Guide · checked against TikTok's published pages on November 10, 2026
How to request free samples on TikTok Shop (and why they get denied)
The steps to request a free sample, the 14-day posting rule, how your sample limit and sample score work, and what to do when requests expire or get denied.
Short answer
Add the product to your showcase and tap Get sample. Pick the variant, check your address and request it. Sellers have 7 days to respond. Once it arrives, post shoppable content within 14 days to meet the post criteria and get your sample slot back. Approval depends on your recent sales and content quality.
On this page
Free samples are how most creators start without spending money. They come with a deadline, and missing it costs you more than the sample.
Requesting one, step by step
- Find the product in the marketplace. Filter by Free samples.
- Add it to your showcase.
- Tap Get sample and choose the variant you want.
- Check your shipping address. The sample goes there.
- Tap Request free sample.
Some brands ask you to request through their own TikTok Shop page instead: open the brand's Shop tab, pick the product, tap Request sample.
What happens next
Track it under TikTok Shop toolkit, then Manage samples. The seller has 7 days to respond. If they don't, the request expires and you can try again.
Then it's Approved, Shipped and Delivered. Once it arrives, the clock starts.
The 14-day rule
TikTok's post criteria: "Post shoppable content within 14 days of receiving your sample." That's either a video with the product linked, kept up for 3 days or more, or a LIVE of at least 10 minutes with the product pinned at least once.
Meet it, and the sample slot goes back to your limit. Miss it, and the order shows as overdue, which drags your sample score down.
Your limit and your score
Manage samples shows how many you can request, something like 7 of 8. The limit updates daily.
Your sample score runs from 0 to 100 and covers the last 30 days. Posting on time keeps it up, and a low score means fewer approvals. Running late? Request an extension from the order before the deadline passes.
Why requests get denied
Brands approve based on your recent sales and the quality of your content. New creators get turned down a lot, and in the conversations we've analyzed that's the single most common sample complaint. It's normal. Film products you already own while you build a track record, then ask again.
Sample questions
TikTok wants me to post about a sample I never got. What now?
Use Contact seller or Get help on the order. Don't post about a product you don't have.
Do I have to say it was free?
Yes. A free sample counts as a paid relationship under FTC rules. Say it in the video.
I got a smaller size than the listing. Problem?
Say so on camera. TikTok's rules expect a note that the item shown is a sample.
Know someone stuck on the same thing? Send them this page. Members can also get a personal invite link with /refer in our Discord, and every friend who joins and stays earns you a free product report.