If you encounter an error stating "The product description is required” or “Product description cannot be empty" when listing products on TikTok Shop, this happens because TikTok Shop requires product descriptions for all listings.
Common reasons #
These errors typically appear when your product description is missing or doesn’t meet TikTok Shop's content requirements.
To avoid them, check that your product description meets TikTok Shop requirements:
- Provide a detailed description, ideally over 300 characters.
- Include 3-5 key selling points, each under 250 characters, with supporting images.
- Use images sized 1600×1600 px to meet display standards.
How to fix the error #
⚠️ Before you begin, make sure to identify your TikTok Shop listings affected by the error.
Step 1. Open the product settings #
Click on any of the affected products to open the product card. Then, go to the Policies tab and view the Description Policy settings or create a new one.
Step 2. Set the Description Policy #
In the Description Policy settings, choose either "Default Product Description", “Short Description”, or "Attribute" as the source for your product descriptions. If you choose "Attribute", select the specific attribute you want to use.
- Default Product Description or Short Description: This option uses the product description (or short description) already presented in your store or the M2E Catalog (depending on your setup). The app will automatically send this description to TikTok Shop.
- Attribute option: You can choose a specific attribute from your store to use for the product description. The app will retrieve the value of that attribute for each product and submit it to TikTok Shop.
ℹ️ Changes will be applied to all products assigned to the updated Description Policy.
Step 3. Resubmit the listing #
After making the necessary adjustments, select the incomplete products. Click Manage Items > List from the mass actions menu to resubmit them to TikTok Shop.
Once the description is provided, your products should be listed successfully, and their status will update to "Active".
Have additional questions? Reach out to our support team through our contact form.
