How to Order and Check Product Samples

A sample is the cheapest insurance you'll ever buy. For the price of one unit and a little shipping, you get to hold the exact product your customers will receive before you commit to hundreds or thousands of them. Skipping this step is how sellers end up with a warehouse of stock they can't sell.

• Sample from your shortlist, not just one supplier. Ordering from two or three lets you compare quality directly, which a single sample can't show you.
• Order the actual product, to your spec. A generic catalogue sample tells you less than one made to the specifications you plan to sell.
• Expect to pay. Suppliers often charge for samples and refund or discount it against a bulk order. A supplier who won't sample at all is a warning sign.

• Quality and finish. Handle it as a customer would. Would you be happy to receive this, or embarrassed to ship it?
• Specs. Confirm the size, weight, materials, and features match what you agreed and what your listing will claim.
• Packaging. Check it will survive shipping and, for Amazon, meet FBA prep and labelling requirements.
• Your claims. If your listing will say waterproof or holds 32oz, test it. Every claim you can't back up is a return and a bad review waiting to happen.

The sample is where you make the real call. A supplier whose sample is a clear winner earns your order. If none of them is good enough, that's valuable information too, and far cheaper to learn now than after a production run. Don't talk yourself into a mediocre sample because you're impatient to launch.