Requesting and Evaluating Samples from Chinese Manufacturers

A sample is the cheapest risk-reduction tool in sourcing. Handled well, it tells you whether a factory can hit your tolerances, how they communicate, and how they treat small orders. Handled badly, it produces a golden sample that production never matches.

Specify the sample properly

State the revision of the drawing, the material grade, the finish, and which dimensions are critical. If the part is machined from a block that will later be cast or molded in production, say so — a machined prototype proves geometry, but not production process capability.

Expect to pay

Reputable factories charge for samples, and paying is a good sign: it means the sample goes through the real production flow instead of a side bench. Many suppliers deduct sample fees from the first production order — ask.

Evaluate against a checklist, not a glance

Measure critical dimensions yourself or through an inspection company. Check surface finish, edges, and any post-processing. For functional parts, test under realistic conditions. Photograph everything, including packaging — damage in a small sample shipment predicts damage in production shipments.

Watch the process, not only the part

Did the sample arrive on the promised date? Was the communication clear when a question arose? Did the factory flag a design issue instead of silently working around it? These behaviors are the best available preview of how production will run.

Keep a golden sample

Retain an approved reference sample and share photos of it when placing the production order. In any later dispute about quality, a physical reference is far more persuasive than a description.