A sealed, labelled sample from the shipped lot costs almost nothing and settles the disputes that would otherwise be unwinnable.
If we could persuade every counterparty in this trade to adopt one practice, it would be retaining samples properly.
The problem it solves
A buyer reports that a consignment is out of specification. The seller believes it left in specification. Without a retained sample from that lot, the argument is unresolvable and usually settles on relationship strength rather than fact.
Doing it properly
- Draw the sample from the lot being shipped, not from an earlier production run.
- Seal it and label it with contract number, lot, container and date.
- Store it somewhere with stable temperature and humidity.
- Keep it for at least the claim window, and preferably longer.
Both sides should hold one
We retain ours. We encourage buyers to retain the pre-shipment sample we send rather than consume all of it in testing. When both parties hold a sealed sample from the same lot, disputes tend to resolve quickly and without an independent agency.