TikTok Shop fees rising? When your own online store makes sense

01Why sellers are looking beyond TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is excellent at putting products in front of new buyers. The cost is that every order carries fees. Since 15 February 2026, TikTok Shop Malaysia has charged a platform support fee of RM0.54, including SST, on every successfully delivered order, on top of commission and transaction fees that vary by category and change from time to time. From 7 September 2026, sellers also pay a 6% service tax on the shipping fees TikTok Shop charges them, after the platform's logistics moved to its Malaysian entity.

For a seller with thin margins, a few ringgit per order matters. Multiply it across hundreds of orders a month, including orders from customers who already know you and would happily buy direct, and the case for a second channel you control becomes clear.

02Three ways to sell online, compared

Shopify prices are listed in US dollars and change over time; Shopify Payments is not available in Malaysia, so Malaysian stores use a third-party gateway and pay Shopify's extra transaction fee on lower plans. Check Shopify's current pricing page before deciding.

03What still costs money with your own store

No monthly platform fee does not mean zero running costs. Be clear about these before you compare:

• Payment gateway charges for FPX, cards or e-wallets, set by the gateway you choose and charged per transaction.
• Domain renewal once a year, usually in the tens of ringgit.
• Delivery costs, which you arrange with your courier as you do today.
• Marketing. A marketplace brings traffic; your own store needs you to bring customers through social media, WhatsApp, ads or search.

At Bina Studio, standard hosting is included for eligible website packages, so there is no monthly hosting bill for a typical store.

04Everything in one system, not ten apps

On Shopify, features like inventory tracking, newsletters, wholesale pricing or custom order forms often mean another monthly app. A custom store is built around your business, so these can be part of the same system from the start.

• Product catalogue with variants, photos and stock levels.
• Inventory management so staff can update stock in one place.
• Checkout with a Malaysian payment gateway, or orders sent to WhatsApp if you prefer to confirm manually.
• Customer newsletter sign-up and email announcements.
• Order records your team can search and export.
• Pages in Bahasa Melayu, English or both.

The E-commerce package starts from RM899 for a storefront and order flow. Features such as inventory, newsletters and payment gateway connection are added to the same build and confirmed in your written quote, paid once with the development cost.

05You do not have to leave TikTok Shop

The most practical approach for many sellers is to use both. Let TikTok Shop and live selling bring in new buyers, then give those buyers a reason to order direct next time: a link in your bio, a card in the parcel, a member price or a newsletter with restocks.

1. Keep your marketplace shop running for discovery.
2. Launch your own store with your best-selling products first.
3. Add your store link to your profile, parcels and WhatsApp replies.
4. Collect newsletter sign-ups so you can reach buyers without paying for every message.
5. Move repeat orders to your store over time.

06Why build it with Bina Studio

We have built over 100 websites across real estate, property developer projects, event venues, consultancies, healthcare, security, education and retail, from landing pages and company websites to e-commerce stores, booking systems, custom web applications and automations. Every project starts with a written scope, you review a working preview before launch, and the domain stays in your name.