If a supplier offers a stamp sample and you agree its terms, record exactly which attributes your team reviewed. A useful approval names the sample, the purpose and the evidence. It leaves every untested attribute open rather than treating one favorable observation as approval of the full order.
This guide is a buyer-owned record template. It does not state that A Stamp Seller offers samples, free samples or any particular sample service. Availability, cost, delivery and how a reference relates to an eventual order require separate confirmation.
Give the reference its own identity
Record a reference code, receipt date, catalog link and the supplier’s description of what was supplied. Distinguish a physical sample from a photograph or digital mockup. A photograph can show a particular view; it does not provide the same evidence as examining both sides of a physical item.
The Earth Day 100-piece catalog entry is an inquiry reference. Its current package wording asks buyers to confirm sheet count and total pieces. Attach the exact catalog link to the sample record, but do not assume that a sample has the catalog’s proposed selling-unit contents.
Before a physical reference is dispatched, separately discuss the sample retention or return arrangement; approving an attribute does not decide who keeps the item.
Approve attributes one at a time
| Attribute | Evidence checked | Decision for the named purpose | Still unassessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visible subject arrangement | Dated front image of reference A | Accepted for the proposed display layout | Reverse condition and shipment-wide consistency |
| Physical arrangement | Buyer observation of reference A | Record whether the observed arrangement suits the project | Whether the final offered goods have that arrangement |
| Selling-unit contents | No confirmed count record | Open; no approval recorded | Current package conversion |
| Intended-use eligibility | No item-specific verification in this example | Open | Any evidence required for the actual purpose |
These are hypothetical review entries, not observations of a supplied sample. Replace them with actual evidence and add the reviewer and date to each decision. Avoid a single “approved” box at the top of the sheet: it hides which questions the reviewer was able to answer.
Write a scope-limited approval statement
A buyer might write: “Reference A was reviewed for the front-facing subject arrangement shown in photograph A-1. That arrangement is accepted for our proposed display layout. Package quantity, reverse condition, final-lot consistency and intended-use eligibility remain unresolved. This record is subject to confirmation of how the reference relates to the goods offered.”
Use the words your evidence supports. “Observed on reference A” is more precise than “all goods will match.” Ask the supplier whether the reference is representative, selected for illustration, or proposed as the basis for a particular agreed specification. Record the answer without extending its scope.
Keep the reference and decision together
Retain the dated photographs, the supplier’s description, review sheet and any agreed specification in one record. Identify who holds the physical reference, if one exists. Do not alter or separate it in a way that makes later comparison unreliable without recording that change.
When the proposed lot, design, format or package changes, identify which approved attributes may be affected. Reopen those fields and request new evidence. A different item reference should not inherit approval simply because its catalog title looks similar.
Compare a later delivery only within the agreed scope
At receiving, state which attributes can actually be compared with the retained reference and which require other records. Record a difference as an observation before deciding what it means under the order terms. An internal sample review does not by itself establish a supplier warranty, a remedy, authenticity or postal validity.
Ask A Stamp Seller about a reference-based inquiry with the exact catalog link, intended purpose and attributes you need to assess. First confirm whether a sample or other evidence is available and on what terms, then use the record to keep the resulting decision narrow and traceable.