How to Request and Use Free Samples

This article will teach you everything you need to know about Free Samples. We will cover how to request Free Samples from Sellers and how to fulfill the requirements needed once you receive Free Samples from Sellers.
Before we dive into the process of applying for Free Samples, let's introduce Free Samples first!
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What are Free Samples?

Free Samples are products that Creators can request from Sellers to use in their content, may it be for Short Videos or LIVE Sessions. These contents are aligned with the Seller's requirements and help you, as a Creator, receive more commission from your fulfilled content.
You get to market the product and showcase how useful or nice it is with your own creative spin! With this in mind, we want to show you the possible benefits from using Free Samples in your content:
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Requesting Free Samples in Product Marketplace

Free Samples can be requested from the TikTok App, follow the steps below to request your first Free Sample:
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Step 5: Once the free sample request is approved, the seller will send it to your address and you will need to create a short video or go LIVE using the free sample to promote the product. Don't forget to also add the product link to the sample accordingly within a certain time limit:
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❗️Starting September 20, 2023, Free Samples shipped by either TikTok Shop or Seller will both need 14 Days for Creators to fulfill the request.
Withdrawing your Free Sample Request
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Getting Free Samples from Seller Invitations

If you have received an invite from a Seller to collaborate, they may include an added benefit of providing a free sample to help with your content. These free samples may possibly only be available to invited Creators like yourself.
Where to find your Collaboration Invites with Free Samples
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From your account page, go to the Creator Center. Under the Toolkit, tap in Collab Invites.You can check all your pending Collab invites here. If you want to look for invites with Free Samples, a tab shown above will indicate the added benefit. Tapping on the invitation will redirect you to the invitation details. You can see here that free samples are available for this invitation.

Free Sample Approval from Sellers

Once you have accepted the invitation, you can freely choose any of the provided products for Free Sample request. Some invitations might have automatic approval and some will need confirmation from the Sellers to accept.
If the Invitation has Auto Approval:
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Tap on any of the products and a pop-up will provide you with the option to Request free sampleOnce requested, the Seller will need to process the request within 7 daysTapping on view details will show the current status of your Free sample delivery. In this scenario, the first 2 steps are automatic.
If the Invitation has Manual Approval:
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Tap on any of the products and a pop-up will provide you with the option to Request free sampleOnce requested, the Seller will need to process the request within 7 daysCompared to auto-approval, the request will need to be approved by the seller before the delivery process can start.
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Managing your Free Sample Requests

The Manage Samples page is your one-stop center for all your Free Sample requests. You can check the current progress of all your Free Sample tasks.
  • You can access the Manage Samples page by going to your account -> tap on the Showcase button -> tap on TikTok Shop -> Scroll down to the TikTok Shop toolkit on the TikTok Shop Creator Center.
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From your account, go to the Showcase page and tap on TikTok Shop to access the TikTok Shop Creator CenterIn the TikTok Shop Creator Center, scroll down and you can tap on Manage samples under the TikTok Shop toolkitTapping on Manage samples will provide you access to all your Sample requests. Check their current status if the sample was ordered, would need content or if they have been used for promotional content.

Order Center Access

  • Additionally, you can also access the Manage Samples page through the Order Center as shown below:
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From your account, tap on Your orders to access the Order Center.In the TikTok Shop Creator Center, scroll down and you can tap on Manage samples under the TikTok Shop toolkitTapping on Manage samples will provide you access to all your Sample requests. Check their current status if the sample was ordered, would need content or if they have been used for promotional content.
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How do I use Free Samples in my Content?

Requested Free Samples will need to be featured in either of these two types of Content. Depending on your talks with the Seller, you might be required to use the Free Sample as what the Seller instructed:
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Short Videos

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❗ You must make sure your video is public, and your video must be online for at least 3 days.

LIVE Sessions

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❗ You must continuously discuss and show the Free Sample throughout the LIVE Session for at least 10 minutes
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FAQ

  1. What if I'm unable to create content for my free sample due to the product being suddenly unavailable?
    • It depends on case to case. Please refer to this separate guide on different scenarios that may happen and how they can be resolved.
  2. What will happen if I fail to create the content after receiving the free sample?
    1. It will affect your sample fulfillment score and reduce your chances of receiving samples in the future. Sample fulfillment is one of creator's criteria that is shown to seller when searching for potential creators. Creator with high sample fulfillment rate would be categorized as "Top Collaborator" on Creator Ranking List, a feature for sellers to find high performing creators. Seller can also search for compliant creators using the reliable with sample filter on Creator Marketplace.