In short: A sample is only useful if it is the right sample. Send a complete request — product, specification with the marker and method, quantity, application and delivery address — and expect 1–2 weeks for a standard item, 2–4 weeks for a custom specification. Standard powder samples are commonly 10–100 g, usually free or freight-collect. Then do the part most buyers skip: ask whether the sample came from the same batch as the COA you were sent, and keep a retained portion to compare against the bulk delivery.
Step 1: Send a complete request
Incomplete enquiries are the main reason sample responses are slow or unusable. Include five items and you will get an accurate answer on the first attempt:
- Product — the botanical with its Latin name, not only a trade name.
- Specification — the active marker and the analytical method (for example “polyphenols ≥ 4.0% by UV”).
- Quantity needed — enough for your own bench trial, and whether you need a retained portion.
- Market and application — capsule, tablet, beverage, or industrial use; the destination market drives the document set.
- Delivery address — with the consignee and any courier account you want used.
Step 2: What to expect
| Item | Typical terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sample size | 10–100 g for powder extracts | Enough for identity and assay work plus a retained portion |
| Sample cost | Often free or freight-collect | Large or genuinely custom samples may be charged |
| Lead time | 1–2 weeks; 2–4 weeks for custom specifications | Custom work consumes trial production capacity |
| Documents supplied | Sample COA, sometimes an MSDS | Ask for the batch number quoted on the COA |
| Shipping | Courier; seller’s or buyer’s account | Powders may require a declaration for customs clearance |
Step 3: Test before you commit
| Step | What to do | What it catches |
|---|---|---|
| Visual and organoleptic check | Open the sample and compare colour, odour and texture with the COA description | A material that does not match its own documentation |
| Identity and assay verification | Run it in your own laboratory or through a third party | A marker value that does not reproduce on your method |
| Solubility and dosage-form behaviour | Test dispersion, flow and fill behaviour in your actual process | A grade that will not work in your formulation |
| Retained sample | Keep a sealed portion from the same sample | Gives you an objective baseline when the bulk shipment arrives |
Step 4: Close the loop in writing
Once the sample passes, put it on the record: confirm to the supplier in writing which sample was approved, with its batch number, and ask them to hold the specification that produced it. Without that step, the bulk order may be produced against a spec that has since drifted — and you will have no approved reference to point to. This is also the point to confirm the MOQ, the itemised lead time and the sample policy for repeat orders.
Why sample requests go unanswered
| Symptom | What was usually missing | How to fix it in the next message |
|---|---|---|
| No reply at all | The request named a product but no specification, so the supplier cannot tell which of several grades you mean | Add the marker and the method — for example “polyphenols ≥ 4.0% by UV” |
| Reply with a catalogue instead of sample terms | No quantity or application stated, so the request reads as a general enquiry | State the gram requirement and the dosage form you are developing |
| Quote for the wrong grade | The trade name was used without the botanical species or plant part | Give the Latin name and the plant part alongside the trade name |
| Sample arrives without a COA | Documents were not requested as part of the sample | Ask explicitly for the sample COA and its batch number |
| Slow dispatch | No delivery address or consignee details were provided | Include the full delivery address and any courier account to be used |
| Freight cost surprise | The shipping basis was never agreed | Confirm upfront whether samples ship freight-collect or on the seller’s account |
Two questions that raise sample value
- “Is this sample from the same batch as the COA you sent?” A sample with a documented batch is a reference; a sample without one is a marketing gesture. The answer tells you how the supplier manages documentation.
- “Can you send a second sample from a different batch?” Two samples from two batches show you consistency, which is the single strongest indicator of process control.
FAQ
Should I pay for samples?
Small standard samples are usually free or nominal, and freight-collect is normal practice. Paying for a large or genuinely custom sample is reasonable, since it consumes trial production and QC effort. What matters is that the policy is stated in writing before you request.
How much sample do I need?
Enough for identity and assay verification plus a retained portion — commonly 10–100 g for powder extracts. If your laboratory has a defined test panel, give the supplier the gram requirement rather than a general request.
Why is a custom sample slower?
Because it consumes trial production capacity rather than being drawn from existing stock. The typical 2–4 week range covers producing against a draft specification and testing it before dispatch.
Does the sample come with a COA?
A proper sample is accompanied by a sample COA, and often an MSDS. If no COA accompanies the sample, ask for it before testing — otherwise you have no baseline to compare your result against.
Should I test samples in my own lab or use a third party?
Both have a place. Your own laboratory confirms the material works in your process; a third-party laboratory gives you an external result you can cite with your own customers. Use third-party verification where the marker value is commercially critical.
How long is a retained sample useful?
Until the bulk shipment has been received and released. Keep it sealed, stored under the conditions stated on the specification, and label it with the sample batch number and date.
What if the sample does not match the COA?
Raise it immediately with the batch number and your measured result, and ask the supplier to reconcile it before any bulk order is produced. A mismatch at sample stage is a low-cost discovery; the same mismatch after a shipment is not.
Can I get samples for several products at once?
Usually yes, and it is the efficient way to compare a range. Send one consolidated request with the specification for each item, and ask for a combined shipment so freight is charged once.
Request a sample against your specification — send us the marker, method and quantity and we will confirm sample terms and lead time.