A brand wants me to buy the product first — is that legitimate?

Sometimes — but "buy first, get reimbursed later" is also one of the most common scam structures targeting creators, so it deserves more scrutiny than a standard barter or paid deal.

Some real brands do run reimbursement-style collaborations, especially smaller or newer businesses without an established process for shipping free product. This can be legitimate when it’s backed by a written agreement specifying the exact refund amount, a clear payment date, and a brand with a verifiable track record.

• The brand pressures you to purchase quickly, often with urgency ("today only") that discourages you from checking their reputation first.
• There’s no written commitment to the refund amount or date — just a verbal promise over DM.
• The brand or agency is new, has no verifiable business registration, and has no reviews or track record you can check.
• The requested purchase amount is unusually high relative to the "campaign" being described.

• Get the refund amount and date in writing before spending your own money, not after.
• Check the brand’s reputation and any prior reviews from other creators first.
• Start with a small, low-cost item if you’re testing a new relationship, rather than a large purchase on the first collaboration.
• If a brand can’t or won’t commit anything in writing, treat that refusal as your answer.