Why the First Order Is Different from Every Order After It
A first trial order is not a smaller version of a repeat order. It is a test of a supplier you have not worked with, on a product you have not seen in your market, with documentation you have not verified. The risks are different in kind, not just in scale, and the checklist below is built around those specific risks.
Before the Order
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze the specification | Frame, voltage, band, housing, packaging | Nothing changes after tooling or testing |
| Sample and test it | In real installed equipment in your market | Not on a bench |
| Verify the certificate scope | Model number on report matches your variant | A variant outside scope means re-testing |
| Get the HS classification in writing | From your own customs broker | Not from the supplier |
| Agree payment terms and title transfer | In writing before the deposit | In the invoice, not just the email |
At the Order
| Step | What to specify | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Written quotation | MOQ, lead time, EXW price, incoterm | Comparable and referenceable |
| Quantity per reference | Confirmed before production | Prevents a mixed-carton short ship |
| Carton and packaging specification | Labels, barcode, language requirements | Avoids re-labelling cost |
| Sample approval in writing | Which sample, which revision | Establishes what you approved |
Before Shipment
| Step | What to check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-shipment sample | Of the actual production batch | The last inspection point |
| Third-party QC at AQL 5% | On the first batch at minimum | Independent verification |
| Batch date codes photographed | Before loading | Traceability if a field issue appears |
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Reviewed before the balance payment | Your document set for customs |
| Carton labels photographed | Reference visible on the outer box | Confirms the label spec was followed |
On Arrival
- Open a carton from the middle of the pallet, not the top. The top carton is the one most likely to have been handled.
- Check the carton label against the packing list, reference by reference. This is where mixed-SKU orders fail.
- Compare the model number on the carton with the model number on the test report.
- Count against the packing list before signing, and note any discrepancy on the carrier’s paperwork at the time.
- Sample-test before the pallet is broken down, not after. Once the cartons are opened and mixed, a discrepancy claim is harder to support.
The Three Documents to Keep
Keep the commercial invoice, the packing list and the batch test reports together, filed against the order number, for at least the statutory retention period in your market. If a field question arises eighteen months later, those three documents are what resolve it.
Request a Quotation — First Trial Order
Send your target market, product line and annual quantity. We reply with a written EXW quotation, MOQ, lead time and a sample offer within one business day. MOQ 100 pcs per SKU.
Send Inquiry on WhatsAppEmail: Joanna@rfmando.com · MOQ 100 pcs per SKU · 1 free sample per SKU ($30 DHL, buyer pays) · Lead time 7-15 days · T/T 30/70 · EXW Xiamen
Catalogue references for the specification above: 4-channel learning-code remote control for electric push-rod door operators and RF Mando compatible DILM32-XTED11-1 (RAC240) contactor, 18A 3P+1NO/1NC for first-batch sample approval. All are MOQ 100 pcs per SKU, 7-15 day lead time, one free sample per SKU, and are supplied on our own PCBA and housing tooling with AQL 5% inspection available.
Where to Order
- RF Remote Controls — garage, gate and RTS compatible handsets
- Eaton DILM Contactors — frames, aux contacts and coils
- Locksmith Tools — duplicators, shells and blanks
- RF Manda — full product range and technical guides
| Term | Means | Who pays what | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Ex Works, seller’s premises | Everything is the buyer’s cost | Cheapest on paper, most work for the buyer |
| FOB | Free On Board, port of loading | Export clearance and loading on the seller; main freight on the buyer | Useful for consolidating suppliers |
| CIF | Cost, Insurance and Freight to named port | Freight and minimum insurance included; duty and VAT not included | Convenient, still not door-to-door |
| DDP | Delivered Duty Paid | Everything including import duty | Most expensive to quote, often cheapest landed |