Best is to answer the full list of questions given below. If you do not have the requisite information at this stage, give as much information as you can, and ask whatever questions or doubts you have. BUT DO IT NOW. The silliest mistake is to wait to gather more info but if you are at a planning stage and need any type of help, send detailed questions.

If you want SAMPLES, read at the bottom.

If you are a RETAIL buyer, inform :
- your location & phone number
- quantity estimate
- price range or budget
- stone name or type
- image in www.findstone.com/country-stone.htm or on any website
- needed by when
- reason why you can not source through yellow pages

To request a quote for COMMERCIAL QUANTITIES of stone, inform:
- your city, state and phone number
- zip code, if in USA, to calculate delivery costs
- at what price delivered will you definitely place an order? else give price range
- how soon can you order?
- who has to approve the order?
- approximate quantity?
- want to import or buy domestic?
- what is the application? any drawing?
- stone type e.g. marble?
- product e.g. tiles?
- size range? do you want offers in metric or in ft/in.
- surface? e.g. polished, honed, sawn, natural i.e. cleft, flamed, bush-hammered, sand-blasted, chiselled?
- shade variation e.g. standard, minimum, doesn't matter?
- quality? e.g. first / best, commercial, rejects?
- stone trade name?
- country of origin?
- image e.g. on any website?
- date needed by?
- who will inspect?
- will you pay for postage cost of samples?
- your profile

To buy TILES, give additional info e.g.
- Sizes? standard sizes are 30x30x1 cm, 30.5x30.5x1 cm i.e. 12"x12"x1/8",
    40x40x1 cm, 45x45x1.2cm or 16"x16"x1/8", 60x60x2cm, 61x61x2cm i.e.
    2'x2'x1/4". Other sizes are 60x30x1 / 30x15x1 / 15x15x1cm
- free lengths or strips are defined as e.g. 30x1xfree length, etc.
- to get best prices, state that size is irrelevant but inform if you want offers in inches or cm.
- calibrated or not? If glueing, then needed. If fixing with cement, then not necessary.
- chamfered or not?

To buy BLOCKS, also state:
- minimum size
- unacceptable shape types
- unacceptable defects
- how will inspection be done

To specify SANDSTONES, also inform:
- length, width and thickness
- surface finish e.g. cleft, honed or polished
- edges e.g. quarry cut, fine hand cut or machine cut
- thickness i.e. natural split thickness or calibrated thickness

If you need MACHINERY, inform:
- your full contact details - name, address, phone, fax
- what do you want to do? - e.g. cut blocks into slabs or tiles
- do you want new or used machines?
- do you have a preference from which country you wish to buy?
- what level of automation do you want?
- what is your budget?
- when do you want to buy?
- what type of stones are you going to cut, slabs thickness, etc.?
- quantity requested for production per month; and if you have any special specifications?

If you need SAMPLES,
FIRST ensure that the stone image matches your needs and what our member supplier has. So
a) see images in www.findstone.com/country-stone.htm & comment on their suitability
b) if you like an image on any other website, tell us the url of that website page
c) if you have an image of what you would like, then email us that
d) or approve the image sent to you. (If our member supplier has not sent one, then first ask for that)