AI-generated from the captured TikTok policy text. Verify against the TikTok source before acting.
Manage Samples is a centralized TikTok Shop Creator Center area for tracking free and refundable samples, posting shoppable content, and seeing eligible promotions. It shows sample order status, posting deadlines, commission info, and refund progress.
Key points
Access it in Creator Center, sample notifications, Order Center, or Product Marketplace.
Free samples can come from sample campaigns, seller requests, or TikTok Shop promotions.
Use the landing page to track active samples, remaining posting time, and expected commission.
Free sample statuses include Awaiting shipment, Need content, Post in review, and Content criteria met.
Content is incomplete if video does not link the product and stay posted 3+ days, or if live content does not pin the product and keep it in the live shopping bag for 10+ minutes.
You may get reminders 3 days and 1 day before the 14-day posting window expires.
Refundable samples have separate paid-sample statuses, including refund pending, refund issued, refund successful, and refund unsuccessful.
If you have no sample activity, Manage Samples sends you to Product Marketplace to browse opportunities.
Say / show
Explain where to find Manage Samples and what it tracks.
Use the listed order statuses to help creators check sample progress.
Remind creators to verify posting requirements before publishing content.
Tell creators they may see reminders before the posting window ends.
Direct creators with no sample activity to Product Marketplace.
Do not say / show
Do not add sample rules, commission rules, or deadlines not shown in the source.
Do not claim all creators are eligible for Special Offers.
Do not describe refund or posting requirements beyond the source text.
Do not invent hidden statuses or appeal processes.
Violation risks
Posting content that does not meet the listed video or live criteria may be treated as incomplete.
Missing the 14-day posting window can move a sample into canceled or needs-content status.
Free sample requests can expire if sellers do not process them in 7 days.
Refundable sample refunds can fail or be unsuccessful if criteria or payment conditions are not met.
Creators may assume Special Offers are always available, but the source says they appear only if eligible.
Who it affects
TikTok Shop Creators
Creators posting shoppable video or live content
Creators using free samples
Creators buying refundable samples
Creators eligible for TikTok Shop sample promotions
Source notes
Verify status names, timing, and posting rules against the TikTok source before acting.
If your workflow depends on samples or refunds, confirm the current TikTok Shop page for any changes.
Confidence: high · Model: gpt-5.4-mini · Prompt: creator-policy-summary-v1
Readable Policy Copy
Captured policy content rendered without TikTok navigation, scripts, tracking markup, or page chrome. Source: article-html.
Manage Samples
TikTok Shop Creators can get free samples in 3 different ways: through a sample campaign, by requesting them from a Seller and through TikTok Shop promotions (e.g., coupons). With Manage Samples, you now have a centralized place to track and manage the posting of shoppable content and other sample-related activities. Here, you can easily access information about sample requests, shoppable content requirements and promotions. Manage Samples helps you plan for and track samples, meet shoppable content requirements, understand expected commissions and discover TikTok Shop promotions you may be eligible for.
How to access Manage Samples
You can access Manage Samples through the TikTok Shop Creator Center, sample-related notifications and the Order Center.
Entrance 1: TikTok Shop Creator Center
From TikTok Shop Creator Center, click on Manage Samples. This will take you to the Manage Samples landing page.
Entrance 2: Sample-related Notifications
You may receive notifications (pop-ups, emails, inbox) reminding you to post shoppable content. Clicking these notifications will take you to Manage Samples.
Final Posting Reminders
We'll be sure to notify you 3 days and 1 day from when your 14 day posting window expires to remind you to post your content.
Entrance 3: Order Center
You can access Manage Samples from your Order Center page.
From the main landing page, you can view your sample orders, active samples requiring shoppable content (with information on days remaining to post and commission) 1) The sample orders section highlights active free sample and refundable sample orders. Toggle between the free sample and refundable sample section to view order statuses 2) The Create Videos to Promote section highlights active samples you need to post content for, the time remaining to post your shoppable content and the commission you will earn from posting content. 3) The Special Offers Just for You section highlights TikTok offers you may be eligible for. Sample orders section In Sample orders, you'll find all the information on your free and paid samples in their own sections.
Free sample orders
Under the free sample tab, you'll see samples in 4 different status categories: Awaiting shipment, Need content, Post in review and Post criteria meet
Awaiting Shipment: Free sample requests you’ve submitted to a seller that are pending shipment. The status will update to "Shipped" once the seller dispatches the sample order.
Needs content includes all of your delivered samples that require shoppable video or live posting, including samples with no content posted within the 14 day required posting window and samples temporarily out of stock or unavailable due to Seller error
Post in review includes all of your samples with content posted within the 14 day required posting window, including samples with shoppable content posted in the review stage and shoppable content posted that failed the review stage.
Content Criteria Met: You've successfully posted shoppable content for your samples! Well done!
Content Criteria: If you fail the following criteria, your shoppable or live content will be considered incomplete
Post type : Video needs to have a link product in video and keep the content for 3+ days
Post type : Live needs to pin product when you go live and keep in Live shopping bag for 10+ minutes.
How to pin sample product during Live?
During LIVE, Click the shopping bag icon on the bottom-left corner. Then show the “Shop LIVE” list.
Click the “Pin” button alongside each item you have successfully added to your livestream.
Click “Add from showcase” and tap the “⬆stick to the top” button to update the product sequence.
All Samples includes all of your samples, excluding sample products with shoppable content posted past the 14 day required posting window and sample products that were lost or damaged or associated with a Seller banned from TikTok Shop
Some Order statuses that you may see here include all of the above Order Statuses, plus:
Request Denied: free sample requests you've made that have been denied by the Seller
Request Withdrawn: sample orders that you've made and subsequently canceled
Request Expired: free sample requests that Sellers did not process in 7 days; If a Seller doesn't process a sample request in 7 days, the request is automatically canceled
Canceled: orders that did not have a corresponding shoppable content video posted within 14 days of receiving products or sample requests for products that are permanently unavailable
Refundable sample orders
Under the paid sample tab, you'll see the Refundable Samples you've purchased, along with their order status.
Ordered includes all of your samples and order status prior to the sample's delivery
Order submitted: samples you've purchased
In transit: samples you've purchased that the seller has shipped to you
Pending refund criteria
Pending sales: sample orders that you need to generate more sales for in order to receive a refund
Refund criteria met
Refund issued: Refund is in progress - view refund details for more information
Refund successful: Refund has been paid
Refund unsuccessful: Refund was unsuccessful. This can happen when your original payment method is no longer available - you can change your desired payment method for the refund or receive a refund in TikTok Shop credit
All includes all paid sample orders that you've made.
Some Order statuses that you may see here include all of the above Order Statuses, plus:
Cancelled: Order has either been canceled by the creator or the seller, or you initiated a return or a refund on the sample order
Refund failed: You have posted content and/or generated some sales, but you have not met sellers' refund criteria within the required timeframe
Progress paused: You can't post content temporarily due to the product being out of stock or the seller no longer offering Refundable Samples for that product
FAQs
I don't have any sample-related activities — what will I see when I access Manage Samples?
If you don't have any sample-related activities, you will still be able to access the Manage Samples feature. You will be directed to the Product Marketplace to browse sample opportunities and learn more about sample offerings on TikTok Shop.
Can I view withdrawn, expired or rejected sample requests in Manage Samples?
Yes, you can view withdrawn or expired sample requests under the All order status.
Can I view canceled Refundable sample orders in Manage Samples?
Yes, under the Paid Sample tab, click All to view all paid sample orders, including the ones you have canceled.
Why does my Manage Samples not have a Special Offers section?
You will only be able to view the Special Offers section if you are eligible for TikTok Shop sample promotions. Once you are eligible, this section will appear. You can learn more about this here.