The question of who should pay for the shipping cost of samples has been asked a million times in the forums.

This survey is a straight forward Buyer or Supplier survey. No need to comment, just looking for the votes in this one please.

Replying to [Foow]:Buyer pays for Shipping (75%)

Replying to [Foow]:
In my practice, Buyers pay samples charges and freight. And I will refund sample charges when customers place order.

For my prevailing customers, I may pay sample freight. For future business. ~_~

Replying to [Foow]:
To guarantee the seriousness of buyer,He or she should pay for the sample .

Replying to [Foow]:Buyer pays for Shipping If our regual customer,we will free to give samples to him

Replying to [Foow]:This topic is discussed thousands of times. I agree with that samples are free if they are cheap cost, the courier fee should be collect by buyers' account. when business concludes, the seller can refund the courier fee to buyer. by my experience those who get free samples usually won't take precious the samples.

The question is asking about the SHIPPING cost only people. The matter of payment for the actual sample depends on so many different factors that there is no right or wrong to that question.

Replying to [Foow]:Always buyers pays for shipping .

Quoting from [Foow]:

The question of who should pay for the shipping cost of samples has been asked a million times in the forums.

This survey is a straight forward Buyer or Supplier survey. No need to comment, just looking for the votes in this one please.

Please accept this:


1)the exporter will ask when there is no clear business demarcation between them

2) sometimes the exporter wants to catch the buyer they will spend money on free samples including shipping

3) the tradtional buyers will not allow the seller to bear the sampleing/ shipping cost

Quoting from [Foow]:

The question of who should pay for the shipping cost of samples has been asked a million times in the forums.

This survey is a straight forward Buyer or Supplier survey. No need to comment, just looking for the votes in this one please.

This is another reason why international trading is so difficult.

Buyers do not want to spend money on samples that may not meet their standard, while sellers do not want to spend money shipping samples to buyers who may not order.

In the F&B trade, sending frozen food sample is more expensive, more troublesome. I have to pack dry ice to keep my product cool. But dry ice alone increase my shipping fees by $80-$100 (almost a 1/3 of the shipping fee). So, cost went up, and my potential customers decline my samples due to high cost. That is one of the reason why food buyers travel overseas lots more than any trade I know.

Replying to [Foow]:Buyer should pay for shipping. In fact, the sample is free, it's no profit for the supplier. Therefore, it's reasonable for buyers to pay shipping.