Samples & Evaluation / B2B purchasing
RFID Samples: Fees, Timing & Approval
Start with up to 5 free stock samples to compare available formats. Use custom samples for your approved chip, print or encoding, or request a qualified B2B evaluation kit for a defined trial. Sample selection, freight and any paid work are confirmed before preparation.
01 / Choose the sample route
Sample fees, freight and order credits
The stock-sample offer and the qualified evaluation-kit program serve different stages of a project. Confirm the chosen route and configuration in the sample proposal.
Swipe the table to compare the routes.
| Sample route | Fee basis | Confirm with the request |
|---|---|---|
| Stock samples | Up to 5 stock pieces free. Buyer covers DHL/FedEx freight; published range $25–60. | Confirm the available models, chip options and destination freight before dispatch. |
| Custom samples | $20–80 per piece; the custom sample fee is credited to the bulk purchase order. | Agree the chip, artwork or data work, applicable fee and how the credit will be recorded on the bulk order. |
| Qualified B2B evaluation kits | Larger free evaluation quantities are available by product family and agreed test plan. | Have the sample proposal confirm qualification, selected articles, quantities, included validation and freight. Custom work is scoped separately. |
| Pilot production orders | Quote the approved configuration and quantity; a pilot order is separate from a free evaluation-kit allocation. | Agree production-representative construction, data work, inspection, packaging and delivery. |
How the freight credit works
The buyer-paid stock-sample freight is credited 1:1 against the first production order over $500. Keep the sample quotation and freight reference so the credit can be matched to the qualifying order. Confirm the credited amount in that order’s quotation; the sample item fee, freight and import charges are separate cost lines.
Qualified B2B evaluation quantities
Share the product family, target deployment and validation plan so the team can confirm an appropriate free evaluation kit. These ranges describe the program, rather than an automatic allocation for every inquiry.
- Cards
- 20–50 pieces
- Tags and labels
- 50–200 pieces
- UHF retail pilots
- 100–500 pieces
- Laundry pilots
- 50–200 pieces
The laundry pilot program includes a 50-cycle wash-test arrangement; agree the protocol and acceptance criteria. This pilot activity does not establish the lifetime or combined-process performance of every laundry tag. Confirm the chosen model and project test with the textile laundry model information.
Identify any custom printing, encoding, tooling, test work and freight separately. The agreed sample proposal records what is included in your evaluation kit.
02 / Separate the stages
Preparation time starts before carrier transit
Use the following published baselines to plan the request, then confirm the schedule for the actual stock, customization and destination. Approval, production, transport and local clearance are distinct stages.
Swipe the table to compare timing assumptions.
| Stage | Planning baseline | Starting point and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Stock sample preparation | 1 business day | After the available stock set, requirements and dispatch arrangements are confirmed. |
| Custom sample work | Custom samples (chip encoding or printing) add 3–5 business days | For the agreed chip encoding or printing work after its inputs are approved. Tooling or special materials may require a separate schedule. |
| Pilot batch production | Pilot batches ship in 7–15 business days | After the pilot specification, material availability, approvals and applicable payment terms are confirmed. |
| Express transit | 2–5 days by DHL / FedEx as a planning estimate | After carrier collection. Confirm the destination service; clearance, remote delivery and disruptions can extend arrival. |
An urgent request should state the required arrival date and the consequence of missing it. Have the team confirm sample readiness and the carrier service before relying on an arrival window. See shipping and delivery planning for clearance and destination responsibilities.
From Brief To Approval
How sample selection becomes an approved specification
The steps below show the decisions in order. Preparation, transit and your own evaluation are separate stages; they do not form a fixed total project duration.
Agree the sample brief
Share the product, operating conditions and decision the sample must support. Confirm whether the proposed stock selection is sufficient or whether a custom configuration or larger evaluation kit is needed.
Confirm the sample offer and costs
The standard allowance is up to 5 free stock pieces. Confirm any custom-sample charge, B2B evaluation-kit qualification, buyer-paid freight and applicable production-order credit before work starts.
Approve inputs and prepare samples
Stock preparation is 1 business day from confirmation of a ready brief and available sample selection. Custom samples (chip encoding or printing) add 3–5 business days after chip and artwork approval. Confirm the relevant preparation schedule for the selected configuration.
Dispatch and evaluate in the intended system
Confirm tracking and destination arrangements, then test the actual reader, mounting and operating process. Keep observed results separate from appearance approval, and record any limitations or configuration changes.
Approve the pilot or production specification
Resolve test findings and approve the chip, construction, data and artwork revision before the next order. Pilot batches ship in 7–15 business days; confirm the production-ready inputs and dispatch schedule for that pilot.
Your Sample Brief
Send the details that make a sample useful
The brief should identify what the sample must prove and who will approve it. Technical and commercial requirements can then be confirmed together.
- Identify the product family, intended application and the specific question the sample must answer.
- Share the reader or system model, chip or protocol requirement, and non-secret encoding or credential profile where relevant.
- Describe the mounting surface, handling, temperature, washing or chemical exposure that the finished product must tolerate.
- Provide artwork, numbering and packaging requirements, and state whether a stock comparison or final-design sample is required.
- Define the trial quantities, acceptance criteria and responsible technical approver; include the expected production quantity separately.
- Provide the destination and recipient details, preferred courier arrangement and target date so sample charges and freight can be confirmed.
Share specifications and non-sensitive examples. Keep live access keys, credential dumps, member records and account credentials out of the inquiry.
Build a sample request around your actual test
Send the product family, reader or system requirement, environment, requested quantity and destination. We will confirm the sample path, applicable charges, preparation and freight before you approve it.
Plan Your Sample RequestBuyer questions
Sample costs, timing and approval
Are standard RFID stock samples free?
Free stock samples (up to 5 pieces) — buyer covers DHL/FedEx freight ($25–60), refunded 1:1 against the first production order over $500. This standard allowance covers the agreed available stock selection. Confirm the selected products and freight before dispatch; a free stock sample does not include custom printing or encoding by default.
What do custom RFID samples cost, and is the fee credited?
Custom samples cost $20–80 per piece, with the sample fee credited to the bulk PO. Agree the chip, artwork, numbering or encoding and the exact sample charge before preparation. The custom-sample fee credit and the standard sample-freight credit are separate items, so identify each applicable item in the quotation.
Can a B2B project receive a larger free evaluation kit?
Yes, qualified B2B evaluations can receive larger free kits: cards 20–50 pieces; tags and labels 50–200 pieces; uhf retail pilots 100–500 pieces; laundry pilots 50–200 pieces. Eligibility, the test purpose, product mix and offered quantity are confirmed for the project. These are evaluation-kit ranges, not an automatic allowance for every request or a production MOQ. Freight arrangements are confirmed separately.
How long do sample preparation, pilot production and transport take?
Stock preparation is 1 business day once the brief and available selection are agreed. Custom samples (chip encoding or printing) add 3–5 business days after chip and artwork approval. Pilot batches ship in 7–15 business days, subject to the agreed production-ready inputs. The transport planning estimate is DHL / FedEx express, 2–5 days; it starts after dispatch and is not a guaranteed arrival date. Allow separately for destination clearance or other delivery delays and for your own testing.
What should the sample approval record prove?
Record the actual chip, finished construction, reader or system, data format and operating conditions tested, together with the accepted result and approval owner. For laundry pilot kits, the programme includes a 50-cycle wash-test arrangement; agree the protocol and acceptance criteria; this evaluates the agreed process rather than establishing a general lifetime or wash-cycle warranty. A sample that differs from the production specification must be identified as such.
Who pays sample freight, and how do payment and credit work?
The buyer pays standard DHL/FedEx sample freight of $25–60. That freight is credited 1:1 against the first production order over $500. PayPal accepted for sample orders under $500. Confirm the applicable sample charges, freight and credit items in the offer; larger evaluation-kit shipping arrangements and any customization are confirmed for that project.