TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads Guide for E-Commerce Brands

Selling online is more competitive than ever.

With over 500,000 US sellers on TikTok and 36% [1] of social sales happening there, brands must evolve or risk falling behind.

Static creatives no longer cut it. Today’s shoppers expect personalized, relevant content—especially on TikTok, where Gen Z and Millennials dominate.

TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads are built for this moment. This guide covers how they work, key benefits, pixel events, creative formats, costs, and more.

What are TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads?

TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads (DSAs) are personalized video ads that auto-generate using real-time product data from a brand’s catalog.

Instead of creating separate ads for each product, DSAs use a template that pulls in updated info—like price, images, and availability—automatically.

They’re part of TikTok’s performance ad suite and designed to scale, helping brands run product ads across their entire inventory without manual effort.

DSAs combine product feeds, TikTok Pixel data, and video templates to deliver the right product to the right user, at the right time.

They look and feel like regular TikToks—except they’re dynamically built for each viewer based on their behavior and shopping intent.

DSAs are TikTok’s answer to dynamic product ads seen on Meta or Snapchat, but built specifically for TikTok’s video-first environment.

And that matters—because TikTok is where the buyers are:

• 135M+ U.S. users, mostly ages 18–35 (14.1%),
• with 36% of all social purchases happening right on the app.

TikTok’s reach is only growing—875M downloads in 2024—making DSAs a powerful way to connect with shoppers in a native, scalable way.

DSAs let marketers automate video ads across thousands of SKUs. That’s a massive time-saver—and a smarter way to scale campaigns that feel authentic.

As Gen Z expert Rochelle White puts it: “If you're fake, your content won’t resonate.” DSAs keep your brand relevant without the heavy lift.

How TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads work

TikTok DSA kick into gear when someone takes action—like checking out a product on your website or app. 

That’s where the TikTok Pixel (or SDK) comes in. It quietly tracks what users are up to, like browsing, adding to cart, or leaving without buying.

Once TikTok sees that behavior, it pairs it with your product catalog—basically a live feed of your inventory, complete with SKUs, prices, images, and product names. This catalog plugs into TikTok Ads Manager, where the magic happens.

From there, TikTok grabs the right product info and drops it into a video ad template. 

No need to manually build dozens of ads—TikTok generates everything automatically using the most up-to-date data.

So what you get is a personalized video ad, built in real time and delivered right to the user it was meant for. 

These ads don’t just look native to the feed—they’re relevant and timely, which makes them a lot more likely to get clicks (and sales).

Even better, DSAs can target two kinds of people:

• New customers, based on interests or behavior
• People who’ve already interacted with your brand (hello, retargeting!)

Here’s the quick flow:

1. Pixel tracks what someone does
2. TikTok finds a matching product in your catalog
3. It fills in an ad template with live info
4. TikTok builds the video ad
5. That ad is delivered instantly to the right person

Since everything updates automatically, you’re not stuck managing ad creative every time something changes in your inventory. It just works.

If you’re already creating product feed ads for Meta, you can design dynamic ad creatives for TikTok in Cropink without starting from scratch.

With DSAs, you're not just running ads—you're running smarter. The system does the work, so you can focus on scaling.

What is the difference between DSAs, DPAs, and TikTok video shopping ads?

These ad types sound similar, but each one works a little differently. If you’re running product ads across platforms, here’s what you need to know.

• Dynamic Showcase Ads (DSAs) are built specifically for TikTok. They use your product catalog and the TikTok Pixel to create automated, personalized video ads in real time. TikTok fills in the creative using product data and user behavior, so the ads feel relevant and look like native TikTok videos.
• Dynamic Product Ads (DPAs) are more common on platforms like Meta and Snapchat. These ads are based on your product feed but typically use static images or carousel formats. They’re still personalized, but not built for video.
• TikTok Video Shopping Ads (VSAs) are the umbrella category that includes DSAs. Think of VSAs as TikTok’s full-service video ad format that connects your catalog, templates, and pixel data. DSAs are the dynamic, auto-generated version of VSAs.

To easily understand, here’s a quick comparison table:

So, which one should you use?

Use DSAs when you want personalized video ads that update automatically and scale with your product catalog. Great for eCommerce brands using TikTok to drive sales.

Use DPAs if you're running static product ads on platforms like Meta or Snapchat.

Use VSAs when you want more flexibility—like combining branded content with product promotion.

Want to build dynamic video ads without starting from scratch? Here's how to create dynamic ads with Cropink using your existing product data.

What are the benefits of TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads

Thinking about running DSAs on TikTok? Here are the key reasons why they’re a smart move for brands that want to sell more and scale fast.

1. Smarter personalization

TikTok DSAs show the right product to the right person—based on real user behavior, not just guessing. If someone views a product on your site, TikTok can show them that exact item in their feed, automatically. No manual targeting needed.

2. Scales without the headache

These ads are built dynamically using product templates, so you don’t have to design hundreds of creatives by hand. Just upload your catalog, connect your pixel, and TikTok builds the video ads for you. That means less time designing, more time scaling.

3. High-impact, mobile-first format

DSAs are native video ads made for TikTok’s feed. They blend in with organic content, making them more likely to get watched—and clicked. Gen Z and Millennials are highly active, with Millennials spending 40+ minutes a day on TikTok.

4. Performance that converts

According to TikTok, users are 1.7x more likely to buy after seeing an ad on the platform. These ads don’t just look good—they move product. 

TikTok also has an average engagement rate of 2.5%, the highest of any major platform.

5. Works for retargeting and prospecting

Whether you're re-engaging past visitors or reaching new shoppers, DSAs handle both. They adjust automatically based on where the customer is in their journey. 

That’s why they’re perfect for mid-funnel campaigns—a sweet spot where branding and performance come together.

6. Made for TikTok shoppers

TikTok is where product discovery is happening. 86% of Gen Z users go there for shopping ideas and entertainment. 

With the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt racking up 5M+ views, DSAs are a natural fit for converting inspired scrolls into sales.

How TikTok uses product catalogs in dynamic ads

Your product catalog is the backbone of every Dynamic Showcase Ad on TikTok. Without it, there’s no automation—and no personalized product delivery.

TikTok uses your catalog to pull live product info into video ad templates. That means everything the user sees—price, image, name—is coming straight from your feed.

You can upload the catalog as a CSV or XML file inside TikTok Ads Manager. 

But not just any file will do. TikTok requires specific fields to run your ads right.

If any of these are missing or wrong, your ads could break or fail to show up properly. This is why having a clean, complete feed is critical.

The feed also supports more than just video. TikTok’s carousel image ads let users swipe through product images within one ad—great for showcasing multiple styles or features.

The best part? You don’t have to do all this manually. With a dynamic ad builder like Cropink, you can plug your feed in and generate TikTok-ready creatives with just a few clicks.

Pro Tip: Run TikTok’s diagnostics tool before launching your campaign. It flags missing fields, broken links, and formatting issues that can kill delivery.

Your catalog is more than just a product list—it's what makes your TikTok ads relevant, dynamic, and scalable.
Next, let’s look at the Pixel events TikTok uses to decide when to show your products.

What events does TikTok Pixel track for DSAs

The TikTok Pixel is a small code snippet you add to your site. It tracks actions people take, like viewing a product or making a purchase.

These actions—called events—are the fuel behind DSAs. They help TikTok know who to target, with what product, and when.

The most important events for DSAs are ViewContent, AddToCart, and Purchase. These cover the full customer journey—from product discovery to checkout.

Here’s why each event matters:

• ViewContent tracks when someone views a product page
• AddToCart shows product interest and buying intent
• Purchase confirms a completed conversion

TikTok uses these events to personalize ads and retarget users. For example, if someone adds an item to their cart but doesn’t buy, TikTok can show them that product again.

Event data also helps with ad optimization. TikTok uses it to show your ads to users most likely to convert.

The more accurate your Pixel tracking is, the better your ads will perform. Incomplete or broken event setups can hurt ad delivery and ROAS.

Make sure your Pixel is properly installed and verified. You can set this up directly in TikTok’s Events Manager.

Want more advanced options? You can also use the Events API to send data directly from your site or app into TikTok for deeper integration.

Pro tip: Set up events that reflect your full sales journey. This helps TikTok better understand your funnel—and show the right ads to the right shoppers.

Creative formats for TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads

TikTok DSAs automatically generate short-form video or image ads using your product feed. But even if they’re automated, how they look still matters.

1. Smart video templates

TikTok uses Smart Video templates to build ads from your catalog. These videos are auto-filled with product details like name, image, and price—so every product gets its own creative.

The system handles the editing and design, making it fast to scale without needing to shoot custom footage.

2. Vertical video-first design

TikTok ads are built for mobile-first viewing. That means all DSA videos are vertical and display full-screen in the feed.

Keep these specs in mind:

• Resolution: 720x1280, 640x640, 1280x720
• Length: 5–16 seconds
• Max file size: 500MB
• Formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, MPEG

3. Carousel image ads

Don’t want video? You can use Carousel Image Ads instead. This format lets you display multiple static images in one ad unit, with each image linking to a different product page.

“Best for website traffic, conversions, and promoting products in TikTok Shop.” — Hubspot

alt: Example of carousel ads

4. Text overlays, animations & CTAs

TikTok’s templates support dynamic text overlays, basic animations, and auto-generated calls to action. These elements keep the ad looking native and clickable.

Captions, product pricing, and logos can be pulled from your catalog—saving time while keeping branding consistent.

Best practices for creatives

• Keep videos under 15 seconds
• Use sound—most TikTok users scroll with audio on
• Add captions for silent viewing
• Focus on the product early
• Make sure visuals are clean and optimized for mobile

DSAs are designed to look like TikTok content, not traditional ads—so polished but real is the sweet spot.

How much TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads cost

TikTok uses auction-based pricing, just like Meta. That means your CPM or CPC depends on your budget, audience, ad quality, and competition.

TikTok cost benchmarks (2025)

Even though ad prices vary, TikTok's engagement rate is still one of the highest across all platforms [4]. That makes it a good value for brands focused on CTR and ROAS.

What affects the cost?

• Your audience targeting
• Ad creative quality
• Campaign goals (awareness vs. conversions)
• Competition in your niche
• Optimization and testing strategy

The better your creative and catalog setup, the lower your costs can be. Poor feed quality or broad targeting? You’ll likely pay more per click.

Tips for budgeting & scaling

• Start with a test budget.
• Use retargeting first to improve ROAS.
• Optimize creative and feed before scaling.
• Set clear goals—CPA or ROAS targets.
• Use Smart Campaigns or manual bidding based on your control preference.

FAQs

Final thoughts 

If you’re in eCommerce, TikTok Dynamic Showcase Ads are built for how people shop today—mobile-first, video-based, and fully personalized.

They turn your product feed into high-performing ads with minimal manual work. From pixel to creative, TikTok handles it.

Need help with the creative side? Cropink lets you build ready-to-use, feed-based image ads for TikTok in just a few clicks—no design team needed.

Whether you’re retargeting visitors or launching new products, DSAs are a smart, scalable way to grow. Now’s the time to start.

Sources

1. SproutSocial. 28 TikTok statistics marketers need to know
2. Cropink. 40+ Millennials On Social Media Statistics
3. Cropink. Top Generation Z Marketing Statistics
4. Business of Apps. TikTok Ads Cost
5. Hubspot. 10 of the Best TikTok Ad Examples (+Why They’ll Make You Click)