1688 Agent for Samples: MOQ and Shipping Checks

What to review in a sample order

Write down the questions the sample must answer: the selected variant, visible finish and accessories, required material or functional properties, supplier packing, and the measurements needed for shipping planning. Available photos can help compare visible details with the order. If you need to assess feel, fit, performance, durability or safety, arrange appropriate physical evaluation or specialist evidence. One sample does not prove that a bulk batch will be identical or that its packing will withstand every route.

MOQ and the actual sample price

Check the listing and obtain a written quote for the exact variant and requested sample quantity. A seller may offer a sample price, require a minimum quantity, charge for tooling or decline a sample request. Confirm which charges apply and whether any sample credit against a later bulk order is actually offered; do not assume it.

Record the sample price, MOQ and unit price at your intended quantity, plus domestic delivery, any tooling charge and the seller's dispatch estimate. Ask whether the sample is a prototype, existing stock or intended production output and what specifications the bulk order would follow. A seller statement about a production line is not proof of batch consistency; agree the specifications and evidence needed for the later purchase.

What to confirm with the buying agent

Send the live listing, options, quantity, destination and sample requirements so the buying and receiving scope can be reviewed. Confirm whether procurement, seller communication, warehouse receiving and the requested visual checks are available for that order, with the applicable charges. For a buying-agent order, the product cost, domestic delivery and service fee are paid before procurement. The agent workflow does not bypass the seller's or platform's rules.

Before export, compare the recorded sample with the order and raise visible discrepancies. Ask about any eligible return or exchange, its deadline and charges rather than assuming a remedy is available or costs only a few days. Keep the request and seller response with the order; the storage window does not extend seller remedy terms.

Where the sample goes and what to ask for

Use the current receiving instructions for the actual order rather than copying a static warehouse address from an article. Ask which photos or measurements can be provided for the item, labels, accessories, supplier packing and prepared parcel, and confirm any additional scope or fee. Record sample measurements separately from any projected bulk-carton data; a sample quote does not establish the later bulk freight cost.

The first 100 storage days are free, counted from the date the order is marked "Received". From day 101 through day 200, the fee is USD $0.10 per parcel per day. The maximum storage period is 200 days from "Received"; after 200 days the parcel is treated as abandoned and destroyed and is no longer available for recovery or shipment. Check the received date and storage days in the order and the warehouse storage policy. A shipping request or payment alone does not establish when storage charging ends.

Comparing samples from different suppliers

Select samples according to the requirements, alternatives and budget you need to compare. Keep a separate record for each supplier: sample options, written specifications, quoted charges, receiving date, available photos, measurements and any physical test results. Compare like-for-like criteria and distinguish measured findings from seller claims. Order timing and communication during a small purchase do not guarantee dispatch or behaviour on a bulk order.

When to move from sample to bulk

• Requirements: the chosen sample has been assessed against the properties that matter, using physical or specialist evaluation where needed rather than photos alone.
• Shipping plan: sample measurements and projected bulk packing assumptions are recorded separately, with the quote basis and route eligibility identified.
• Bulk specifications: the seller's written product, quantity, packing, quality and dispatch terms are clear; one sample is not a consistency guarantee.
• Compliance evidence: applicable testing, documents or labels have been reviewed for the actual item and destination, not merely discussed or inferred from appearance.
• Purchase terms: the MOQ, intended quantity, item price, additional charges and available remedies are confirmed before approving a bulk order.

Costs to plan for

• Purchase stage: sample item cost, domestic delivery and the applicable buying-agent service fee; review the published 6–15% range in the service-fee guide and the specific quote before procurement.
• International freight: a separate confirmed quote for the prepared parcel using the applicable actual or volumetric billing rules, paid before dispatch.
• Storage and extra work: the recorded free/paid storage period and any agreed photography, measurement, handling or specialist assessment charge; availability is not assumed.
• Service and destination: accepted goods, required packing, current transit estimate and applicable import or destination charges; no fixed route timeline is promised here.

Submit the listing, options, sample quantity, intended bulk quantity, destination and the requirements you need to evaluate through the buying quote page. Request clear separation between the sample order, any future bulk purchase and shipping estimates. Review the payment policy and checkout methods for the actual account and order. A planning estimate for a bulk route is not a confirmed offer for a later batch.

FAQ

Can I order a single unit from 1688 for testing?

Only if the seller offers the requested sample and the order is eligible. Confirm the exact options, sample quantity, MOQ, price and domestic dispatch terms before paying. Do not assume a single-unit sample is available on every 1688 listing.

Do I need a Chinese bank account?

For an eligible buying-agent purchase, you pay using a method displayed by CNCartGo for the actual account and order, and procurement follows the confirmed instructions. Review country, currency, verification and fee conditions at checkout. Do not assume one method is available for every buyer or that the agent pays an existing order in your own 1688 account.

How long should a supplier test take?

Plan around the seller's actual dispatch estimate, warehouse receipt and the evaluation you need. Ask which stages are included in any estimate. Photos and dimensions alone are not a completed product test. Check each order's "Received" date and storage deadline; waiting for another supplier does not establish that all storage or checking costs remain free.

Should I ship the sample to my own country?

If the decision depends on physical use, fit, material properties, durability, function or safety, arrange appropriate access to the sample or suitable specialist assessment. Decide how and where that evaluation will happen and budget for it before bulk procurement. Warehouse photos and packing measurements are limited visible records; they are not enough to certify every product or justify a bulk order on their own.