This guide is for B2B buyers who have received samples or a supplier proposal and are deciding whether to continue working together. The task is to connect the agreed requirements, what the sample actually shows, and the supplier’s explanations. That gives your team a basis for continuing the discussion, requesting changes, or arranging another sample.
Keep the sample, proposal and supporting files together. A positive first impression is useful feedback, but it does not resolve a different configuration, an unanswered packaging question or a missing document reference.
Match the proposal to the project brief
Identify the proposal revision and the sample model or reference before comparing details. Check that they represent the product format and project scope your team intended to evaluate. If the sample differs from the proposal, ask the supplier to identify the difference before treating it as representative of the order.
Use the Private Label Checklist to resolve gaps in the original brief. If the product format itself is still undecided, refer to the reusable versus disposable guide. Keep this review focused on the sample or proposal now in front of you.
Record what the sample actually shows
Give each sample a reference and record when it was received and reviewed. Keep photographs and the relevant proposal or drawing revision with that reference. If several people handle the sample, identify whose observations you are recording rather than combining their comments into a single verdict.
Start with visible condition, the relationship between supplied parts, and the steps described in the instructions for that configuration. Record what you did and what happened. Do not improvise disassembly, refilling or cleaning methods to answer a question that the supplied instructions leave unclear; ask for clarification first.
Separate three kinds of notes:
- Observation: a feature or event you can describe and point to, such as a marking, a component position or what happened during an instructed assembly step. Include the sample reference and a photograph where useful.
- Subjective impression: how handling, appearance or aroma felt to the person reviewing it. Identify the reviewer and context; another person’s preference may differ.
- Open question: something the sample alone cannot establish, such as whether a component is the version proposed for the order. State the question without filling the gap with an assumption.
A handling preference does not establish safety, compliance or service life. If the team wants to use an observation as an acceptance criterion, agree the relevant specification and review method with the supplier rather than inventing a universal score.
Sample Observation and Clarification Log
Use one row per issue and duplicate it as needed. The cells below describe what to enter; they are not sample findings. This is a suggested working template, not an official acceptance standard or an AIRITU test report.
| Agreed configuration or requirement | Actual observation | Difference or open question | Supplier clarification | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requirement and proposal, drawing or sample reference | What was observed; reviewer, date and photo reference | Specific mismatch or information still needed | Dated reply and referenced file; leave blank until received | Action, responsible person and agreed follow-up date |
Keep the original observation when a reply arrives. Add the clarification separately so your team can see what was observed, what was explained and what still needs checking. An explanation may resolve a question about a reference number; a proposed physical change may need another sample.
Confirm the core and refill configuration
AIRITU CORE is designed for use with AIRITU R SERIES products. This series-level relationship does not establish exact fit for every model or make one configuration’s instructions applicable to another.
For an R SERIES sample, ask the supplier to identify the exact model and core configuration, including whether the proposal concerns a prepared core or a bottled-aroma configuration. Use the instructions applicable to that combination. Do not assume that a replacement or refill step applies simply because another product looks similar.
Record any difference between the evaluated configuration and the one proposed for supply. If a different core or component is proposed later, ask which observations remain relevant and which need to be checked again. Keep unanswered compatibility questions visible in the log.
Reconcile customization and packaging
Compare the sample’s branding and packaging with the referenced artwork and proposal. Note the location and appearance of markings, the supplied packaging components and any difference from the agreed presentation. Identify whether each item is intended to demonstrate appearance, construction or the proposed order configuration.
Do not treat a display sample as confirmation of the final pack. Ask the supplier to distinguish included customization from options still under discussion. For AIRITU projects, customization remains subject to feasibility review, artwork approval and quotation.
When a change is requested, name the affected item and revision. Keep the original observation, the requested change and the supplier’s response together. If the change affects something your team needs to handle or inspect, explain that question when discussing a revised sample.
Match documents to the evaluated configuration
Connect each supplied file to the specific product, configuration, formulation, packaging and destination market under review. Use the B2B Buyer Document Review guide for the full document checks.
Here, record the practical consequence of any mismatch: which decision cannot yet be made, and what reference or clarification is needed? A document covering one formulation or product layer does not automatically answer a question about another. If a proposed change affects the file’s scope, ask for that relationship to be checked before relying on it.
Close open questions before the commercial order
Send the supplier a focused set of issues, each tied to a sample reference and a requirement. Include the observation, the difference that matters to your project and the question you need answered. Ask for a dated reply that distinguishes an explanation of the existing sample from a proposed change to future supply.
Review the response against the issue it was meant to resolve. If it points to a revised drawing, specification or quotation, record that revision. If it promises a change, keep the issue open until the agreed evidence is available and your team has reviewed it.
Then choose the next step for the project:
- Continue the commercial discussion when the relevant questions have been answered and the configuration being discussed is clear.
- Request a revised proposal when the scope, customization or commercial terms need to change.
- Discuss another sample when a physical difference or an unanswered handling question needs to be evaluated directly.
Before placing an order, confirm the selected configuration, artwork and packaging references, included scope and commercial terms in writing. Record unresolved items explicitly rather than allowing silence to stand in for agreement.
If another sample is the next step, review AIRITU’s sample request information and use your log to explain exactly what the next sample needs to resolve.