What is a Sample Program?
A Sample Program is a standalone free-sample sheet for your Shopify store. You pick the products you are willing to seed, set a few rules, and Growi gives you one shareable link. Any creator who opens the link can sign in, pick products, add a shipping address, and request samples. Requests show up in your Sample Requests tab and ship through your connected Shopify store, exactly like campaign samples do.
Unlike free samples inside a campaign or ambassador program, creators do not apply to or join anything. There is no application to approve, no affiliate code or link is created, and nothing is added to the creator's campaign list. It is the fastest way to seed product to creators you already know, or to creators you meet outside Growi.
Note: Sample Programs require a connected Shopify store. If you want creators to earn commission or get an affiliate code, use an Ambassador Program instead. You can run both at the same time. |
How to create a Sample Program
Go to Stores > Shopify in the left sidebar.
Open the Sample Programs tab.
Click Create sample program.
The editor has four sections. You can change everything later.
1. Basics
Program name: What creators see at the top of the request page.
Internal name (optional): Only visible to your team.
Description: Shown on the request page. Say what the samples are for and what you hope creators do with them.
2. Samples
Click Add samples to choose products. For each product you can limit which variants (sizes, flavors) creators may pick; leave all unchecked to offer every variant.
Setting | What it does |
Review each request | Requests wait in Sample Requests until you approve them. Nothing ships until you do. |
Auto-approve | The Shopify order is created the moment the creator submits. Use this only when anyone with the link should get product. |
Shipping method | Which Shopify shipping rate the sample order uses. Defaults to your store's default rate. |
Allow requests after the first one | Off by default, so each creator can request once. Turn it on to let creators come back, then set a total limit per creator and a cooldown between requests. |
Allow choosing multiple samples | Creators can pick more than one product in a single request. Use Maximum selections to cap how many, for example offer six flavors and let each creator pick two. |
Send all samples to every creator | No picking. Every product in the program goes into each order. |
3. Requirements
Email and a shipping address are always required. You can also ask for:
Phone number: Toggle on to require it.
Social accounts: Turn on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, or Facebook and mark each as Required or optional. Required handles block the request until the creator adds them, so you can vet who receives product. Handles are saved to the creator's profile and shown on each request.
4. Share
After you create the program, the Share section shows the request link. Copy it and send it anywhere: a DM, an email, a Linktree, a QR code at an event. The same link appears in the Sample Programs table under Link.
Important: Anyone with the link can request samples. If you use Auto-approve, treat the link like a coupon: share it only where you want it to spread. |
Reviewing and shipping requests
Go to Stores > Shopify > Sample Requests.
Requests from a Sample Program are labeled Sample program. Use the campaign filter to see one program at a time, or click View requests from the program's row.
Each request shows the creator's name, email, phone, social handles, the products and options they picked, and their shipping address.
Select the requests you want and click Approve or Reject.
Approving creates a 100%-off order in your Shopify store tagged with the program name, so your team fulfills it like any other order. Tracking and fulfillment status flow back into Sample Requests.
Managing programs
Pause a program from the Share section or the table's row menu. The link shows a closed page and new requests are rejected until you resume.
Edit products, review mode, or requirements at any time. Changes apply to the next request.
Run as many programs as you like, for example one per launch, one per creator tier, or one per event.
FAQs
Do creators join my ambassador program when they request samples?
No. A Sample Program is separate. If you want them in your ambassador program, send them your ambassador signup link as well.
Will creators see the program in their Growi dashboard?
Not currently. They see a confirmation screen after submitting, and then order and shipping emails from your Shopify store.
Can a creator request twice?
Only if you turn on Allow requests after the first one. Duplicate picks of the same variant are blocked either way.
Where do I see who requested what?
Sample Requests. Each row links to the creator's profile in your Creator Database.