This guide is for Customer Service apps built by third-party Independent Service Vendors (ISVs) or seller self-developed teams. It explains the required app capabilities, API access prerequisites, and the recommended end-to-end implementation flow for receiving buyer messages, loading conversation context, and replying from a third-party customer support system.
Recommended document title: Customer Service app features.
Recommended slug: customer-service-app-features. Avoid using the generic slug app-features, because this page is specific to the Customer Service category and can be confused with app feature requirements for other categories.
Updated: July 7, 2026. API availability, scope names, and review requirements should be checked against the latest Partner Center UI before publishing.
Customer Service is the communication channel used by sellers and buyers during pre-sale, in-sale, and after-sale support. After integration, TikTok Shop buyer messages can be forwarded to a third-party customer support system. Agents can then receive, read, and reply to buyer messages without logging in to Seller Center for every conversation.
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Customer Service APIs support capabilities such as:
Listing and retrieving conversations.
Reading historical conversation messages.
Marking messages as read.
Sending text, image, video, product card, order card, return/refund card, coupon card, and logistics card messages.
Uploading buyer message images before sending image messages.
Retrieving and tracking customer service performance metrics.
Using customer service webhooks, such as New conversation and New message, to receive new-message events.
Customer Service is a category-specific API capability in TikTok Shop Partner Center. It is visible to partners or ISVs who have selected Customer Service as the business category in Category & Market and as the service category for the app or service.
Customer Service API access is inactive by default. The app owner must apply for access and complete review before calling Customer Service APIs.
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Recommended application path:
Step
Partner Center entry
What to do
1
App & Service or My Account
Confirm that the partner account or service category includes Customer Service for the target market.
2
Category & Market
Select or update the Customer Service business category and market, if the category is not already approved.
3
App/service detail page > API Scopes or Access scope
Find the Customer Service scope package and submit the access request. See Access scope.
4
Account Manager, Partner Manager, or Partner Center support ticket
If the Customer Service scope remains inactive or is not visible, submit the app key/service ID, target market, Customer Service use cases, and launch timeline for review.
Approval time is not fixed in the source material. Treat this as a manual Account Manager or Partner Manager review, plan for several business days, and confirm the expected timeline with the review owner before committing a launch date. Do not publish a fixed SLA unless the owning operations team confirms it.
Scope ID check before publishing: the source table lists Customer Service (48004). Local OAS files confirm the Customer Service endpoints but do not confirm the scope ID. Because 48004 has a different length from many other scope IDs, verify the exact scope name and ID in Partner Center before publishing this page. Do not infer or rewrite the ID without owner confirmation.
The existing Send Message API cannot send combined messages. Each message type must be transmitted individually. For example, text plus image plus coupon card requires three separate Send Message calls.
Message content format
Send Message uses a type field and a JSON-serialized content string. The content schema depends on the message type.
Images
Upload the image first with Upload Buyer Messages Image, then use the returned image URL in the image message content.
Before sending a coupon card, search for valid coupons with Search Coupons. Eligible coupons should meet the display type, status, creation source, and buyer segment conditions described in the API reference.
Shop identifier
Customer Service APIs include shop_cipher in query parameters. It is optional for most Customer Service endpoints but required by Get Customer Service Performance. For cross-border shops, pass the correct shop identifier to avoid incorrect responses.
Access token
Customer Service endpoints require x-tts-access-token in the request header. Also send Content-Type: application/json for JSON requests.
Load the active product list for the shop. Obtain shop_id from New conversation or New message, then call the product endpoint required by the product reference.
Use the field-mapping style below when writing use case requirements. It gives developers both the recommended display fields and the API source for each field.
Product ID; title; price; status; main image, using the first image returned by the API. For multi-SKU products, show each SKU line with price and inventory.
The local OAS reference lists the following Customer Service endpoints. Confirm exact endpoint documentation links and scope availability in Partner Center before publishing.
Capability
Method and path
Notes
Get agent settings
GET /customer_service/202309/agents/settings
Query agent settings for the authorized shop.
Update agent settings
PUT /customer_service/202309/agents/settings
Update agent settings for the authorized shop.
Get conversations
GET /customer_service/202309/conversations
Retrieve conversation list.
Create conversation
POST /customer_service/202309/conversations
Start a conversation when allowed for the order and buyer context.
Get conversation messages
GET /customer_service/202309/conversations/{conversation_id}/messages
Retrieve historical messages for a conversation.
Send message
POST /customer_service/202309/conversations/{conversation_id}/messages
Supported message types include TEXT, IMAGE, VIDEO, PRODUCT_CARD, ORDER_CARD, RETURN_REFUND_CARD, COUPON_CARD, and LOGISTICS_CARD.
Read message
POST /customer_service/202309/conversations/{conversation_id}/messages/read
Mark messages as read.
Upload buyer messages image
POST /customer_service/202309/images/upload
Upload an image before sending an image message.
Get customer service performance
GET /customer_service/202407/performance
Requires shop_cipher. Use for performance tracking where enabled.
Get conversation
GET /customer_service/202601/conversations/{conversation_id}
