Refundable Samples Terms & Conditions for Creators
05/19/2025
Summary
What is the Refundable Sample program on TikTok Shop and who is eligible to participate?
- The Refundable Sample program allows eligible creators to purchase products and potentially receive refunds. Eligible creators must be at least 18 years old, reside in the U.S., and be qualifying TikTok Shop e-commerce creators.
How does the purchasing and refund process work for eligible creators?
- Creators must purchase through the Creator Product Marketplace for refund eligibility. Only one refundable sample can be bought at a time, and refunds are based on meeting sales criteria within 120 days.
What are the refund criteria and process for creators in the program?
- Creators must generate required sales orders within 120 days. If criteria are met, refunds are processed to the original payment method within 5-10 business days. If not met, refunds are subject to seller approval.
What happens in abnormal cases where products become unavailable?
- If products are temporarily unavailable, the refund criteria timeline pauses for 10 days. If still unavailable after 10 days, a refund is automatically processed. Permanent unavailability also triggers an automatic refund.
What are the terms regarding program termination or modification by TikTok?
- TikTok can terminate, modify, or suspend the program at any time, impacting participation. The program continues indefinitely until TikTok decides to terminate it. Compliance with guidelines is mandatory to avoid forfeiture of refunds.
The Refundable Sample program (“Program”) is a offered by TikTok Inc. (“TikTok”, “we”, “our”, “us”). By participating in the Program, eligible creators can purchase and potentially receive refunds for sample products, subject to these Program Terms and Conditions. These Programs Terms and Conditions is subject to, and incorporates by reference, the TikTok Creator Campaign Terms, TikTok Terms of Service, TikTok Shop Creator Terms of Use, TikTok Community Guidelines, TikTok Advertising Policies, and any applicable TikTok Shop policies and guidelines as updated or amended from time to time (collectively, “Online Terms”). The terms “you” and “your” throughout these Program Terms and Conditions refer to any eligible creator.
- Introduction
- Participant Eligibility
- The Program is open to all content creators who are invited to participate and meet the specified criteria outlined below
- Participant must be at least 18 years old and reside in the United States to participate in the Program; and
- Participant is a qualifying TikTok Shop e-commerce creator;
- The Program is open to all content creators who are invited to participate and meet the specified criteria outlined below
- Program Structure
- General
- Eligible Creators have the opportunity to purchase products that Sellers have made be eligible for a refund if creator meets Seller's refund criteria.
- Purchasing Flow
- Eligible Creators must enter through the Creator Product Marketplace to access and view products eligible for product sample refunds.
- General
- Eligible Creators can only buy one product that is eligible for a refund (one SKU at a time) in order for Program benefits eligibility; if Eligible Creator purchases two products in a single-cart order, even if such products were marked as eligible for refund, such single-cart order will be treated as a regular purchase without the Program benefits.
If a free sample request is active for a particular product, a refundable sample of the same product cannot be purchased unless the request is withdrawn, rejected, or expired.
If a refundable sample is purchased, a free sample of the same product cannot be requested unless the refundable criteria (see below) are not met, or a return/refund is initiated.
- All eligible TIkTok Shop buyer promotions can be applied to products purchased in the Creator Product Marketplace, including on products that are eligible for a refund.
- Orders can be canceled and addresses changed like a regular purchase order.
- Returns or refunds can be initiated within the aftersale window (typically 30 days after the last user order has shipped but is subject to the specific returns/refund policy for the specific product).
- A creator will not earn commission if another creator purchases a product as a Refundable Sample from that creator's content. For avoidance of doubt, standard purchases made without the Refundable Sample offer will still earn the applicable commission as set by the seller.
- Refund Criteria
- General
- Sales Criteria
Sales orders can come from short videos, LIVE sessions, or showcases
Sales orders must pass the settlement period to be counted as valid
Settlement periods vary by country and seller types.
- Refund Flow
- If the Refund Criteria is achieved:
Refunds will be deposited in the original form of payment; if there are issues with the original form of payment, the fund can be deposited into the TTS credit account;
Typically, refunds take 5-10 business days to appear in creators' bank accounts, subject to additional terms;
Creators will receive a refund equivalent to the actual purchasing price;
If a coupon was used for the purchase, the coupon will be made available again to the creator for re-use, unless the coupon has already expired; such coupon will be subject to the original terms and conditions of that coupon.
- If the Refund Criteria is not achieved:
Creators can choose to purchase the sample product again or request a free samples from sellers again.
The Refund Criteria posting timeline will pause for 10 days.
- Abnormal Cases
- If products become temporarily unavailable due to:
- Out of stock
- Negative reviews (reversible GNE violation)
- Expired open plan
- If products become available again after 10 days, the Refund Criteria timeline resumes
- If products are still unavailable after 10 days, a refund will be automatically processed
- A refund will be automatically processed, if products become permanently unavailable due to:
- Permanent ban by GNE.
- Permanent shop ban by GNE.
- Seller closing shop.
- Seller delisting products from TTS.
- Termination or Modification:
- TikTok reserves the right to terminate, modify, or suspend the Program at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to changes or modifications to TikTok Shop creator eligibility or Program Structure, with or without notice to you, even though the changes may impact your ability to participate.
- The Program has no determinable termination or end date, and will continue until we make, in our sole discretion, the decision to terminate the Program.
- Compliance with Program Terms and Conditions and Guidelines:
b. Violation of guidelines may result in the forfeiture of refund and/or termination from the Program.