WHAT HAPPENED
Vietnamese publication Laodong.vn reported on September 10, 2026: the brand Make Sense, without making a public launch announcement, continued selling products on TikTok Shop, and Vietnam's Ministry of Health demanded the removal of products violating local regulations. The case is instructive not for its scale but for its mechanics: the platform received a signal from the regulator and pulled the listings.
This is not an isolated incident. According to TikTok Shop Seller Center documentation (Vietnam), updated in 2026, individual sellers must be Vietnamese citizens, and corporate sellers must have local registration. As of July 1, 2026, mandatory NFC verification for new sellers was introduced, and as of May 22, 2026, the platform began removing listings of certain brands. Separately, as of July 20, 2026, an access control policy for inactive shops is in effect: API requests from such shops are automatically rejected.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese regulators are playing a double game. On September 3, 2026, the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) together with TikTok Shop launched the "Beyond Vietnam — Hà ng Việt Cất Cánh" initiative to support exports. And in May 2026, the Viet Nam Competition and Consumer Authority (VCC) held working sessions with Shopee and TikTok Shop sellers regarding the rise in fixed and service fees. Export support and tighter controls go hand in hand.
WHAT THIS MEANS
For a Russian seller, the main takeaway is simple: TikTok Shop is not "just another marketplace" but a regulated infrastructure where the platform is obligated to respond to government requests. In its official Anti-Counterfeit Policy for non-US markets, TikTok Shop explicitly reserves the right to take enforcement actions — up to account suspension, listing removal, and refusal of registration — and to refer suspicions to competent authorities. This is not an abstract threat but a formal procedure.
The second layer is residency requirements. If you are not a Vietnamese citizen and do not have a registered legal entity there, you cannot register as a local seller. That means you operate either through a cross-border program or through a local distribution partner. In both cases, the risk of blocking is higher: cross-border accounts are more frequently subject to automatic checks, and a partner may lose access along with your goods.
The third layer is economics. According to VCC, in May 2026, changes to fixed fees, transaction commissions, and new service fees were discussed. For a Russian brand, this means the cost of entry into the Vietnamese TikTok Shop is rising not only due to commissions but also due to compliance costs: certificates, local legal entity, NFC verification, legal support. A miscalculation — and unit economics go negative before the first sales.
The fourth layer is reputational. Seller practices on Reddit (threads from January, March, and June 2026) show that blocks often come without clear explanation — "association with deactivated shop(s)," "fake qualifications," issues with identity verification (PBR). Sellers complain about opacity and automated decisions. Officially, appeal procedures exist, but in practice they work slowly. For a Russian brand, this means: even a compliant product can be removed if the account falls into the algorithm's "grey zone."
VIETSMART EXPERT COMMENTARY
I see this picture in operations in Ho Chi Minh City almost every week. Russian brands come to us that have already set up a TikTok Shop through a local partner and suddenly discover that half of their SKUs are removed, and the partner is silent. Most often the reason is the same: the product did not pass Vietnamese certification, and the seller decided that "it would fly on the marketplace." It doesn't. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the VCC work directly with the platform, and TikTok Shop will not risk its license for one seller.
What I would do if I were a Russian entrepreneur: before the first listing, I would assemble a complete package of documents — a CFS certificate or equivalent, product registration with the competent authority, a contract with a local legal entity. And I would maintain a backup sales channel: Shopee or Lazada, where requirements for cross-border sellers differ. Not because TikTok Shop is bad, but because channel diversification is insurance against a block that can come one day.
CONCLUSIONS AND WHAT TO DO
- Check residency requirements before registration: according to TikTok Shop Seller Center documentation (Vietnam, 2026), an individual seller must be a Vietnamese citizen, and a corporate seller must have local registration. Without this — only cross-border or a partner.
- Assemble a package of certificates in advance: for products subject to regulation by Vietnam's Ministry of Health, local permits are required. Request a CFS certificate from your supplier and verify its number in the competent authority's database.
- Clarify the NFC verification status with your partner: as of July 1, 2026, TikTok Shop Vietnam requires NFC identification for new sellers. If the partner hasn't passed it, your shop may be restricted.
- Factor in rising fees in your unit economics: according to VCC (May 2026), platforms are changing fixed and service fees. Calculate a scenario with a 20–30% commission increase.
- Diversify your channel: test Shopee or Lazada in parallel. This is not a replacement for TikTok Shop but insurance against a block that can come without warning.
The Make Sense case is not about a specific brand but about the system. The regulator demands, the platform removes, the seller loses turnover. A Russian seller should enter the Vietnamese TikTok Shop with a ready compliance package and a Plan B. Otherwise, the first request from the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Industry and Trade will zero out months of work.
Source: Laodong.vn dated September 10, 2026