Replying to [parvez]:

If he really a real buyer, he will pay the sample before to courier. But some buyers need a free sample for their market potential. I think if you ask them to pay, it will be fly off. Better you should contact to them and tell their future plan with you.

I would say it all depends on a product.

In my latest buying lead i request that the manufacturer pays for the sample shipping. The reason is simple: many manufacturers produce those items but the quality is very(!) often unacceptable. For me the quality of this particular products is crucial. I would prefer to pay more but get better quality and I will definately begin cooperation when I find a decent supplier. If the supplier agrees to pay the shipping cost, it tells me that he is confident about the quality. Moreover, the shipping of the samples of the products I need costs less than sending a catalogue. This is why it depends on the product. I would not expect anyone to pay for the shipping of a 50kg sample.