In this guide
How should a UK buyer plan samples and minimum quantities on 1688?
Ask the supplier to confirm minimum quantities for your exact variants and any customisation. Give each sample a specification and review record, then approve the main order against its own quotation and checking scope.
Give the sample a specific job
A sample is useful when it answers a question that affects your buying decision. List those questions before asking a 1688 supplier to send anything. You might need to check a dimension, the appearance of a finish, how two parts fit or whether the packaging suits your receiving process. Keep the sample request tied to a named product and version. The review fields below are our planning suggestions for your order. For a repeat purchase, first ask what has changed in the product or supplier offer so you can decide what a new sample needs to establish.
Separate the minimums that affect your order
WorldFirst’s Australia buying guide recommends confirming minimum order quantities (MOQ), price tiers and stock or production arrangements before ordering. Ask what the minimum order quantity applies to. A listing may contain several colours, sizes or packaging choices, and the supplier needs to confirm how your proposed mix is counted. Check whether the offer concerns stock already available or a production order. If you ask for a smaller quantity, get the supplier’s response and revised terms in writing before treating that quantity as available.
- Product minimum: the total quantity needed for the quoted offer.
- Variant minimum: any separate requirement per colour, size or model.
- Customisation minimum: quantities for a logo, finish or packaging change.
- Price tier: the quantity and exact specification needed for each quoted unit price.
Agree what the sample will represent
WorldFirst’s Africa sourcing guide includes samples, packaging, inspection photos and defect handling among the questions to ask suppliers. Ask whether the sample comes from current stock, a previous production run or a newly prepared version. Confirm which features match your intended bulk order and which remain provisional. Record the sample cost, delivery destination and any stated conditions for crediting that cost against a later order. A seller’s agreement to provide one sample does not establish the minimums or terms of the main purchase.
- Exact sample variant, material, dimensions and packaging.
- Features that will differ from the proposed main order.
- Sample dispatch arrangement and the person receiving it.
- What the supplier will do if the sample needs changing.
Build a sample review sheet
Give each sample a reference and save the supplier’s specification beside it. Set practical acceptance criteria before reviewing the goods. Use measurements or clear descriptions where they can resolve an otherwise subjective judgement. Photos should show the feature being assessed and identify the sample. Keep any testing or specialist assessment required for the product as a separately defined task.
- Sample reference, supplier link and date received.
- Feature to assess and the supplier’s agreed specification.
- Observed result, measurement or supporting photo reference.
- Decision for each feature: approve, request a change or stop.
- Unanswered question, responsible person and next action.
Work through an illustrative variant decision
Suppose your first stock plan contains SKU-P01 in navy and grey, with 120 units of each. These invented SKU references and quantities illustrate the process. Ask the supplier whether the minimum is 240 across both colours or a separate amount per colour. Request a sample of each colour if the difference matters to your decision. If the navy sample is approved but grey needs a change, keep those decisions separate. Ask for the revised grey specification and evidence before approving that variant. Confirm a fresh main-order quotation for the exact mix you finally choose.
| Variant | Planned units | Sample decision | Before the main order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navy | 120 | Approved for the recorded features | Confirm the final specification and quote |
| Grey | 120 | Change requested | Review the revised sample before approval |
Review the move from sample to bulk
An approved sample gives you a reference for specified features. Agree how that reference will be used for the main order and which checks will take place before international dispatch. Record any permitted variation and the process for approving a substitution. Where the supplier says production differs from the sample, resolve that difference before paying for the affected goods. Keep the approved reference identifiable for whoever performs the checks. Keep sample approval and main-order authorisation as separate decisions: approving a recorded colour or fit does not authorise a quantity, price or substitution.
Compare the complete first-order commitment
Review the sample decision alongside the supplier quotation and your stock plan. Ask for the proposed readiness arrangements for the chosen quantity, China domestic delivery and packing details. Include payment, checks, handling and freight when comparing a small first order with a larger commitment. A lower minimum can reduce the number of units purchased while leaving shared shipment costs spread across fewer units. Use an actual shipment quotation to assess the effect.
Hand over one approved purchasing brief
Bring the selected variants, quantities, minimums, sample references and approval notes into one current brief. Mark any feature awaiting a supplier answer. Name who approves the order and any later change. Send that brief with the requested checks, China receipt arrangement and UK delivery postcode when seeking purchasing support. It gives the buyer and the person checking the goods the same reference.
Plan the sample before the main order
Sourcing support can include sample enquiries and variant-level supplier terms. Email or WhatsApp us about the product and sample questions you already have to discuss the next purchasing decision.
Questions before you order
Can I negotiate a 1688 supplier’s MOQ?
You can ask the supplier to quote your proposed quantity and variant mix. Acceptance, unit price and other conditions depend on the supplier and product. Treat a revised minimum as agreed only when the supplier confirms the applicable terms.
Will a sample be free or credited against the main order?
Ask the supplier to confirm the sample charge, delivery cost and any credit conditions. Keep that agreement with the quotation. Sample costs and credits vary by order.
Does approving a sample mean the bulk order will match?
Sample approval records the features you accepted. Give the main order its own specification and checking scope, using the identifiable sample as a reference where agreed. Product testing or other specialist assessments may need a separate brief.
Sources & further guidance
- WorldFirst Australia: MOQ, order terms and small-order planning (regional guidance)
- WorldFirst Africa: Sample and supplier questions (regional guidance)
These references provide platform, payment or import background. The purchasing checklists are our practical guidance. Check the current terms and official requirements for your product and destination.
Product acceptance, inspection scope, charges and delivery arrangements need to be agreed for your order.