Gua Sha Sample Fee Policy: What We Charge, What We Refund, and Why
Our sample fee is charged at cost, never for profit. Here is exactly when it is refunded, when it is deducted from your bulk order, and when it cannot be.
Gua Sha Sample Fee Policy: What We Charge, What We Refund, and Why
A customer recently asked us a fair question: "Why do you charge a sample fee when other suppliers offer free samples?" It deserves a straight answer, because sample policy is one of the first tests of how a factory works. Here is ours, in full: what we charge, when the fee comes back to you, when only part of it does — and when it genuinely cannot.
The short version: our sample fee covers cost, not profit. We refund or deduct it where we can, because we would rather win a long-term customer than earn a margin on one sample. But "where we can" has clear boundaries, and this page draws them exactly.
Why We Charge a Sample Fee at All
A sample is not a free by-product of our workshop. It consumes real material — a piece of natural stone that must be cut, shaped and polished, or a stainless steel blank — plus one-off handwork, finishing, an inner box and export packing. Often a sample takes more handling than a production unit, because it is made as a single piece outside the normal run.
So when we quote a sample fee, it is calculated at cost: what the material, labor and packaging actually cost us. There is no sample margin built in. If a supplier genuinely charges you nothing, one of two things is happening — the cost is hidden somewhere else, or the sample is worth very little. We will come back to that.
The Honest Answer About "Free Samples"
When a supplier advertises free samples, it usually means one of three things:
- The cost is built into your bulk unit price. You pay for it later, spread across the order. Nothing wrong with that — but it is not free, it is prepaid.
- It only applies to generic stock items. A plain, unbranded stone from a shelf costs the supplier very little. Ask the same supplier for a custom shape with your logo and the "free" usually stops.
- "Free" really means refundable against an order. You pay first, the amount comes off your bulk invoice. That is the same mechanism we use — we just say so openly.
In manufacturing, someone always pays for the sample. We prefer to show you the real cost first, and then give it back wherever we reasonably can.
Our Sample Fee Policy at a Glance
Sample type | What you pay | Refund / deduction |
|---|---|---|
In-stock product (any of our ready shapes, with or without your logo) | Cost of the sample, quoted before you confirm | Fully refunded or deducted from your bulk order invoice |
Custom logo setup (laser engraving or silk-screen plate) | Setup cost at cost | Partly absorbed by us — see below |
Custom shape / new tooling | Real development cost of the sample | Case by case: where the sample or tooling can be used for your bulk production, we share part of the cost |
Complex, high-value custom projects | Full cost of development and sampling | Not refundable — explained below |
When the Sample Fee Is Refunded or Deducted
In-stock products are the clear case. Every ready shape on this site — jade hearts, stainless steel tools, rollers, combs — is a product we already produce. A stock sample merges into a normal production batch, so when you place your bulk order, the sample fee comes straight off your invoice. For stock items with your logo, the same logic applies: the logo setup for a running shape is a small, one-time cost, and we absorb part of it when you move to production.
Why do we return money we have already earned? Because a sample that turns into an order, and an order that turns into a repeat order, is worth far more to both of us than a sample fee. The refund is not a promotion — it is how we price a long-term relationship.
In practice it works in three steps:
- You receive a written quote showing the sample fee and the courier cost separately, before you confirm anything.
- You test the sample. For stock + logo orders, sampling typically takes 5–7 working days; full custom production runs approx. 15–20 days plus shipping.
- When you confirm the bulk order, the eligible sample fee appears as a deduction line on your deposit invoice. The eligibility is written on the original sample quote, so there is nothing to argue about later.
When We Cannot Refund or Deduct the Fee
We will be equally direct about the other side, because a supplier who promises everything upfront is the one who surprises you at invoice time.
- New shapes and new tooling. A custom shape may need a new mold or fixtures. That is real development cost, and a single sample cannot amortize it. If the fee is large, we will tell you plainly that it is not a deposit — it is the cost of building something only for you.
- Complex custom projects. Multi-process finishing, special stone sourcing, or custom packaging (which carries its own minimum of 500 pcs per design) — the deeper the customization, the less of it a refund policy can absorb.
- One-off engineering time. Drawing adjustments, material trials, special colour matching. This time is spent whether or not the order follows.
What we can often do instead: start your project from an existing shape with your logo (small fee, partly absorbed), collect feedback, and move to a fully custom shape once volumes justify the tooling. Most private label brands we work with take exactly this path — see our MOQ explained page for how the minimums work.
What the Fee Actually Covers
To make "at cost" concrete, these are the typical cost items inside a sample quote — using confirmed figures from our current price list where we have them:
Cost item | Typical figure | Note |
|---|---|---|
Laser-engraved logo setup (stainless steel) | approx. USD 20 per artwork | One-time per artwork; reusable for your bulk run |
Silk-screen / pad printing plate (stone tools) | USD 45–50 per design | One-time copper plate; reusable for your bulk run |
Sample unit(s) | Quoted per item | Material + one-off handwork, at cost |
Inner box / export packing | Quoted per item | At cost |
Courier | Quoted separately | You see the total before confirming anything |
Notice what is missing from that table: any margin. That is the whole point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do you charge a sample fee when other suppliers offer free samples?
Because samples cost real money to make, and we would rather show you the cost openly than hide it in your bulk unit price. Most "free sample" offers are one of the three cases described above — prepaid, generic-only, or refundable against an order. Our policy is the third, stated in advance.
Is the sample fee refundable?
For our in-stock products, yes — the fee is refunded or deducted from your bulk order invoice. For custom shapes, tooling and complex projects, no: those fees reflect genuine development cost, though we often share part of the cost when the sample or tooling carries over into your production.
Can the logo setup fee be deducted too?
For a running stock shape, the logo setup is small (laser engraving approx. USD 20 on stainless steel; a silk-screen plate USD 45–50 for stone tools) and the plate or artwork file is reused for your bulk production — so we absorb part of it when you order. Exactly how much is shared is confirmed on your written quote before you pay anything.
Do I pay shipping for samples?
Courier is quoted separately from the sample fee, so you see both numbers before you confirm. Nothing is charged that was not on your written quote.
How do I know what my sample will cost?
Send us the product link or your artwork. We reply with a written quote showing the sample fee, any logo setup, and the courier cost — and we state in writing whether the fee is refundable or partly deductible for that specific item. Start from any product page, for example the Xiuyan white jade gua sha or the stainless steel fascia knife, or read our stock and lead-time update to see what is ready to sample now.
Ready to Test Us on This?
Pick a product, ask for a sample, and judge us on the quote: real costs, refund terms in writing, no surprises at invoice time. That is what "at cost, for long-term cooperation" means in practice. Contact us with your artwork or product link and we will send the written quote within one working day.
