Refundable Samples Guide for Sellers
07/24/2025
What Is a Refundable Sample?
Samples are a powerful tool for creators to promote products more effectively. When creators showcase actual samples, their content tends to perform better and can more easily convince potential buyers. While sellers can choose to provide samples for free (read more about free samples here), not all sellers have the budget or confidence to do so upfront.Refundable Samples provide a flexible alternative. Creators purchase the product, use it to create promotional content, and if they generate sales within 60 days, the sample cost is refunded. If no sales are made, the refund doesn't apply.
This approach helps attract creators to work with you and reduces your upfront risk. At the same time, it motivates creators to drive sales!
📌 Important: The refund will be automatically processed from your account once the refund criteria are met. The creator will receive the full amount they originally paid, and any platform commission charged on the refundable sample order will also be returned to you. Read the Terms & Conditions here.How to Set Up a Refundable Sample for Your Product?
Refundable Samples are currently available only for products listed under Open Collaboration. You can enable this feature for existing Open Collaboration products or for new products you plan to add there.| Step 1: In Open Collaboration, edit an existing product or add a new one. This will prompt you to configure the affiliate settings. To enable Refundable Samples, simply toggle the option on.Step 2: Set the sales threshold that creators must meet to qualify for a refund. A refund will only be issued if the required number of sales is achieved. Tips: Creators will see the refund criteria before purchasing the sample. Clear and reasonable requirements can increase their interest in promoting your product. |  |
Shipping Refundable Samples
| Go to Affiliate > Sample Requests > Refundable Sample to view incoming refundable sample requests.You can start the shipping process by clicking "Arrange Shipment" on this page. This will redirect you to Seller Center > Manage Order, where you can arrange the shipment just like you would for any regular product order. |  |
Alternatively, you can go directly to the Manage Order page and use the filter to find refundable sample requests. |  |
Tracking Refundable Sample Content & Refunds
Once samples have been shipped, their status will change to “Pending Criteria.” This status includes both:
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| When the sales criteria are met, the status will update to “Refunded” and the product price will be refunded automatically. You’ll be able to view refund details, including the refund date and amount. |   |
| You can also view the associated promotional content created by the creator and track its performance. |  |
| Samples that do not meet the refund criteria within the set timeframe (60 days) will be marked as “Not Refunded.”If the creator cancels the order during the purchase, the sample will appear under the “Cancelled” status. |  |
FAQ
- Can I offer both a free sample and a refundable sample for the same product?
- Who pays for the shipping fee?
- Will ongoing discounts on my products apply to refundable sample orders?
- What happens to ongoing refundable sample orders if I remove the product from Open Collaboration or my shop?
- Removed by the seller for any reason (e.g., deleted from Open Collaboration or the shop, out of stock),
- Removed by the platform due to policy violations, or
- Unavailable because the seller is inactive