Mitigate potential risks and ensure your exported goods meet your specifications

When sourcing goods from China for export to your country, ensuring the accuracy of the products is of utmost importance. Although it may not happen frequently, there is a possibility of unintended discrepancies between what you ordered and what you receive. As a buyer, it’s vital to be aware that before your goods depart from your supplier’s warehouse, you still have an opportunity to address any issues or replace incorrect batches. However, once the goods have left the supplier’s facility, there is no turning back. To mitigate potential risks and ensure your exported goods meet your specifications, conducting a pre-shipment inspection becomes crucial. This inspection allows you to verify that the products align with your requirements and are precisely what you ordered.

What is Pre-Shipment inspection?

Pre-Shipment inspection services (PSI) also known as Pre-Delivery inspection (PDI) or Final Random inspection (FRI) is a quality inspection service which confirms quality and general status of your order after the manufacturing finished.

Pre-shipment inspection and quality control are commonly performed at the supplier’s factory after the production order is 100% complete and the products are ready for final export packing.

Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is a type of quality control inspection that involves randomly selecting samples of a product from different boxes or pallets. This inspection is typically performed when at least 10% of the product packaging for export has been completed, unless the client requests otherwise.

What are the types of pre-shipment inspection, and where can they be conducted?

The types and methods of pre-shipment inspection depend on the quality control and quality assurance requirements of the clients. At China Look Group, we typically use the internationally recognized statistical sampling procedure called “Acceptable Quality Limit” (AQL), which we confirm with clients before fulfilling the pre-delivery inspection process.

PSI inspection services can be conducted at a location agreed upon by the client and supplier. The service can be performed at the supplier’s factory, product storage warehouse, third-party warehouse, trading company representative office, import and export representative agency in China, and other similar locations.

Pre-shipment inspection checklist:

• Quality: China Look Group verifies the function, appearance, and measurements of the products.
• Quantity: During the inspection we verify that the quantity of products is according to the purchase order.
• Packaging: We verify the packaging method and materials supplier used for it, to ensure that they meet the required standards and are safe for export.
• Labeling: The correct labeling and shipping marks are checked during the inspection.
• Storage: The final product warehouse and pre-shipping storage conditions are verified to ensure that they are suitable for the intermediary product storage.

Why Conduct Pre-Shipment Inspection and How Does it Benefit You?

Pre-shipment inspection is a crucial step in ensuring the quality and conformity of the goods you import from China. By verifying that your supplier has produced and prepared your order according to your set standards and requirements, you can avoid costly mistakes and prevent quality issues from arising later on.

A final inspection is typically conducted before you transfer the final payment to your supplier. This is an ideal time to check for any defects or potential errors before the goods leave your supplier’s warehouse and are shipped to you. Once the products have left the factory, it can be challenging to reverse any issues or defects.

Therefore, China Look Group team recommends conducting a pre-shipment inspection before transferring the final payment and before the products leave your supplier’s factory. This will provide you with peace of mind knowing that the goods meet your quality standards and reduce the risk of unexpected problems arising once they arrive.

In conclusion, Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) is a crucial step to ensure the quality of goods sourced from China. By verifying the products’ compliance with your standards before they leave the supplier’s facility, you can prevent costly mistakes and ensure customer satisfaction. Conducting a comprehensive inspection with China Look Group’s checklist confirms the product’s quality, quantity, packaging, labeling, and storage conditions, reducing risks and reinforcing a solid foundation for exporting top-notch goods.

Thank you for sticking with us till the end. We encourage you to take bold but smartly calculated actions in your China business. Keep learning constantly and achieve new business heights every day!