Sample Collection & Shipment Consolidation in China
We collect samples for your approval and combine goods from several suppliers into one shipment to save on freight.
By the Sino Vorex team · Updated
What's included
- Ordering and collecting samples from several factories
- Checking and photographing samples before forwarding
- Receiving goods from multiple suppliers
- Combining them into one shipment
What you receive
Samples sent to you together, and one consolidated shipment instead of several.
Why collect samples through one address
When you compare three or four suppliers, each one sends its own sample by its own courier, with its own costs and customs paperwork. Collecting the samples at one address in China first means one international parcel instead of several, a chance to check each sample before it travels, and side-by-side photos that make the comparison easier.
How sample collection works
- You choose the suppliers from your sourcing shortlist, or send us suppliers you found yourself.
- We order the samples in Chinese against your specification and confirm the cost and timing with each supplier.
- Samples are delivered to us. We check each one against the specification, measure it, and photograph it next to the others.
- We send you the photos and our notes, and then forward all the samples together by express courier.
- You approve one sample. It becomes the reference (the "golden sample") that production and the inspection are measured against.
What we check on samples before forwarding
- Material, dimensions, weight and colour against your specification.
- Workmanship: finishing, stitching, joins, printing and edges.
- Function, where it can be tested by hand.
- Packaging and labelling, if the supplier has supplied retail packaging.
- Anything that differs from what the supplier quoted, so it can be fixed before the order.
Who pays for samples
Factories usually charge for samples, and for any special tooling or print set-up a custom sample needs. Some refund the sample cost against your first order. Courier costs from China are extra. We quote all of these upfront, before any sample is ordered.
Shipment consolidation: several suppliers, one shipment
If your order comes from more than one factory, for example mugs from one supplier, cutlery from another and packaging from a third, each supplier delivers to a consolidation warehouse. The goods are checked in, counted, and shipped together.
| Separate shipments | One consolidated shipment | |
|---|---|---|
| Freight | Several LCL or courier shipments, each with minimum charges | One shipment; often a full container instead of several part-loads |
| Customs entries | One per shipment | One entry, one set of documents |
| Arrival | Goods arrive on different dates | Everything arrives together |
| Checks | Each supplier ships unchecked unless you book inspections | Goods are counted and checked as they arrive at the warehouse |
Consolidation needs some care: each supplier's goods still need their own quality inspection before they leave the factory, and the combined packing list must be accurate for customs.
Timing
Standard samples usually reach us within a few days to a week. Custom samples can take one to three weeks, depending on tooling. Express courier from China to most countries then takes about three to seven days.
Samples & Consolidation: common questions
Can you send me samples from suppliers I found myself?
Yes. Tell us the suppliers and the samples you need; we collect, check and forward them in the same way.
How many suppliers can be consolidated into one shipment?
There is no fixed limit. What matters is that every supplier can deliver to the warehouse by the cut-off date, and that the combined volume suits the shipping mode.
Do you keep a copy of the approved sample?
Where possible, we ask the factory for a duplicate of the approved sample and keep it for the inspection, so the goods can be compared against it directly.