against multiple parties accused of selling counterfeit Prevagen on Amazon. In October 2024 Fungi Perfecti won a lawsuit that bars JT Best Deals from advertising or selling Fungi Perfecti products.

Testing explains why sourcing matters for skin and supplement buyers alike. NOW Foods testing found counterfeit supplements held capsules of plain rice flour, with some samples holding trace amounts of sildenafil. Fungi Perfecti counterfeits held undeclared gluten and soy, which genuine Host Defense products do not contain. Under the U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, the FDA does not review or approve supplements before sale.

Amazon said it will end commingling across its supply chain as of March 31, 2026, but this covers new inventory only. An Amazon spokesperson said, “Amazon has a zero tolerance policy for counterfeit products.” What to watch next is less visible than a launch. Check the seller name and expect brands to build creator costs into retail price.

Plant based formulas move slowly from field to bottle. Marketplaces move fast from post to purchase. Knowing which system sits behind the buy helps keep expectations tied to evidence.