Let's go over the process of getting a sample from the supplier side you've chosen from the previous step. At this point, you should have a supplier list of all the vendors that you have vetted and approved. Go through this list and request a sample of the product from them that is exactly to the specification of your product or as close to it as possible. The objective here is to be able to hold these products in your hand to compare them against each other and help you see any potential problems with your product specifications.
Sometimes things may sound good on paper, but won't be practical, and result in poorer user experience. So use the sample stage to pick out all the potential problems that the product may have before you place the actual order. When you order samples from suppliers, most of them will charge you 20% to 50% on top of the regular price, because they may be afraid that you won't be purchasing from them after the sample and need to make a profit off of this transaction.
Either way, this is an investment that you have to make and cannot avoid. One tip, though, is that most suppliers will attract refund you the cost of the sample on your first order. So make sure to remind the supplier of this when you place the actual order. Here are some tips on sending and receiving samples. Number one, when you ask for a sample, you don't want it to be caught up in customs. There are some items that may not be sent via air mail or carrier, such as items with a built-in battery-- for example, power banks that charge your phone.
Check with your care or local post office on that. Number two, ask the suppliers to state "samples of no commercial value" on the sample invoiced as part of the sample. This way, customs will see this as a sample cost not to be resold. And therefore, it should not be taxed. Number three, in some cases large sample orders will be held at customs, mainly because the samples with a value that's declared too high or too low are suspicious.
You may have to pay the tax and duties for these samples. When you order a sample with the factory, make sure to check the following steps. Send an email in Create on how many pieces you would like. Describe clearly what the sample should look like. Make sure the supplier states "sample of no-commercial value". Ask a supplier if you can deduct the sample charge from your first order.
Declare a proper amount of sample value. Show some sort of visual of what your product would look like, either through a visual mock-up or a picture, in order to avoid wasting time on the incorrect sample.