A sample review should end with a clear decision and specific feedback. Before the sample arrives, agree on what your team will check and what counts as acceptable. Otherwise, the discussion can get stuck on whether something simply feels right.

Identify the sample you are reviewing

Label each sample with the supplier, product, date received, and revision. Record which brief or drawing it follows. Photograph the item and its packaging before handling it, then note any damage.

Ask the supplier how the sample was made. Record any differences between the sample and the intended production materials, process, or decoration. A hand-finished development sample may answer a design question without demonstrating the finish you will receive in production.

Check against the written specification

Use the same review sheet for every supplier. Measure the details that matter and record the actual result beside the requirement. Include the tool and method when a measurement needs to be repeatable.

  • Dimensions, weight, capacity, and the fit between parts.
  • Material, texture, color, finish, and visible defects.
  • Artwork position, print clarity, and label placement.
  • Closures, moving parts, and assembly.
  • Packaging fit and the condition of the product after unpacking.

Keep visual inspection separate from any required formal testing. Record which testing or documentation is still outstanding; a good-looking sample does not answer every product requirement.

Try the intended use

Walk through the customer's likely experience with the sample. Open it, assemble it if needed, use it, and put it away. Follow the use conditions your team defined in the brief. Ask someone who has not worked on the design to try the instructions.

Write observations as facts. "The lid opened when the filled pouch tipped onto its side" gives a supplier something to investigate. "The closure feels cheap" does not explain the problem. Add photos or a short video where words leave room for interpretation.

Issue a decision for this revision

Mark the sample approved, revision required, or rejected. List each requested change separately, with a photo reference and the result you expect. Name the reviewer and approval date.

Keep an approved reference sample and its review record. Confirm in writing which version governs the order, and resolve outstanding testing and specification questions before authorizing production. If a later sample changes, review the affected details again.