Influencer seeding kit: what to put in the box, and what it costs
A seeding kit is the box you send a creator for free: the product as a customer gets it, a short note, anything needed to use it, and a way to reach you. Its real cost is not the box. It is the cost of the whole batch divided by the posts that come back.
By Nick Jaffrey, founder · Last updated · part of the influencer seeding guide
What goes in the box
What to leave out
- A discount code for their followers: send it in a follow-up once the parcel has shipped, so the gift never reads as a sales pitch.
- A posting brief or deadline: that is a paid collaboration, and it should come with a fee.
- Filler that costs more to post than the product is worth: tissue, confetti, oversized boxes.
- Anything they did not agree to receive: ask first, and send only what they said yes to.
What a seeding kit costs
Put in your own numbers. The example column is illustrative, not a market rate.
| Line | What to count | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | At your cost, not the retail price | $18 |
| Packaging and note | Box, insert, printed or handwritten note | $3 |
| Postage | To the creator, tracked | $9 |
| Per kit | Twenty kits: $600 | $30 |
Then divide by the posts that come back. For a batch of twenty kits costing $600:
Compare that with paying. On TikTok, creators with 10k–50k followers published a median rate of $100 in September 2026 (what creators actually charge). If your cost per post is above what the same creators would ask for a paid post, a fee is the cheaper route, and it comes with a post you can count on.
Kit ideas for skincare and fashion brands
Skincare
Ask about skin type and concerns before you send, and send the product that fits them, not your bestseller by default. Send enough for several weeks of use, since results in skincare take time to show, and include an ingredient list and a patch-test line. A card with the order of use (cleanse, treat, moisturise) helps a creator film a routine rather than an unboxing.
Fashion
Ask for their size before you send, and include an easy exchange in case it is wrong: a creator will not post something that does not fit. Send pieces that are in season where they live, and one item they can style several ways rather than a bundle of basics. Skip the lookbook; they know how to style it.
Mistakes that waste the box
Sending without asking, so parcels go to people who never wanted them. Guessing a size or a shade. Paying more in postage and packaging than the product costs. Sending with no way to see what came back, no follow-up code or link and no list of who posted. And picking creators on follower count alone: check that their posts actually get views before a kit goes out.
Sending kits from Shopify
If you sell on Shopify, Acurrate gives you one claim link per creator to send from your own inbox. The creator enters their address, and Acurrate drafts a zero-cost order in your store for you to review and ship. The seeding guide covers the whole loop, the note templates and disclosure.
Common questions
What should be in an influencer seeding kit?
The product as a customer gets it, a short personal note that makes clear there is no obligation to post, instructions if the product needs them, and your handle and a contact. Leave out discount codes (send them in a follow-up), posting briefs and filler that costs more to post than it adds.
How much does an influencer seeding kit cost?
Add three lines: the product at your cost, packaging and the note, and postage. The number that matters is the cost per post: the cost of the whole batch divided by the posts that come back. Twenty kits at $30 each is $600; if five creators post, each post cost $120.
Is a seeding kit the same as a PR package?
Mostly, yes. Both are product sent free to creators or press in the hope of coverage. "PR package" or "PR box" often means a more elaborate, branded box; a seeding kit can be as simple as the product and a note, which is usually what works best for a small brand.
What percentage of influencers post after receiving a seeding kit?
It varies too much for any single number to be useful, and we have not seen a current, well-measured benchmark we would stand behind. Asking before you send, picking creators who would use the product anyway and making the first use easy all raise it. Track your own rate per batch; it is the number that decides whether seeding beats paying.
How many seeding kits should I send?
Enough that a few posts can tell you something: a first batch of ten to twenty to creators who said yes. Then compare the cost per post with what those creators would charge for a paid post, and send more to the kind of creator who posted.
Check a creator before the kit goes out
The free ROI calculator shows what a creator's post is worth to your store, from the views their posts really get, so you know whether to gift or to pay.