Start a conversation

China sourcing

Samples: how many rounds, and what the last one is for

The sample loop is where the project's time is really spent. Its purpose is not approval — it is producing a physical reference both sides are bound by.

France → China

Expect several rounds, and treat each one as having a different job rather than as a repeated attempt at the same thing.

What each round is for

  1. First. Does the supplier understand the product? You are checking comprehension, not quality.
  2. Second. Can the process hold the critical dimensions? Now you measure.
  3. Third. Does it survive the finish, the assembly and the packing? Most surprises appear here.
  4. Last. The golden sample.

The golden sample

A physical reference both sides sign, date and keep a copy of. Production is measured against it, not against the drawing — because a drawing cannot settle a disagreement about a surface finish and a signed part can.

Skipping the golden sample does not save time. It moves the argument to after the container arrives, when it is far more expensive to have.

Keep reading on this.

China sourcingWriting a specification a Chinese factory can actually quote againstThe factory is rarely the problem. The specification given to the factory usually is — and it is the cheapest thing in the whole project to fix.China sourcingQuality control has three moments, and only one of them is an inspectionA pre-shipment inspection tells you what is in the container. It cannot tell you the product was well designed to be made — that was settled months earlier.

If this raised a question about your own project, tell us where you are — the first conversation usually clarifies more than a proposal.

Talk about your product →Read the full guide