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How to Create and Manage Sample Orders

Try before you sell! This step-by-step guide teaches you how to order a product sample with AutoDS and create and manage your sample orders.

Introduction

AutoDS enables users to create Sample Orders directly from multiple product and draft views. This feature allows you to send product samples to customers or yourself for evaluation before committing to full-scale sales.

In this guide, you'll learn how to:

  • Initiate a Sample Order from various pages.
  • Understand the prerequisites for using this feature.
  • Navigate the order creation process.
  • Troubleshoot common issues.

Benefits

  • Product Evaluation: Test product quality and shipping times before listing them in your store.
  • Customer Assurance: Provide samples to potential customers, increasing trust and conversion rates.
  • Streamlined Process: Utilize AutoDS's automation features to manage sample orders efficiently.

Important to Know

  • Ordering a sample through AutoDS is a quick and convenient option, but please keep in mind that you’ll be responsible for covering the full cost of the product and its shipping. AutoDS simply places the order on your behalf with the supplier.

  • You cannot request sourcing for sample orders. This option will be added in a future update.

  • Editing the product is disabled. The Edit Product button in the Orders tab will be greyed out for sample orders, since these products cannot be edited.

  • No cancellation confirmation for eBay sample orders.
    If your sample order is connected to eBay and you move it to Cancelled status, you won’t see the usual pop-up asking if you’d like to cancel it on eBay as well. This is because sample orders don’t actually exist on your eBay store, so no cancellation is needed.

Quick Jump

Prerequisites

Before creating a Sample Order, please make sure that:

  • Currency: The product is listed in USD.
  • Supported Suppliers: Sample orders are only available for suppliers supported by Fulfilled by AutoDS (FBA).
    📘 Learn more about the Fulfilled by AutoDS (FBA) service
  • Order Processor Add-on: You must have the Order Processor Add-on enabled. Without it, attempting to create a Sample Order will prompt a modal suggesting its activation.
  • Add sufficient balance: To allow AutoDS to place orders on your behalf, make sure your account has enough balance. This amount will cover the full cost of purchasing the product from the supplier, including the item price and shipping fees (if included).
  • Add Auto-order credits: These credits enable the automation of the sample order, including the automatic fulfillment, conversion, and updating of tracking information.
  • Supplier Settings Order Automation:

    For AliExpress and Amazon US only:
    You must enable both options in the Supplier Settings:
    ✅ “Process orders using Fulfilled by AutoDS”
    ✅ “Automatic Orders (requires a buy account or Fulfilled by AutoDS order management)”
    ❌ If both options are not enabled, and you don’t have a buyer account, the order will stay in Pending status.
    → You’ll need to manually change it to Send to Auto-Order after enabling automation.

    If you enable only the second option “Automatic Orders (requires a buy account or Fulfilled by AutoDS order management)” and have an active buyer account, the Sample Order will be placed using your buyer account (not FBA).

    For other supported suppliers (not Amazon US or AliExpress):
     • Even if no options are enabled, the system will place the Sample Order using Fulfilled by AutoDS (FBA).

Place a Sample Order using your buyer Account:

If you want to place a Sample Order using your own buyer account for Amazon US or AliExpress:

  1. Enable only the option on the supplier settings: “Automatic Orders (requires a buy account or Fulfilled by AutoDS order management)”

  2. Save the changes.

  3. Create the Sample Order.

  4. Go to the Orders Page, change the status:
    ➡ From “In Order Progress” → “Pending”
    ➡ Then to “Send to Auto-Order”


Step-by-Step Guide

Access Points

You can initiate a Sample Order from the following pages:

    1. Marketplace → Product Details Page
    2. Marketplace → Hand-Picked Products → Product Details Page
    3. Marketplace → Trending Products → Product Details Page
    4. Print On Demand → Product Details Page
    5. Drafts → Drafts List
    6. Products → Products List
    7. Products → Edit Product
    8. Sourcing Details Page

    Click the "Create Sample Order" button on these pages to begin.

    Sample Order Creation Process

    Store Selection: If multiple stores are connected, select the desired store. The chosen store's settings will apply to the order.

    Step 1: Order Details

    To successfully place a sample order, you’ll need to fill in all required fields. Below is an overview of each section and its details:

    • Image and Title: Displayed automatically and cannot be edited.
    • Attributes: Select the relevant product options (e.g., size, color) if applicable.
    • Supplier and Warehouse: Displayed automatically and cannot be edited.
    • Quantity: Enter the desired quantity (default is “1”).
    • Item Price and Total: Automatically calculated based on product and shipping costs.

    Step 2: Customer Information

    It’s essential to fill in this section accurately. Use only the Roman alphabet and avoid abbreviations. All fields are mandatory:

    • First Name and Last Name
    • Address Line 1
    • Country, State/Province, City, and Zip Code
    • Phone Number

    Note: Incomplete or incorrectly formatted data may result in order processing errors.

    Step 3: Advanced Settings

    This section allows you to customize how the order will be processed. Your store defines these settings by default, but can be adjusted per order:

    • Tracking Conversion: If you want AutoDS to convert the tracking number, select the preferred option from the dropdown. Learn more about tracking conversion here.

    • Maximum Shipping Days: Set the maximum number of shipping days based on your business needs and shipping policies. Products that exceed this timeframe may be marked as “On Hold.”

    • Max Buy Item Price: Define the highest amount you’re willing to pay for this item. Orders exceeding this price will not be processed.

    • Include Shipping Price: Enable this option if you want the shipping cost to be included in the total product price.

      Important: If this setting is disabled and the product includes a shipping fee, the order will fail. In that case, you can send the order to Auto-order on the Orders Page.

    • Prime Only (Amazon suppliers only): Activate this option to limit the purchase to products that are eligible for Amazon Prime. This ensures faster delivery and other Prime-exclusive benefits.

    • Hide Advanced Settings: You can collapse this section to simplify the view once all settings are confirmed.

    Step 4: Finalize Order

    • Click "Create" to submit the order.
    • If required fields are missing, hovering over the "Create" button will display the missing information.

    Address Error


    Possible Issues & Workarounds

    • Missing Order Processor Add-on: If you attempt to create a Sample Order without the add-on, a modal will prompt you to activate it.

    • Insufficient Balance: If your order total exceeds your AutoDS balance, a warning modal will appear with a link to load more funds before completing the order.


    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

    Q: Can I create a Sample Order without the Order Processor Add-on?
    A: No. The Order Processor Add-on is required to create and process sample orders. If you don’t have it activated, the system will prompt you to purchase it before proceeding.

    Q: Will Sample Orders appear in my selling channel or sync with my store?
    A: No. Sample Orders are not connected to any selling channel and won’t appear or synchronize with them.

    Q: Do Sample Orders count toward my store’s sold quantity statistics?
    A: No. Sample Orders are not counted in your overall order statistics on the dashboard and do not affect product-level metrics such as “Sold” or “DWS” on the Products page.

    Q: Can I choose which store settings to apply when creating a Sample Order?
    A: Yes. If you have more than one store, you’ll be prompted to select one before creating the order. The selected store’s advanced settings will be used by default, but they can also be customized in the order form.

    Q: What happens if my balance or auto-order is too low to complete a Sample Order?
    A: A warning modal will appear informing you that your current balance or credits are insufficient. You'll be able to click a link to load more funds before completing the order.

    Q: Can I edit the store after starting a Sample Order?
    A: If the Sample Order was created from Marketplace, the store can be selected or edited. However, if it was created from Drafts or the Products page, the store is fixed and cannot be changed.

    Q: What is shown in the Orders page for Sample Orders?
    A: Sample Orders will appear with empty “Sell Item ID” and “Sell Order ID” fields. Tooltips explain that these orders are not linked to a selling channel.

    Q: What happens if I leave the Sample Order page before completing it?
    A: A confirmation modal will appear to prevent accidental loss of progress, asking if you’re sure you want to leave the page.

     

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