From sample approval to a clear inspection checklist
Sample and inspection record
Record agreed criteria, observations and evidence for four checks. Use a separate record for each sample or batch.
Entries stay on this page and are not sent or saved. This worksheet does not certify compliance or approve a whole batch. Copy your record before leaving.
Define what you will inspect
List appearance, dimensions, material, function, accessories and packaging. Set the acceptable condition or measurement for each critical item. For products that may require testing or certification, confirm the applicable requirements with an appropriate specialist; a visual check cannot prove compliance.
Keep an approved reference
Label the approved sample and specification with a version and date. Save photos and written approval. When a material, colour or component changes, agree whether another sample is needed and what changes in price or timing. Both parties should work from the same reference.
Agree the batch check and response
Write down when checking occurs, the scope, acceptance criteria and the action required if a problem is found. If a third party inspects, confirm what its service includes. Warehouse receipt, a few photos and a quality inspection are different services. Keep inspection records and follow the agreed reporting process.
Request a sample with a defined specification
Ask for the exact variant you intend to buy, identifying the material, dimensions, colour, included parts and packaging. Confirm whether the sample represents available stock or a proposed custom version, and record any differences from the eventual order. Agree the sample price, delivery charge and dispatch timing before paying.
Hello, please quote a sample of [product link and variant] with [required specification], delivered to [China receiving address]. State the sample price, domestic freight, dispatch timing and any difference from the version offered for the later order. If a sample-fee credit is available, please specify the amount, qualifying order quantity, deadline and how the credit is applied. Do not substitute the variant without our approval.
您好，请报价[商品链接及规格]的样品，要求为[材质、尺寸、颜色、配件和包装]，寄到[中国收货地址]。请注明样品价格、国内运费、发货时间，以及样品与后续订单版本的差异。如果样品费可以抵扣，请说明抵扣金额、订单数量要求、期限及抵扣方式。未经确认，请不要替换规格。
Record what was actually checked
Keep the sample reference, receiving date, specification version, measurements and observed differences. Mark each requirement as checked, failed or not checked. Approving a sample does not mean that the later batch has been inspected. Use the existing checklist on this page to define the next inspection.
For quantity conditions, read MOQ and mixed-order conditions. If candidate listings look identical, use the listing comparison guide before selecting the sample to order.
Editorial basis: a community discussion of sample requests, reviewed on 19 September 2026. Sample-fee credit is a condition to negotiate, not an entitlement established by the discussion.
Agree defect handling before the production order
Another buyer’s willingness to accept scratches is not an acceptance rule for your product. Describe the differences that would prevent its intended use, the appearance requirements that matter, and the evidence needed to assess each. Keep unchecked characteristics marked as unchecked.
For example, a cosmetic mark and a part that fails to fit require different descriptions and follow-up decisions. This is an editorial example, not a tested product case. Where performance or safety needs specialist testing, a warehouse photograph does not replace that work.
| Agree in writing | Record for this order |
|---|---|
| Reference | Approved sample, specification version and required measurements |
| Inspection scope | Which variants and units are checked, by whom, using which method |
| Acceptance decision | Criteria for each check and who approves or rejects the result |
| Action if a check fails | Hold, sorting, rework, replacement or another agreed remedy; costs and timing |
Please confirm the inspection scope for order [reference] against specification [version]. Identify the checks, units or variants covered, acceptance criteria and person responsible. If a check fails, hold the affected goods and send the findings before dispatch. Confirm the proposed remedy, charges and revised timing for our approval.
If a provider proposes an AQL sampling plan, ask it to identify the plan, inspection level, sample size, defect classifications and acceptance/rejection rules. Do not substitute a percentage from a discussion for an agreed inspection plan. This guide does not supply a universal acceptance percentage or sampling table.
Research note, 22 September 2026: a discussion of acceptable defects prompted this clarification. The author’s tolerance and the comment’s figures are not adopted as industry standards. For a documented problem, continue with the after-sales checklist.