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How do you handle samples in DEAR?

started a topic over 5 years ago

Many businesses send samples.  How do you do it using DEAR?


Here are some ways I have seen it done:


a) Although not optimal, one way to deal with this is to create separate SKUs for samples which have a BOM of the product for which it is a sample and sets the GL accounts as desired, for example setting the COGS account.  The sample products can be auto-assembled when sold, or bulk assembled to have on-hand stock and put in a samples area of your warehouse.


b) Write-off sales using an Inventory Write-off, for example, when offering samples at a show.


c) Set the price to zero or whatever amount is appropriate. 


d) Have a "Sample" price tier.


e) Set the discount of the line item for the sample to zero or whatever amount is appropriate. 



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  • As as for example buy 5 get 1 free. We add a 2nd line item and set discout to be 100%.
  • Oops.  Mohammad makes me realize that what I meant for (E) in my original post is:


    e) Set the discount of the line item for the sample to 100% or whatever amount is appropriate

  • more important to how to do it, i think, is how to do it in a programmatic way so it is standarized and simple to account for anytime it happens from the moment it is requested at the source.  When a business is sending samples on a large scale, this becomes quickly a pain point.


    This is a big friction point since you spend time entering information that is very manual and staff doing it are usually not trained on the subject.


    The ideal solution uses the B2B portal (but looks like a time investment) or integrate from a 3rd party. DEAR input , although possible, is usually the last resort , since if a transaction is entered at that level, that means it is a manual transaction.

  • Kurt,


    Good point on having people order samples on the B2B portal.  In this case, do you have a separate SKU for sales to allow for the ordering of samples?  Also, how do you limit the ordering of samples?  Do you have a separate portal for samples vs paid wholesale orders?


    What do you mean by "integrate from a 3rd party"?  An example?


    Even when the sale comes through a B2B portal or other sales channel, there are times that samples get manually added to the order by a sale person.  And, there are plenty of businesses that are manually entering wholesale sales order into DEAR.


  • RE: separate SKU for samples - we don't. The least desirable situation, in my opinion, is to let processes (such as samples) dictate how you manage one's SKU library. That can lead to a lot of problems very quickly.


    We don't have a separate portal, but we would like to , so 2 types of users (3rd party or internal) could order. The limit can be placed on the backend easily. We have thought of using DEAR B2B portal for this, but no time ATM to research.


    "integrate from a 3rd party" - use shopify as a portal in lieu of B2B , with the same goal (sync sample orders along with real orders).


    there are times that samples get manually added to the order by a sale person.  - Agree , but it is problematic

    And, there are plenty of businesses that are manually entering wholesale sales order into DEAR.Agree , this includes us, but it is problematic for many reasons as well as unsustainable for business with big order volume (like us)



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