How to Request Free Samples on TikTok Shop

To request free samples on TikTok Shop, open the Product Marketplace in your TikTok Shop creator tools, filter for products that offer a free sample, and send a request that the seller approves or declines. In the US, as of 2026, you can only request free samples on TikTok Shop if you're an affiliate creator who has generated Shop sales in the last 120 days, so brand-new creators usually start with refundable samples or a seller's invitation.

Samples matter because filming a real product beats filming a photo. But they come with obligations: a posting deadline, a limit on how many you can hold, and a record that sellers check. This guide covers who qualifies, how to request one, what you owe afterward and how to get approved. Rules are for the US unless noted.

Who can request free samples on TikTok Shop?

You need to be a TikTok Shop affiliate creator with sales in the last 120 days, and you need to meet the thresholds the individual seller has set. Being a regular TikTok user isn't enough.

There are three layers of eligibility:

1. Affiliate access. In the US you must be at least 18, based in the US, pass identity verification and have at least 1,000 followers to self-apply. Our guide on how to become a TikTok Shop affiliate covers that first step.
2. The 120-day rule. TikTok's US Seller Center says free sample eligibility is limited to creators who have generated sales within the last 120 days. No recent sales, no free samples through the open marketplace.
3. The seller's own bar. In Sample Settings, each seller can require a minimum follower count, average views per video, 30-day sales volume and estimated post rate. Two sellers can treat the same request differently.

That middle rule surprises most beginners. It means your first commission usually has to come from a product you bought, borrowed or received as a refundable sample. If you're still at the "no sales yet" stage, our step-by-step TikTok Shop guide shows how creators usually get from zero to their first orders.

How do you request a free sample, step by step?

You request samples inside the TikTok app, either from the Product Marketplace or from a seller's collaboration invitation. The seller then has 7 days to respond.

1. Open the Product Marketplace

Go to your TikTok Shop creator tools from your profile menu (it sits under TikTok Studio in recent app versions; labels move between updates). Open the Product Marketplace.

2. Filter for free samples

Search your niche and use the free sample filter so you only see products that offer one. Open the product's free sample details and check what the seller requires: follower count, average views, recent sales or post rate.

3. Send the request

Submit the request for the specific product. If the request form lets you add a note, make it specific: what kind of video you'll make and why the product fits your audience. You can request only one sample of a specific product from the same seller.

4. Or accept a targeted invitation

Sellers also send targeted collaboration invitations. Once you accept one, you can request a free sample of the products it includes, and some invitations are set to approve sample requests automatically.

5. Wait for approval and shipping

The seller must review your request within 7 days or TikTok cancels it automatically. After approval, the seller has another 7 days to ship. The seller pays for the product, shipping and tax. Track everything in Manage Samples, which shows statuses such as Awaiting Shipment, Needs content, Post in review and Content Criteria Met.

How many free samples can you request?

Your free sample limit sets how many active requests you can hold at once. It depends on your creator level and sample performance, and you can see your current number in Manage Samples.

TikTok's US seller guide lists these ceilings by creator badge level:

Treat these as maximums, not what you'll see on day one. TikTok's quota rules describe a base quota tied to your level and account standing, plus an extra quota earned through recent positive performance, and they say the quota can shrink after poor fulfillment, weak content or risk signals.

How the limit moves:

• Each request uses one slot. Your limit decreases by 1 every time you request a free sample.
• Slots come back when you meet the posting criteria, when the seller rejects or cancels the request, or when you withdraw it before shipment.
• Overdue samples keep their slot. An unfulfilled sample no longer frees up on its own; it keeps using your limit until you post for it.

What do you have to post after you get a sample?

You have 14 days from receiving the sample to post shoppable content that features it. That means a short video with the product linked that stays public for at least 3 days, or a LIVE with the product pinned for at least 10 minutes.

TikTok sends reminders 3 days and 1 day before the deadline. If you need more time, the Sample Integrity Policy allows one 7-day extension, requested from the sample's order details in Manage Samples. If the product arrives defective, you get one appeal.

If you don't post:

• The sample is marked overdue and keeps using your limit.
• Your fulfillment rate drops, and sellers can see it.
• Sellers may reject your future requests, and you can lose eligibility for sample promotions.

Plan the video before the box arrives. Our guide to making TikTok Shop videos that sell covers hooks and structure, so the sample turns into content that can actually earn.

Disclose the free product

In the US, the FTC says you should disclose the relationship if you got anything of value to mention a product, and a free sample counts. In a video, put the disclosure in the video itself, not only in the caption.

What are refundable samples, and when should you use them?

A refundable sample is one you buy upfront, then get fully refunded, including shipping and tax, once your content hits the seller's sales goal. It's the route for creators who don't yet qualify for free samples.

How it works, per TikTok's US guide:

1. Order the product through the Product Marketplace.
2. Post content with the product link within a 120-day window.
3. Get refunded automatically once the qualifying orders clear the 30-day return period. Sellers usually set the goal at 1 to 3 orders, and TikTok recommends hitting it within 90 days so the orders clear before the window closes.

The catch is risk. Example (hypothetical): you buy a $30 refundable sample with a 2-order goal. If your videos drive 2 delivered, non-returned orders, you get the $30 back plus your commission. If they drive 1, you keep the product but not the refund. Only pick refundable samples you'd be comfortable paying for.

How do you get sellers to approve your requests?

Sellers approve creators who look likely to post on time and sell. Your niche, your recent videos and your fulfillment record do most of the convincing.

What tends to help:

• Request inside your niche. A kitchen account asking for a skincare sample is an easy no.
• Show real product content. A few recent shoppable videos, even made with products you bought, show sellers what they'd get.
• Keep your fulfillment rate high. Post for every sample you receive. It's the one number you fully control.
• Request less, post more. A few well-chosen requests beat dozens of random ones that you can't film in 14 days.

Be wary of sample offers that arrive outside TikTok Shop, such as DMs asking you to pay shipping or a "registration fee" to receive free products. Our guide to whether TikTok Shop is legit explains how to spot fake affiliate invitations.

Next steps

If you don't have Shop sales yet, start with one refundable sample or a product you already own, post consistently, and earn the first order that unlocks free samples.

• Get the full path from setup to first commission in our beginner's guide to making money on TikTok Shop.
• Check your sample limit and statuses in Manage Samples before each new request.

For other ways to earn beyond TikTok, see our guide to making money online.