Write a 1688 product specification your supplier can confirm

Give the order one current product reference

A listing link and a message saying ‘same as the picture’ leave important details open. Create a specification that identifies the exact product you intend to buy. Give it a SKU, revision number and date. Keep the supplier’s model reference alongside your own. WorldFirst’s UK sourcing guidance recommends written specifications covering dimensions, materials, colours, packaging and testing requirements. The worksheet below turns those headings into a practical buying record. Adapt the fields to your product and intended use.

• WorldFirst UK: Building a resilient global sourcing strategy

Define the attributes that decide acceptance

Describe the product through features the supplier can confirm and the checking team can assess. Replace vague instructions such as ‘good finish’ with the appearance or defect criteria you want reviewed. Identify which parts are included and whether a colour reference or sample governs the comparison. Keep intended use and any required testing or documentation in the brief. Agree how those requirements will be assessed before ordering. A visual inspection can report the features in its scope; specialist requirements need a defined assessment.

Agree how a measurement will be taken

A dimension needs a unit, a measuring point and an agreed acceptance range where variation is allowed. Clarify whether a size describes the product, its usable space or its package. Ask the supplier to confirm the proposed method and whether it suits the item. For a flexible product, the condition in which it is measured may matter. Save a marked drawing or reference photo when words leave room for interpretation. Set tolerances for the actual order rather than borrowing an unrelated product’s limits.

• WorldFirst UK: How to buy and sell from China

Keep the unit, pack and carton quantities separate

State what one saleable unit contains. Then record the units in an inner pack and outer carton, if those packing stages apply. Include the required labels and the reference used for their artwork. Request packed carton dimensions and weights for shipment planning, with a clear status when they remain estimates. A different pack count can affect both the quantity received and the receiving work. Confirm packaging changes before approving the supplier’s final offer or asking for a freight quotation.

Use a versioned worksheet for one SKU

This invented example describes SKU-TR01, a plain desk tray, under specification revision R2. The dimensions and acceptance range illustrate how to write a requirement; they are not a recommended product standard. Each row needs a supplier response. If the supplier proposes bulk packing instead of individual cartons, keep that proposal pending until you approve a revised specification. Record the supplier’s acknowledgement and your approval against R2 so the quotation and checking brief refer to the same configuration.

Connect the sample to the features it represents

An approved sample should have an identifiable reference, location and approval record. State which features it governs, such as finish appearance or the fit of two parts. Record differences that remain between the sample and the planned order. If a dimension in the written specification conflicts with the sample, resolve it and update the reference before purchasing. Give the person performing checks access to the approved version and relevant sample evidence. Approval should describe what was assessed and any conditions still open.

Resolve exceptions before issuing the purchasing version

A supplier may confirm most fields while leaving one requirement open. Mark that exception beside the affected attribute and ask for a specific answer. If a requested material is unavailable, record the proposed replacement and the evidence you need to review it. Keep the purchasing version pending until the relevant decision is made. Once approved, send the complete revision to everyone using it so a corrected page cannot be separated from the rest of the order requirements.

Control changes after a quotation is issued

Ask the supplier to flag any proposed change to the agreed product, packing or dispatch requirements. Describe the change, identify the affected units and obtain its price or timing implications. Issue a new revision when the change is accepted. Retain the previous file with a clear superseded status. Confirm who can approve changes and how that decision reaches the purchasing and checking teams. A new chat message becomes useful evidence when it identifies the requirement being changed and the approval given.

• WorldFirst Malaysia: Paying 1688 suppliers (order-confirmation context)

Questions before you order

Sources & further guidance

• WorldFirst UK: Building a resilient global sourcing strategy
• WorldFirst UK: How to buy and sell from China
• WorldFirst Malaysia: Paying 1688 suppliers (order-confirmation context)

These references provide platform, payment or import background. The purchasing checklists are our practical guidance. Check the current terms and official requirements for your product and destination.