How do you place a repeat order without the colour drifting?
The usual problem with a repeat order is not price, it is colour. A new block batch means a new colour code. Samples, material reservation and a transition batch decide whether the second order matches the first.
Why does colour drift on a repeat order?
Because stone is sold by batch. When the previous batch runs out, the next comes from the pit with differences in base tone, density of black spots and veining direction. Same stone and same G number does not mean same colour batch. This is not the supplier doing it badly; it is the nature of the material. What you can do is manage it, not eliminate it.
How do you keep a sample that is actually useful?
Three points: cut it from the batch actually delivered rather than making a special piece; make it large enough to show veining direction, not a palm-sized offcut; and cut three pieces from the same slab — one for you, one for the supplier, one for site. All three signed or photographed by both sides. If only the supplier holds one, you have nothing physical to compare against later.
Must a repeat order go through sample approval again?
Yes, without exception. Even two months later, have the supplier make a sample from the new batch and send it for approval. What you are approving is whether the difference from the previous batch is acceptable, not whether it is identical. A few days here saves a whole-container rejection later.
How do you handle the transition between batches?
If the project is continuous, for example one wall delivered in two batches, have the supplier plan the transition location in advance: put the new batch at a visual break such as a corner, a floor line or a change of function. Ask for comparison photos with both batches side by side before deciding the layout. That beats discovering a colour band down the middle after arrival.
Does the repeat order price change?
Yes. Block price, processing cost and exchange rate can all move, so a repeat order is normally re-quoted at current prices rather than carrying the old one forward. To stabilise it, agree on the first order that the same price holds for a repeat within a stated number of months and quantity, but give the supplier a reason to accept, such as reserving block in one go.
Where can a repeat order save time?
In sampling and approval, provided your records are complete: the previous specification sheet, approved sample, colour code record, packing requirements and document templates. With those, the supplier does not re-ask everything and production can be slotted in directly. Without them, a repeat order is as slow as the first.