Double ÉveilTikTok Shop free samples: how to request them, and what they change
Free samples let you test a product before you talk about it. But a product received in exchange for a video isn't really free: it must be disclosed, and it counts as income. Here's how to request one properly.
Where to request a sample
In your creator center, open the marketplace, pick a product and request a sample. In a targeted collaboration, the seller invites you and can offer a sample and a brief. Some sellers use refundable samples: you pay, and they refund you once you hit a sales goal.
The request template
"Hi, I make content about your topic for your audience. Your product interests me because a specific reason. I'll test it for time before I talk about it, and I'll disclose the partnership as the rules require. Could you send me one? Thanks."
Watch out
Never inflate your audience numbers. Sellers check them, and lying can lose you the collaboration.
What a sample changes
- Disclosure: a product received for promotion is a material connection. Disclose it in the video: "ad" in the US (FTC), a prominent "Ad" label in the UK (ASA), plus TikTok's disclosure setting.
- Taxes: in both countries, the product's value counts as income. See creator taxes.
- Records: keep track of every product received for free, with its value.
Before you film
Test the product for several days, note its strengths and its limits. Never say "I've used it for a month" if it isn't true. An honest limitation makes your recommendation more credible.
Key point
Only request products you could present without lying. If you have to exaggerate to sell, drop it.
FAQ
Do I have to post a video after receiving a sample?
It depends on the terms you accept. A seller expects content, and a targeted collaboration may come with a brief.
Are free samples taxable?
In the US, products received in exchange for promotion count as income at their fair market value. In the UK, HMRC counts the value of gifts received for promoting products as income.
What's a refundable sample?
You buy the product, and the seller refunds you once you reach an agreed sales goal.
Official sources
- TikTok: about target collaborations in Seller Center
- FTC: Disclosures 101 for social media influencers
- ASA / CAP: Influencers' guide to making clear that ads are ads
- GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles: tax rules for content creators
From reading to doing
The Double Éveil course is free: short missions with a checklist and a quiz at each step. Adults (18+) only.
Our method: this lesson relies on TikTok Shop's official pages and public guidance, checked on the dates shown. Rules change: Seller Center and the TikTok app are the final word. This is neither legal nor tax advice, and no earnings are promised. Some links are affiliate links, always labelled: if you subscribe through them, you pay nothing extra and we earn a commission.