Do you know how to get a free sample from a China yoga products supplier without shipping?
well, you are at this article to find the answer to such a question
Why Order Samples?
You Can Test the Quality
Most importantly, you want to see, smell and feel the real product, and on a larger scale, before you spend any money. Asking for samples is not only practical, but it’s also a smart way to experience the product firsthand.
Although many products look great in pictures, we can’t get away from the fact that some pictures can be a little misleading. Some vendors don’t even bother to use their own images, but simply copy them from the product catalog.
Most of us are highly visual and easily swayed by good presentation, but you don’t want to order a visually appealing product only to find out later that it’s of poor quality.
You Can Test the Supplier
Ordering samples also help you verify the supplier’s capabilities. You can get a good idea of how they will work with it, including their communication style, how quickly they process and ship orders, and how they package products, etc.
Securing samples is a good way to hold suppliers accountable. Think of it as a test to help you narrow down your options.
It Shows You’re Serious
Finally, ordering samples is important because it helps build your relationship with the supplier. You have to keep in mind that many vendors handle hundreds of requests a day, and not all of these requests will lead to actual orders.
Ordering samples gives the supplier the impression that you are serious about building a long-term relationship and that you are seriously interested in dealing with them.
Making Your Request: Some Tips
Before asking for a sample, you need to decide on several things to make sure you get what you’re asking for.
Just like the process of finding a supplier, you will need to provide specific and detailed information due to possible language barriers. So be sure to cover the following:
The exact specifications of the product. Try to be as detailed as possible. Don’t hold back any information you think is important. If you must include a chart, do so. The more specific and detailed you are, the better.
Request a test product. Most vendors will agree with this, so don’t be shy, just ask.
You want the shipping address where the sample will be delivered. Require suppliers to label samples as “no commercial value” to save on tariffs.
Ask them for model numbers and company name labels so you can distinguish the samples they will send from those you request from other suppliers.
Explain that you need a working sample as it will be tested several times when it arrives. This not only helps you test your samples but also ensures that you get the highest quality samples.
Ask the supplier about the current process and the schedule for producing and sending samples, so you know what to do if you need to make some changes and know when the product will arrive.
If you’re not confident that your supplier understands your requirements, ask for confirmation. That way, you can tell if you’re on the same page, rather than pushing ahead and ending up with an example that’s far from your specifications.
If you feel the need, you can request a video chat after the sample is complete to see how it looks and works before you deliver it. This will give you a chance to request modifications (if needed) and save you the hassle of shipping samples that will not meet your expectations.
If necessary, be sure to apply for appropriate patents and trademarks before requesting samples. Once a vendor has created one version of a product, they can easily create thousands of versions.
If you don’t have a patent or trademark in the country where you make and sell the product, then other companies can legally make and sell the product.
Given the distance and time of sample arrival, it pays to be cautious when requesting samples.
Types of Samples
When requesting samples, it is also important to understand the type of samples the supplier will provide so that you know your options. The following are common sample types:
Factory Samples
These are the types of samples that have been produced and are not manufactured according to the buyer’s designs and specifications.
While it does show a manufacturer’s production capabilities, it does not necessarily demonstrate its ability to produce customized products.
If you want a product that doesn’t require customization, this is the kind of sample you’ll receive.
Pre-Production Samples
If your product needs to be customized, you will get these samples. It is also a good way to test a supplier’s ability to produce products to customer specifications and is clearly part of the learning process for both manufacturers and buyers.
From the supplier’s point of view, it is not easy to develop product samples according to the buyer’s specifications. Not only does this take time (some take years!) And the likelihood of failure is high because not all manufacturers are capable. That’s why it’s necessary to have extra vendors as a backup in case the first few don’t live up to expectations.
Pre-production samples are crucial because you can’t afford to order final samples until your supplier has got everything right.
It’s like going to a food-tasting event at a birthday or wedding. If you don’t think snow wind cake tastes good, you’re not going to give up, are you?
Production/Batch Samples
These are sample types collected from mass-produced products. They are used for a variety of purposes, such as quality control, and functional and laboratory testing.
Bulk samples are usually collected by third parties, helping to ensure that suppliers only provide samples of an actual lot of product.
Requesting samples
Now that you know what sample types are available and what you need to include in your request, it’s time to request a product sample.
Here’s a simple email template you can use as inspiration:
Subject: Request Product Sample Yoga Mat
hello
I’m jeff from Morgiana a. We are currently in the process of purchasing and developing our own high-quality yoga mat for the US market. Please find attached several photos and a short film of our product design and complete specifications.
We are interested in finding an exclusive license to manufacture and sell this patent-pending new design and believe that your company will be the perfect fit.
Specifications:
Size :70cm x 26cm
Texture, non-slip surface
A persistent bubble; No latex and phthalate-free ink
Very thick, very wide
Please also provide us with more information about how this process works and the usual time frame required to develop product samples of similar specifications.
If you need further information or have other questions, please let us know.
Once that’s done, please send the sample to the same address we specified, but before we do, we’d like to have a short video chat so we can see what the product looks like before you send the sample to us.
Looking forward to your reply.
All the best!
Josh Miller
Hustle and Wellness Solutions
It’s worth noting that the details you specify may not always be followed to the letter for a number of reasons. Your message may pass through several people before it is finally delivered to the person who actually made the sample. In between, messages can get mixed up. The instructions received by the person who made the sample may no longer resemble the instructions you actually forwarded.
Be sure to ask if the sample product is any different from the sample in mass production. This is important because sometimes samples of the same material cannot be produced in small quantities.
This is possible because manufacturers make thousands of products, so one-time samples with some differences are not far-fetched. Suppliers sometimes use completely different machines to make them than they do for mass production. Sometimes they even make them by hand. Obviously, that’s what you want to know.
Ordering Samples from More than One Supplier
Stoking competition is a smart strategy, especially when the failure rate of a particular product is high. It makes sense to order and pay for samples from multiple vendors.
You will waste a lot of time and money with a supplier that consistently fails to live up to expectations. As you have more options to choose from, you can easily filter out the ones that don’t deliver the desired results so you can focus on the ones that do.
The only downside to this strategy is that it costs more as you add more vendors to the list.
Ordering Samples on Alibaba
Alibaba is a great place to find suppliers and order samples. Not only are the steps easier, they are also simplified for buyers like you who are always on the go. The following steps can help you place a sample order in minutes:
Just go to “My Alibaba,” click on “RFQ,” then “Manage RFQ.”
Look for your offer and click “Offer”
Click “Request Sample” once you find your offer
Provide all the necessary information in the sample request form, then click “Submit”
You can also email the supplier/manufacturer of your choice via the information box on the product page below. You can copy and paste the email format we provided above, simply replace the details with yours.
Once that’s done, all you have to do is wait for their response. How they respond and how often you can expect to hear back can help you screen out the best apples.
Suppliers can also send you sample invoices through Alibaba, so you can pay invoices and track orders through Alibaba’s system.
Conclusion
There’s a reason that ordering product samples have become a common practice, especially among brands that want to distribute their products in large quantities. It just gives you a sense of security and assurance that you’re actually getting the product you need before you start ordering in bulk.
This will save you a lot of money in the long run and give you peace of mind moving forward. Always remember that when you sell products on Amazon (or anywhere else), you should aim for the highest quality. Ordering product samples is an effective way to ensure quality because you get to see the product firsthand before you spend your budget ordering large quantities.
