How to match a new batch to existing stock
Compare new production physically beside retained sale stock, using agreed lighting and viewing conditions. Check how goods look together in a customer order, then keep batches separate until you approve the result. Hold an obvious mismatch for a documented decision. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate these checks with its staff in China.
Make sale stock part of the approval
An approved development sample does not show whether a replenishment batch will sit comfortably beside goods customers already own. Retain labelled, unused examples of the stock currently on sale and send matching references to the factory. Keep them protected from fading, dirt and handling. If existing stock already varies, identify which appearance the replenishment must match.
Write down the features that matter together: colour, gloss, texture, print position, trim and visible packaging. State whether goods must match when sold separately, packed as a set or supplied as replacements. Use making bulk production match the sample for the underlying sample and specification controls.
Compare physical goods side by side
Place new production beside retained stock on the same neutral background, in the same orientation and under the same light. Compare them under relevant shop and home lighting too. Look at normal customer viewing distance, then inspect close up. Assemble or arrange the goods as customers will use them, especially matching sets and adjoining surfaces.
Check pieces drawn from different cartons and relevant material lots, rather than accepting a factory-selected piece. Ask for labelled photographs showing old and new goods together, with camera settings kept consistent. Photographs support the record; when the difference is uncertain, arrange a physical comparison before release. Record the lighting, references, observations and approver.
Control orders that could mix batches
Keep batch identities visible in warehouse locations and picking records. Test a proposed mixed order before permitting mixed picking. A batch that looks acceptable alone may look different beside older stock. For sets, repeat purchases and replacement parts, reserve matching stock where possible and ask the customer which existing goods they need to match.
Give the warehouse a written rule: keep each matching set within an approved appearance group, and refer shortages for a decision rather than filling the gap from another batch. Record the batch supplied against the customer order so a complaint can be traced. See batch traceability from factory to customer.
Hold an obvious mismatch for a decision
Pause shipment or picking of the affected stock and separate it from released goods. Describe the mismatch against the retained reference, not just as a colour complaint. Ask the factory to identify affected material lots, production runs and cartons, explain what changed, and propose a correction. Agree responsibility for the work and verify the result before release.
Choose according to the intended sale: sort into matching groups if variation is within the batch; rework or remake if matching stock is essential; or consider a separately described variant if it is commercially usable. A discount does not make mixed goods match. Document any limited acceptance without silently replacing the reference for future orders. See approving cosmetic defects for a batch.
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Release stock with a customer plan
Before releasing an accepted variation, update the relevant photographs, product description and picking instructions. For an existing order, explain the visible difference and agree the next step before dispatch. For a complaint, obtain photographs of the goods together and check the supplied batch; offer a practical resolution based on what matching stock is available.
For UK consumer sales, government guidance says you must offer a full refund if an item is faulty, not as described or does not do what it is supposed to. Assess a visual complaint against what you described and supplied. Keep the factory remedy discussion separate from resolving the customer complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Can factory photos prove a new batch matches?
Photos can reveal a mismatch, but lighting and camera settings can hide one. Request old and new goods in the same frame and arrange a physical comparison if the result is uncertain.
Can I mix old and new batches in an order?
Only approve mixed picking after checking the goods together as the customer will receive them. Keep matching sets within an approved appearance group and record the batches supplied.
What if a repeat customer's colour does not match?
Ask which stock they already own and compare against that batch where possible. If matching stock is unavailable, explain the difference and agree the next step before sending a replacement.
Should I accept a discount for a mismatched batch?
Decide whether the goods can serve their intended sale first. A discount does not solve a mismatched set. Record any acceptance for the affected batch and keep the future reference unchanged.