Pick one of 4 routes from social media to a sale: chat, LINE OA, a marketplace or TikTok Shop. 4 deciding questions, a comparison table, 3 numbers to track and 3 invented example shops.
Lots of likes, no orders. The problem is usually not the post but where the post sends people next. Most small shops can look after only one or two selling channels. This article helps you choose whether to send people from social media to chat, to LINE OA, to a marketplace or to TikTok Shop. It takes under 10 minutes to answer the questions.
Key takeaways
- There are 4 main routes: chat, LINE OA, a marketplace and TikTok Shop. Pick by product, not by trend
- Answer 4 questions about talking first, repeat buying, letting the system handle things, and video to find the shop's main route
- Track 3 numbers per route: people who saw, people who clicked or messaged, and buyers. Add a second route later
NoteChecked Oct 2026
This article states no platform fees or commission rates, because they change often and differ by category. See the latest in each seller centre: Shopee, TikTok Shop and LINE for Business. Every shop in the examples is invented, not a real customer.
The 4 routes small shops actually use
Every route starts from the same post or clip. What differs is where people go next.
4 routes from social media to a sale
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Setting up LINE OA step by step is in LINE OA setup for a small shop, and your first week on TikTok Shop is in the TikTok Shop first-week checklist.
Decide with 4 questions
Answer one at a time. For each yes, note the route it points to, then see which route shows up most.
Ask whether customers need to talk first
If they ask about size, material or custom orders, choose chat or LINE OA so they speak to the shop directly.
Ask whether they buy again often
If customers return regularly, as with food or consumables, keep them in LINE OA so you can announce new items yourself.
Ask whether you want the system to handle payment and shipping
If you have little time for chat, use a marketplace that has the cart, payment and parcel tracking built in.
Ask whether the product sells on video
If showing the real item in a clip makes it appealing, such as household goods, try TikTok Shop or send people from the clip to a marketplace.
TipYou need not answer all 4
If the first answer is yes and the rest are no, chat is your route. You do not need every type of route. Use the answers to find one main route first.
Compare the 4 routes: speed, control, costs
This is a general comparison, not figures from any specific platform.
General comparison of the 4 routes
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A profile link that does not lose people halfway
The route you chose means nothing if people tap and land on a page that does not match the post. Use this checklist on your profile and post links.
Before putting the link in your profile
Done 0/6
Track every route with 3 numbers
No complex system is needed. Note them weekly in Google Sheets.
3 numbers and the formula
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Weekly log
ExampleExample: invented numbers
An invented shop has 2,000 people who saw, 100 who clicked or messaged and 5 who bought. Click ratio is 100 divided by 2,000, which is 5 percent, and buy ratio is 5 divided by 100, which is 5 percent. The numbers are made up to teach the method, not a market average.
If the first ratio is low, fix the post and the invitation. If the second is low, fix the destination: price, photos and reply speed. How to read the numbers from the app is in reading social analytics to decide where to invest.
3 example shops (invented, not real customers)
3 invented example shops
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All 3 shops picked just one main route first and started tracking the 3 numbers straight away. For finding the first customers from social media, see first sales from social media.
When to have more than one route
Add a second route when the first is steady: you answer chats in time and the ratios have not swung for several weeks. Opening many routes on day one usually means not replying in time anywhere.
Do
Do: add the second route once the first has been steady for weeks
Do: make each post invite people to one place clearly
Don't
Do not: open every channel at once and fail to reply
Do not: put 4 links in one post and make people pick
How to add a second route
See how to price so you do not lose money on a marketplace.
ArticlePricing So You Keep a Profit: A Per-Item Formula for Fees and Costs (Fill-In Table)A formula for the lowest price that avoids a loss and the price that hits your profit target after platform fees, shipping and discounts, with two invented worked examples and a pre-campaign check.See how to set up LINE OA so customers can reach you easily.
ArticleSet Up a LINE OA for a Small Shop, From Signup to First Customer: DIY in One DayA DIY guide to LINE OA for a small shop: signup, profile, welcome and auto-replies, a 4-button Rich menu, admins, and bringing customers in from social media.See services for Instagram accounts.
ServiceBuy Instagram Followers, Likes & Reels ViewsGrow your Instagram with followers, likes, Reels views and comments. See the price per 1,000 up front, pay by PromptPay, and never share your password.FAQ
Which channel should I sell on first
Start with the one you can answer in time. If the product needs a conversation first, start with chat. If it can be bought straight away, try a marketplace. Answer the 4 questions here to choose.
Do I need a marketplace shop
Not necessarily. If you already sell through chat or LINE OA and reply in time, there is no rush. Marketplaces suit products customers can decide on from photos and reviews.
How is LINE OA different from page chat
Page chat works when customers message first. LINE OA keeps a friends list and lets you message them under LINE's terms, which suits repeat customers.
Is sending people from social media to a marketplace against the rules
Each platform has its own rules on links and contact outside the system, and they can change. Read the latest terms in the seller centre before placing a link.
Why no buyers when likes are high
Likes are not customers. Track clicks or messages and buyers instead. If many click but few buy, check the destination, price and reply speed.
Summary
Pick one main route from the 4 questions, check the link takes people straight to the product, and track 3 numbers each week. Then add a second route.
Posts seen by more people give the destination a chance to work. If adding to an account's numbers is a separate option you want, see Instagram followers, TikTok followers and Facebook followers: priced per 1,000, no password needed, PromptPay accepted. Added numbers are not customers and sales are not guaranteed. See everything at Instagram services, TikTok services and Facebook services.
