There are many reasons why you may need to create a sample order, including:

• Sending samples to customers or influencers
• Sending gifts to customers or non-profits
• Sending replacements to customers for lost items or returned packages

All these scenarios have in common that there is no commercial value associated with the items, and the order is not a sale. To designate not-for-sale sample orders, and ensure that there are no duties levied, follow the process outlined below:

Using Shopify as an example, there are two basic ways to enter sample orders:

Option 1: Discounting at the Order Level

The first option to classify a shipment as a sample order is manually discounting the items at the order level in Shopify. Here is how you do this:

Step 1: Create Order & Add Discount

Once you have created the order,

1. Click on the “Add discount” on the order.
2. Add 100% as the discount value and
3. Click “Apply.”

The result will be an order value of zero.

Step 2: Rate and Fulfill the Order

Once the order is completed in Shopify:

1. Go to your FlavorCloud dashboard.
2. Select the order by clicking on the order number (aka “Reference Number”). This will open the order detail screen.
3. Select “Rate Order” to obtain shipping rates.

Note: We recommend fulfilling sample orders (and only sample orders) DDU, i.e., without adding duties/taxes, since typically, no duties/taxes apply to sample orders.

Once you have rated and fulfilled the order, you can ship it. FlavorCloud will automatically:

• identify the shipment as a sample order,
• apply a minimum value to the items, and
• mark the items as a sample order on the commercial invoice.

Option 2: Discount Code at Checkout

The second option to classify a shipment as a sample order is using Shopify’s “Discount” feature.

Step 1: Create a discount code

1. Select the “Discount” tab in your Shopify store and click on the “Create Discount” button.
2. Enter a name for the discount code – such as “Sample” or “gift,”
3. Select “Percentage” in the “Type” section
4. Add 100% in the “Discount Value” field
5. Save your selections.

Step 2: Apply Discount Code

1. Go to your online store,
2. Select the items you would like to have included in your sample order
3. Navigate to the checkout area
4. Enter the name of the discount code in the appropriate field
5. Click Apply

Once you click “Apply,” the discount will be added to the order at checkout. If you select 100% as the value of your discount, the order value will be $0.

Add the contact details and address of the sample order’s recipient, select your shipping service level (Express, Standard), and complete the order.

For a sample, select DDU as the term of service since, typically, no duties apply to sample orders.