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Why the supplier ask me to pay the sample before I receive it?
Post 1 of 56
brina
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I have been looking for some time now to make my first purchase but I keep coming up against this problem of payment. I will happily pay for samples but I keep getting asked to pay up front for them.

Is there any alternative method which would secure both, the payment and the goods?

[em33][em33]

Award 10 MVPs ( What's this? )for the best answer.
16 Dec 2006 11:33
Post 2 of 56
Jenkins Cook
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Replying to [brina]:

Pay attention to everything else you know about purchasing products.

If you order anything online or from a catalog, you pay FIRST, then get your stuff.

If you order anything by phone or over the internet, you pay FIRST, then get your stuff.

If you go to the local grocery store, YOU PAY FIRST, then they let you leave with your stuff.

If a supplier was asking you to do something out of the ordinary, then there is cause for concern. But a supplier asking you to pay for the products that you order is not that crazy of a request.

If you want payment terms extended to you by a supplier, you have to work for YEARS to build trust, equity, and a strong relationship!

IF YOU DO NOT TRUST the supplier that you are talking to, then you shouldn't be considering doing business with them, in which case, you don't need a sample from them, in which case you have no problem with payment.

BOTTOM LINE

I would not send you ANYTHING and then hope and pray that someday you will pay me for it after you get it.

You wouldn't do it for ME either.
17 Dec 2006 16:54
Post 3 of 56
Andy wang
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Replying to [brina]: the seller always afraid of that you won't pay the freight and the cost of the sample to them after you receive the sample, so for thier advantageous they always ask for the payment before shipment.
and the buyer always concern of the seller don't deliver out the sample after get the payment or afraid of that the samples he asked is not he want, so for his advantageous he would like to pay it after received the sample and check it before he make his payment.
finding a source agent is worthless to do just for a sample and is not that easy to find out.
that means one want to conduct business must contribute even take a little risk. you or your buyer? I think it is always you are the one make concession in China.[em2]
17 Dec 2006 17:39
Post 4 of 56
lucy66
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Overall Ranking MVP:102 Rank:7,811
Replying to [brina]:

Hello Brina, ask an agreement from suppliers for choosing a express company which provide collecting payment service. For example, my suppliers choose Modern Express Co. which is good, they deliver samples to me and I pay sample to them then they give it to suppliers. Hope it helps.
17 Dec 2006 17:50
Post 5 of 56
Replying to [brina]:Dear Brina, only the faith can secure your money. First you make sure that supplier is genuine. Now question is that how you will find that s supplier is genuine or not. For this you have to check through some agents or some one, who is residing in that country.

Many buyer only want the sample, and if free need two....[em2].

So it is necessary to charge the money.

Further the reason of asking the money first is that, after getting the sample, there are many way to reject that and if you pay first, then sample have the value and you will think twice, before rejecting.

Many times I have faced this problem. I have supplied the sample on free of cost, and when it reach to the destination country, buyer refuse to pay the freight. Then only way is to send me back the sample and I have to pay the double frieght.
17 Dec 2006 21:47
Post 6 of 56
Replying to [brina]:

You can ask your supplier to provide free sample and you pay the shipping cost.

If the sample is costly then you need to pay for the sample upfront.
17 Dec 2006 22:29
Post 7 of 56
Replying to [brina]:
Your can try to ask the supplier if they can offer sample at ebay.com, then both of you can avoid the loss because of sample. You pay them by paypal, and after sample receiving, you pay it.
17 Dec 2006 23:23
Post 8 of 56
Replying to [brina]: This is the very normal scenarios right now. Pre-payment is the condition even for samples. I reckon that the samples are not cheap item. What I normally do with my customers, we have an agreement that we do the 1st transaction with pre-payment. This is to establish a trust relationship. Then we discussed abt the credit terms.

Hopefully, you will work something out with your supplier.

Cheers [em20]
17 Dec 2006 23:50
Post 9 of 56
Replying to [brina]:
i think you should come there to pay and see your produce and your partners truth or not at next time you won't be wonder or worry
18 Dec 2006 00:55
Post 10 of 56
Replying to [brina]:

Based on my experience, I first established contact by calling the supplier. In this case, from China. Many a time, most of us rely just on email. This is passive.

The second thing I do is to try to get them to go on MSN with a webcam & microphone or TradeManager. At least you get to see the person "live" rather than trying to imagine what he/she looks like. If this is not possible, phone calls and many follow ups will assist this process.

If the company has a website other than the Alibaba one, it is useful to check out the company. the supplier's embassy is your country could provide you with more details about the supplier as information is power.

I have gotten free samples before and will continue to do so. The suppliers want the business more than you do.

All the best!


18 Dec 2006 00:57
Post 11 of 56
Replying to [brina]:
First you must persuade the supplier that you are a serious buyer and this can be fulfilled by many things :
Most importantly send a full information about your company, how much order you make and so on...
Also, if the sample is expensive(high valued items) then they might ask you to prepay for it.
Finally, assess the need of the sample and ask yourself the question Do I really need the sample ?
I hope this will answer your question
18 Dec 2006 02:18
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