Why samples decide everything
A sample is the supplier's promise made physical. Approving a sample without checking it against your brief is how quality problems get imported.
What to check
- Materials: match your specification, not just your description
- Finish: surfaces, seams, printing, and plating — where corners get cut
- Dimensions: measure, don't eyeball — tolerance matters
- Function: assemble and use it the way your customer will
- Packaging: what the customer receives, and what survives shipping
- Documentation: test reports, material certificates, and the sample's production date
Before you approve
- Compare the sample against the written brief, not your memory of it
- Confirm the production version will match the approved sample — in writing
- Ask whether the sample was handmade or from the production line (handmade samples can hide real production quality)
An approved sample is a contract. Approve it deliberately, in writing, against a checklist.
See also: Evaluate — samples and comparison and quality control in China.