If you take a look at the spec sheet for that particular line (PDF here, down in the 'Installation and Pricing' section), you'll see that it is rated as having high shade variation (V3).

That is within the realm of normal batch variation, especially for a V3.

Here's a graphic with examples for V1 through V4.

Tile Shade Variations

More examples

It’s AO/Daltile. It’s par for the course to have quite a few variances in their budget tiles.

I was interested in a Daltile color that came in a porcelain floor tile and a ceramic wall tile. I did see a color difference in the porcelain vs. the ceramic when I saw both boards at a different tile store. I ordered a ceramic sample and was sent a porcelain sample instead. I'm not sure what happened but I went with a different tile so I didn't pursue it.

Did you order the 9 x 12, which is the size the wall tile comes in, or the 12 x 12 or 18 x 18 porcelain tile? If you only saw the porcelain tile sample and they told you it came in 9 x 12, they should have ordered you a ceramic tile sample.

I don't think this is a question of typical shade variation.

Another thing I'd do is compare the pinkish one to their Beige color. It could be mislabeled as beige usually has a pink tone.

Thanks for all of the feedback. I knew it was a V3, so I expected some shade variation, but I was under the impression that meant variation in light vs. dark...not a completely different tone. The sample board showed the one large tile in the color I selected, plus a small arrangement of the mosaic tiles (which did not show any pink). The sample was a porcelain floor tile 12x12, and what we ordered was a ceramic wall tile 9x12. The flooring supplier ordered everything... I just picked off the boards....so I didn't know that it was a completely different material and didn't ask for a sample of the ceramic. I will the next time we do something like this!

Toby - I think that you are spot on...their beige color that is offered does have a pink tone. The manufacture rep said its a "1 in 1000 chance that the box was mislabeled"...but that is what my first thought was too.

Live and learn, I guess!

What if you were going to tile a bathroom floor in the porcelain and the shower in the ceramic--a gray floor and pink walls? You know the manufacturer doesn't intend that to be the case.

Are you sending them back?

Yes...my flooring supplier is going to take them back...whether they will resell them or try to return them, I don't know. I ordered a new tile... had to find one that was in stock, not too far away, and had enough to do two shower surrounds...settled on Continent coastal sand by Florida Tile. My floor tile is from the same line and I like the way that came in, so I'm crossing my fingers this one is ok!

I did consider just using the same on the floor and the walls, actually...I'm doing that in my master in a white tile and I think it will look awesome!

I think sample boards can be misleading.

Here's the sample board we loved when picking tiles for our mudroom, powder room, and back hall:

And here's the install in our back hall:

I've grown to love it, but was shocked when I first saw the installation. (We weren't living in the house during the reno, so I didn't see the tiles until the installation was nearly done.)

My opinion (admittedly not worth much!) is that if the tile vendor thinks the sample board is the best look, that's what they should sell! If they think the product is great as sold, then the sample board should reflect that. Consumers really need to dig into the details when buying, and I didn't know what I didn't know at the time we picked the tiles.