Does sample approval authorise production?

Agree what each approval means

Before reviewing samples, agree with the supplier that technical approval, commercial agreement and production release will be recorded separately. Name the people authorised to issue each decision and the communication channel to use. Ask the supplier to confirm that its sales contact and production manager understand the arrangement.

Avoid replies such as “approved” or “please proceed” without a stated scope. A buyer approving colour should not leave the factory guessing whether the price, packaging or full production run has also been accepted. For the physical sample and specification controls, use making bulk production match the sample.

Send a clearly labelled technical approval

Use the heading “Technical sample approval only”. Identify the product, sample reference, specification revision, photographs and date. State exactly which features passed review, which remain unapproved and any corrections needed. If you have checked appearance but not performance, say so explicitly.

Suggested wording: “We approve the identified sample for the features listed below against the attached specification. This is technical approval only. Price and payment terms remain under discussion. Keep bulk production on hold until our authorised buyer sends a separate production-release message.” Replace the examples with your actual outstanding conditions.

Keep outstanding commercial conditions visible

Maintain a shared commercial record covering the price and currency, order quantity, payment milestones, delivery basis, packaging costs, tooling charges and agreed remedies. For each unresolved item, record the proposed wording, who must respond and the evidence needed to close it. Send the current record alongside technical approval.

Mark conditions as “open” or “agreed”, with the confirming correspondence attached. Do not treat an unanswered proposal as agreed. If a lower price depends on changing materials or components, send the change back for technical review before release. Use factory material substitutions for that separate decision.

Issue an explicit production release

Before release, check that the technical record is complete and every blocking commercial condition has written agreement. Reconcile the quotation, purchase order and specification so they describe the same order. If you allow preparatory work while negotiations continue, define that work and its agreed cost separately, including whether material purchasing or tooling work is permitted.

Suggested wording: “Production release: we authorise bulk production for the identified purchase order, quantities and product variants, using the attached approved specification and sample reference. The commercial conditions in the attached record are agreed, with no blocking items outstanding. Follow the recorded payment and delivery arrangements. Confirm receipt and that your production team is using these documents.”

Send the release from the named authorised buyer to the supplier contact and production manager, copying Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China where they are coordinating the order. Ask for acknowledgement before work starts. Keep shipment and payment approvals separate; see inspection, shipment and payment approval.

Handle changes and premature starts

If negotiations change the product, update the specification and obtain fresh technical approval for the affected features. Replace superseded records and tell the factory which revision to use. A price concession should not silently approve a thinner material, different finish or altered packaging.

If the factory starts early, immediately request a hold and a written account of materials purchased, work completed and commitments made. Record what was actually authorised, resolve the disputed work and agree the restart scope before sending another release. Keep meeting decisions and follow-up actions in shared notes.