Quoting from [sortofsilver]:

Quoting from [Sammy2]:

I have a colleague that is currently in talks with a company in China. She received pricing for the item of interest and requested a sample be made.  The company is charging for these samples (about 4 times the final cost of the final product) plus expecting her to pay for shipping. (They will deduct the sample charges if an order is placed).

 

Is this normal?

 

I was under the impression that samples were free but that you had to pay for freight?

 

Please advise.

Thank you.

Would you give away a free sample if it cost $50 each? I would pay for samples and shipping but that is just the way i would do it. Paying a premium (10%) plus shipping for a sample sounds fair to me.  Paying 4x for the sample does seem very expensive. If you are not happy don't buy them.


I think most companies are sick of sending out samples to freebie hunters.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

that's true... i believe this is one way to deter non-potential buyers from getting free samples & not buying anything eventually.

but how about visiting the manufacturer personally?
my uncle has business dealings in the same province as the manufacturer (guangzhou).
Can my uncle go collect the samples instead of (me) paying for the high freight charges?

thanx. :)

Quoting from [beginning of dream]:

Quoting from [Sammy2]:

I have a colleague that is currently in talks with a company in China. She received pricing for the item of interest and requested a sample be made.  The company is charging for these samples (about 4 times the final cost of the final product) plus expecting her to pay for shipping. (They will deduct the sample charges if an order is placed).

 

Is this normal?

 

I was under the impression that samples were free but that you had to pay for freight?

 

Please advise.

Thank you.

Dear Sir,

As a sales in China,I can tell you something why we suppliers are asking for sample fee.

1.we receive so many inquries per day from samples hunter.It will be a large costs for us to provide these free samples.

2.Samples?we ask sample fee to verify whether this buy is sincere,or just for collecting free samples.No doubts there are a lot of people do this way to collect free samples per day.Normally,we will refund this sample fee to buyer once they order.That is our sincere.

3.4 times of sample fee?Yes,sometimes I do that.Just to turn out it is a real buyer or fake one.But on contrary,don;t forget we will refund 4 times of sample fee to buyers once they order.It is fair.....We are not working for this small amount of samples,just in order to avoid wasting too much time and energy on these kind of junk inquries.

Hope buyers can understand our position,tks!

cheers,

wendy

 

 

Good day from Spain.

We are agree with paying samples, but we need them to test the quality of the product

and to see and check what we are goingo to import. Very important when the product comes from so far away as China.

In Europe, some Chineese products are not expensive but no good quality.

In Spain (VALENCIA PORT) a lot of Chineese Products like toys for children, and other

plastik products are forbidden cause they are TOXIC, or have too smal pieces for babys.

Other problem with Chines clothes is that the sizes are very SMAL in comparation with

European sizes. Also needed samples to know the product and the sizes.

And what about with the warranty? In Europe there are 3 years waranty for elektro and mechanik products???????

Otherwise other products are normal or good quality, and the only way to know this, is

having a sample.

But my personal opinion is that CHINA is the FUTURE in the next 20 years.  It dependes also from China goberment and its opening to the world.

I WISH CHINA GOOD OLIMPICS GAMES.

VINCENT ROSNER

TTIMPEX ADIEMSA

SAGUNTO PORT OF VALENCIA

SPAIN

 

Quoting from [Sammy2]:

I have a colleague that is currently in talks with a company in China. She received pricing for the item of interest and requested a sample be made.  The company is charging for these samples (about 4 times the final cost of the final product) plus expecting her to pay for shipping. (They will deduct the sample charges if an order is placed).

 

Is this normal?

 

I was under the impression that samples were free but that you had to pay for freight?

 

Please advise.

Thank you.

This is not only normal, it is absolute justified.

Imagine you can get the samples free and even the transport charges... or samples for super cheap price and nor transport charges. Now I tell you one thing: some people sell on ebay their products, imagine one person will just "buy" some samples to resell it, a dozen for example. And then being in advantage of free samples or so cheap sample, they could sell it on ebay to end customer for a very very cheap price.

Now the regular client of the chinese maker will see this offer on ebay, what shall he think? Hey this item we buy in large qty. and on ebay the same item so cheap to end customer?

To protect the market and to distinguish the serious clients from those ebay hunters, the chinese makers must charge sample costs, a real buyer will know that if the chance is big to get order, he will get the sample charges back! If the chnace to get order is very very small so that the chance to get sample charges back is so small well then the buyer will not "buy" the samples and for both parties is the best. The chinese maker has no work in vain and the buyer who is serious does not overload his sample stock.