How seeding works on TikTok Shop
Seeding runs through the same collaboration tools you already use to work with creators. You enable samples per product, creators request them, you approve and ship, and TikTok tracks whether the content goes up.
To start, open your open collaboration and use the Offer free sample toggle in the Added products tab for each product you want to seed1. Samples are set per product, so you choose which SKUs get seeded and which don't.
When a creator requests a sample, the clock starts. You have seven days to review the request or the system cancels it automatically, and once you approve it you have another seven days to ship1. Check your Seller Center daily during a seeding push so requests don't die waiting.
After the creator gets the product, they must post promotional content within 14 days. A sample counts as fulfilled by a short video that stays public at least 3 days or a LIVE of at least 10 minutes, and the product link should be included so sales are attributed2.
Send samples to creators who will sell
The default trap is approving everyone who asks. Free product costs you inventory and shipping, so treat each request like a small media buy.
You can set eligibility thresholds before requests even reach you1: follower count, average views per video, 30-day sales volume and estimated post rate. Set the bar at creators who already post often and already move product; a big audience alone doesn't tell you that.
If you invited specific creators through a Target Collaboration, you can auto-approve their sample requests1. Use this for people you picked by hand, since it saves them a step and keeps your queue clear.
Lean on the fulfillment data TikTok gives you. When a creator doesn't post, their sample fulfillment rate drops, sellers can see that rate and reject future requests over it, and an overdue sample keeps eating the creator's sample limit until content goes up3. Check that rate before you approve anyone. A low fulfillment rate is a reason to decline the request.
Free samples or refundable samples
TikTok Shop offers two ways to get product into creator hands. One costs the creator nothing. The other costs them upfront and pays them back only if they sell.
| Type | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free sample | The creator uses the Free Sample filter in Product Marketplace, taps Get free sample, then Request from seller, confirms shipping info, and agrees to post content4 | Higher-value creators with TikTok Shop sales in the last 120 days2; each request needs your approval, which can take up to 7 days1, and counts against the creator's free sample limit2 |
| Refundable sample | The creator buys the product and gets fully refunded, including shipping and tax, once sales goals are met within 120 days of receipt; the refund starts after each qualifying order's 30-day return period2 | Reaching a wider range of creators, since no seller approval is needed2 |
Free samples are gated. Only creators with recent TikTok Shop sales qualify, and every request waits on your approval, so they fit higher-value creators. Refundable samples skip seller approval, so they reach a wider range of creators, and TikTok's seller guide recommends using them that way1. They also get you commitment, since the creator has money on the line until they hit the sales goals.
Disclosure when you gift product
Free product is still a material connection. Under 16 CFR 255.5, that connection includes payment and free or discounted products, even products unrelated to what's endorsed, and it counts even if you never required a post in return5. "They didn't have to post anything" is not a defense.
If a brand sends free or discounted products or other perks, the creator should disclose when mentioning that brand's products, even if they weren't asked to mention that particular product6. Tell your creators this when you ship.
Liability lands on both sides. Endorsers themselves can be liable, for example for claiming they used a product they didn't, and advertisers are liable for failing to disclose unexpected material connections5. So this is your problem as the brand, not just the creator's.
On the platform side, TikTok requires creators to turn on its content disclosure setting whenever a post promotes a brand, product or service, and says it may remove or restrict posts without proper disclosure7. Ask creators to toggle it on for your videos. A removed video means your sample bought nothing.
Track what each sample brings back
Start small and track everything. Open a spreadsheet with one row per sample: creator name and handle, date approved, date shipped, date their post went live, views, and the sales that came through their link.
Run this for your first batch before scaling. You'll quickly see patterns. Some creators post fast and sell. Others post and sell nothing.
The next batch goes to the creators who posted and sold, and only to them. Check the sheet weekly.
When to pay a flat fee on top
A sample comes with a posting requirement, but you don't set the date or the deliverables, and it doesn't guarantee sales. A paid video is a contract. Once a creator's free-sample videos start selling, the next step is paying a flat fee so you lock in a posting date and the exact deliverables.
Rateful is an AI manager for TikTok Shop creators, and you can book creators directly through their public page at rateful.ai/@handle, which shows their packages, recent videos and numbers. The brand pays through Rateful. On a creator's own deals, the creator's deposit is released before filming, and Rateful holds only the rest until the posts are live. The written agreement sets the exact payment plan. Booking protection of about 5% is added on top of the deal amount and shown before you pay.
If you're still building your shortlist, start with how brands find TikTok Shop creators, then browse the TikTok Shop creators brands can book. Look for creators whose sample videos already convert, since you have that data in your tracking sheet.
Questions people ask
What is product seeding?
Product seeding is sending free or discounted product to creators so they try it and, ideally, post about it. On TikTok Shop, creators request samples through Product Marketplace and agree to post content in return4. Sales from their videos are tracked through their product link.
How many samples should a brand send to creators?
Start small and track. Send a first batch to a limited group of creators who meet your thresholds, record each one's post date and sales, then send the next batch only to the ones who posted and sold. The right number is the number you can track and afford to lose.
Do creators have to post after getting a free sample on TikTok Shop?
Creators who request a sample through TikTok Shop agree to post content, and they must post within 14 days of receiving the product. A qualifying video must stay public at least 3 days, or a LIVE must run at least 10 minutes2. Creators who skip posting hurt their visible sample fulfillment rate3.
Do gifted posts need an ad disclosure?
Gifted product counts as a material connection under the FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 CFR 255.5), even when no post was required5. TikTok requires creators to turn on the content disclosure setting for any post promoting a brand, product or service7. Brands can be held liable for failing to disclose unexpected material connections5.