Short answer: work backwards from the sales you want. Samples needed = orders ÷ orders per video ÷ videos per creator ÷ the share of creators who post. Start with a small test batch you can afford to lose, wait for the 14-day posting window to close, measure how many samples turned into videos and orders, then scale only what worked. Your posting rate is the biggest lever: lifting it from 50% to 80% cuts the samples you need by more than a third.
“How many samples should I send?” has no single right number, because it depends on your price, your goal and, above all, how many creators actually post. What you can do is turn it into arithmetic, test cheaply, and stop guessing. If samples are already going out and nothing comes back, start with why TikTok Shop samples don't get posted.
The rules that shape your sample budget (UK)
From TikTok Shop's UK Samples: Seller's Guide:
- You pay for the product, the shipping and any tax on every free sample.
- You can cap the quantity of samples per product in open collaboration, and set thresholds creators must meet to request one (followers, average views, 30-day sales, estimated post rate).
- Requests must be reviewed within 7 days and approved samples shipped within 7 days, or they are cancelled.
- A creator can get one sample per product from you, and can have up to 5 open-collaboration sample requests in progress across brands.
- Creators have 14 days from delivery to post. So a batch takes roughly three to four weeks from approval to a result you can measure.
The formula
- Orders = your monthly creator sales goal ÷ selling price
- Videos = orders ÷ orders per video
- Posting creators = videos ÷ videos per creator
- Samples = posting creators ÷ sample-to-video rate
- Sample budget = samples × (product cost + shipping)
The three rates in the middle are yours to measure. Until you have your own, any figure is a placeholder.
Worked example
Using the placeholder funnel in our outreach & sample budget calculator (10 orders per video, 2 videos per posting creator, 50% of creators post). These are illustrations, not benchmarks:
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | £5,000 a month from creators at £20 a unit | 250 orders |
| Videos | 250 ÷ 10 orders per video | 25 videos |
| Posting creators | 25 ÷ 2 videos each | 12.5 → 13 creators |
| Samples | 12.5 ÷ 50% posting rate | 25 samples |
| Budget | 25 × (£6 product + £3 postage) | £225 |
Change one assumption and the answer moves a lot. At 2 orders per video instead of 10, the same goal needs 125 samples (£1,125). That's why the first batch is a test, not a plan.
Test first, then scale
- Pick a test batch you can afford to lose. One industry write-up suggests starting with 20–30 approvals a week and scaling on posted content (SocialTale). Treat that as a starting point, not a rule.
- Choose carefully. Approve on sample fulfilment rating and sales in your category, not follower count. Confirm what the creator will make before you ship.
- Wait for the window to close. Give each batch its 14 days after delivery, plus a few days for orders to come in.
- Measure the funnel. Approved → delivered → posted → views → orders. Replace the placeholders in the formula with your real rates.
- Scale what worked. Recalculate with your real numbers, send the next batch to creators who look like the ones who sold, and stop sampling creators who didn't post.
What changes the number most
| Lever | Effect on samples needed | How to move it |
|---|---|---|
| Share of creators who post | 50% → 80% cuts samples by 37.5% | Approve on fulfilment rating, confirm before shipping, follow up before day 14 |
| Orders per video | Doubling it halves the samples | Better angles and briefs, creators who sell in your category, a stronger listing |
| Videos per creator | Two videos instead of one halves the creators you need | Ask for a second video and reward it with higher commission |
| Selling price | A higher price means fewer orders for the same goal | Bundles and multi-packs, if they still convert |
How selective should you be?
In TikTok Shop UK's Free Sample Approval Strategy, two seller case studies approve only about 15–20% of sample requests, and one requires a sample fulfilment rate of 80% or more. These are those sellers' own benchmarks, not platform rules, but the message is clear: sending more samples is rarely the fix; sending them to the right creators is.
FAQ
How many samples should a new TikTok Shop seller send?
Start with a test batch you can afford to lose, chosen carefully, and measure it before sending more. Use the formula above with your own numbers once the first batch has had its 14 days.
Who pays for TikTok Shop free samples in the UK?
The seller pays for the product, shipping and tax on each free sample.
How do I limit how many samples go out?
Set a sample quantity for each product in open collaboration, add request thresholds, and review requests yourself rather than approving everything. In targeted collaborations you choose manual or automatic approval for the creators you invite.
How long until I know if a batch worked?
Roughly three to four weeks: up to 7 days to ship, delivery time, then 14 days for creators to post, plus a few days for orders.
Related guides
Know your real posting rate, not a guess. GMVize tracks every sample from approval to video to orders, so your next batch is sized on your own numbers.