Troubleshooting Product Sync Errors in SPL: Brand Authorization, IP Infringement & Prohibited Listings

📌 Overview

When syncing products from Shopify to TikTok using the SPL app, you may see error messages like:

FAILED due to Product: Missing brand authorization
FAILED due to Product: Potential Intellectual Property Infringement
FAILED due to Product: Listing of a Prohibited Product

These errors originate from TikTok Shop’s internal listing policies and not from the SPL app itself. Below is a breakdown of what each error means and how to fix it.

🛑 1. Missing Brand Authorization

Error Message:

🔍 What It Means:

This error occurs when TikTok Shop rejects your product listing because it includes a registered brand name, but your seller account does not have verified authorization to sell that brand.

TikTok enforces strict brand control policies to protect intellectual property rights and prevent counterfeit or unauthorized listings. If you attempt to list a product under a brand (e.g., Nike, Apple, or any trademarked name) without submitting proper documentation, your product will be automatically flagged and blocked.

⚠️ Why This Error Happens

This error typically appears due to one or more of the following reasons:

Brand Name: You are listing a product under a protected brand name (e.g., Nike, Samsung), but you have not provided TikTok with the necessary authorization documents to sell that brand.
Incorrect Brand Field: If your product is generic or unbranded, you may have incorrectly selected a branded category or filled in the brand field with a name that does not align with the product’s true nature.
Brand Flagging: TikTok’s review system flags products when the title, description, or images closely resemble a protected brand, even if this resemblance is unintentional.
Automatic Brand Matching: TikTok’s system may have automatically matched your product to a protected brand based on its title, description, or images, causing it to be flagged as a potential violation.

✅ Solution:

Go to TikTok Seller Center
Navigate to: My Account → Brand Management
Click Apply for Brand Authorization
Submit documents such as:

Authorization letter from the brand owner
Trademark certificate
Purchase invoice from authorized distributor

📌 Until approval is granted, you cannot list products under that brand.

🚫 2. Potential Intellectual Property (IP) Infringement

**Error Message: **

🔍 What It Means:

This error occurs when TikTok's content review system identifies that your product listing may infringe upon the intellectual property (IP) rights of another brand, creator, or organization. Intellectual property infringement includes the unauthorized use of a registered brand name, trademark, logo, copyrighted material, or distinctive product design.

TikTok flags your listing when it detects potential brand misuse — either due to direct usage of protected IP, or if your product's title, images, description, or branding elements closely resemble a known brand, even unintentionally. This protection helps TikTok maintain compliance with global IP laws and protect verified brand owners from counterfeits or impersonation.

⚠️ Why This Error Happens

TikTok flags your product when it detects a risk of brand misrepresentation or intellectual property infringement, based on several factors:

Misuse of Brand Elements: Your product listing includes protected brand names, logos, or designs without authorization.
Similar Products: Your product resembles a well-known brand’s products (e.g., unbranded items with Nike-like logos or Apple-like designs), which can trigger a flag for potential IP infringement.
Images and Descriptions: Product images or descriptions may contain trademarked terms or logos, leading TikTok to flag them as potential violations of copyright or trademark rights.
Automatic Brand Matching: TikTok’s system also flags products if their title, name, brand field, or images closely resemble popular or protected brands, even if unintentional.

✅ Solution:

Double-check your Product Title, Description, Images, and Brand field in Shopify.
Avoid including brand names unless you are officially authorized.
If it’s a generic/unbranded product:

- Select "No Brand" when syncing
- Avoid referencing well-known brands in titles or descriptions

📌 TikTok may reject or suspend products that contain misleading or infringing terms — even if unintentional.

🚫 3. Listing of a Prohibited Product

Error Message:

🔍 What It Means:

This error occurs when TikTok rejects a product listing because the product violates one or more of its Prohibited Products Guidelines.

Your product falls under one of the restricted categories that TikTok does not allow to be sold on the platform.

These include (but are not limited to):

Alcohol, tobacco, vapes
Adult products
Weapons, knives
Fake branded goods
Health supplements, cosmetics without certification

⚠️ Why This Error Happens

TikTok Shop maintains a list of restricted or banned product categories that cannot be listed under any circumstance. These rules are based on:

Local laws and regulations in each operating country
Community standards and user safety
Platform-specific rules about content TikTok does not support

Your product may trigger this error if it falls into a prohibited category explicitly listed in TikTok’s rules, or is missing certifications/documents required for high-risk items.

✅ Solution:

Review TikTok’s official [Prohibited Products Guidelines]()
Remove or revise the product from your Shopify store if it falls under a banned category
If you believe your product was flagged incorrectly:

- Contact TikTok Seller Support and submit evidence

🛠 What SPL App Can and Cannot Do

❌ SPL cannot override or bypass TikTok's product listing policies
✅ SPL only reflects the error message TikTok returns
✅ You can re-attempt sync after correcting the issue in Shopify and/or TikTok Seller Center

📩 Still Need Help?

If you're unsure about how to fix the issue:

Contact TikTok Seller Support directly via your [Seller Center dashboard]()

Follow this detailed tutorial:

👉 How to contact TikTok Shop official support

Or reach out to SPL Support via in-app live chat or email: [support@slashcart.org]()

Updated on: 27/02/2026

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