China Quality Inspection Guide

Why Quality Inspection is Essential

Even with a verified supplier and clear purchase order, production defects happen. Common issues found during inspections:

• Incorrect dimensions or weight
• Wrong colors or surface finishes
• Functional defects in electronic products
• Packaging and labeling errors
• Missing accessories or parts
• Material substitution (lower quality than specified)
• Quantity shortfalls

The critical advantage of pre-shipment inspection: problems are discovered while goods are still in China, where corrections are cheap. Once goods are shipped, correcting quality problems costs 10–50x more.

Types of Quality Inspection

1. Pre-Production Inspection (PPI)

Conducted before production begins to verify that raw materials, components, and production setup are correct.

• Checks raw material quality and quantity
• Verifies tooling, molds, and equipment setup
• Confirms specifications understanding with factory
• Reviews any previous production samples

Best for: OEM/custom products, first-time orders with a new factory, products with strict material specifications.

2. During Production Inspection (DUPRO)

Conducted when 10–40% of production is complete. Allows correction of issues before they affect the entire batch.

• Random sampling of produced units
• Production process observation
• Early defect detection
• Capacity verification against timeline

Best for: Large orders, complex products, orders from suppliers with past quality issues.

3. Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) — Most Common

Conducted when 100% of production is complete and goods are packed, ready for shipment. This is the most commonly used inspection type.

What PSI covers:

• Quantity verification
• Visual appearance and workmanship
• Dimensional check (using measuring tools)
• Function test
• Packaging and labeling review
• Carton drop test
• Barcode/label scanning
• Certification marking verification

Best for: All orders above $3,000–$5,000 USD.

4. Container Loading Inspection (CLI)

Inspector is present during container loading to verify correct goods, quantities, and loading quality.

• Confirms goods loaded match approved goods from PSI
• Verifies quantity against packing list
• Documents container condition before loading
• Supervises proper stacking and securing

Best for: Fragile goods, high-value orders, or when you have doubts about the loading process.

AQL Sampling Standards Explained

AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) is an international standard (ISO 2859) that defines how many units to inspect from a batch and the maximum allowable defect rate.

AQL Level — Which to Choose?

AQL Level	Strictness	Best For
AQL 1.0	Very Strict	Safety-critical products, medical devices, high-value electronics
AQL 2.5	Standard	Consumer goods, apparel, accessories, most imported products
AQL 4.0	Lenient	Bulk commodities, construction materials, low-value goods

Defect Classifications

AQL inspection classifies defects into three severity levels:

• Critical Defects (AQL 0.0): Safety hazards, illegal items, unusable products. Zero tolerance — any critical defect = rejection.
• Major Defects (AQL 2.5): Functional problems, significant appearance issues, incorrect labeling. Likely rejected by end customers.
• Minor Defects (AQL 4.0): Small cosmetic issues unlikely to affect function or customer satisfaction.

Sample Size Calculation

For a batch of 1,000 units inspected at AQL 2.5 (normal inspection):

• Sample size: ~80 units inspected
• Acceptance number: 5 major defects maximum (6+ = rejection)
• Critical defects: 0 allowed

What's In An Inspection Report?

A professional inspection report includes:

• Inspection date, factory name, inspector name
• Product description and purchase order reference
• Total quantity inspected vs. total production quantity
• Sample size and sampling method
• Checklist results for each inspection criterion
• Defect count by category (critical/major/minor)
• AQL pass/fail result
• Minimum 50 photos covering all aspects
• Inspector's recommendation: PASS, FAIL, or CONDITIONAL

ChinaBajar delivers inspection reports with 50–100+ photos within 24 hours of inspection.

How to Act on Inspection Results

If PASS:

Pay the balance (typically 70% remaining payment) and authorize shipment. Goods meet your quality standards.

If CONDITIONAL:

Inspector found issues below rejection level but worth noting. Decide whether to accept, request partial correction, or negotiate a price reduction.

If FAIL:

• Stop payment — do NOT pay the 70% balance
• Request factory corrects all defects
• Schedule re-inspection (typically at factory cost if clearly their fault)
• Negotiate compensation for any non-correctable defects
• Consider switching supplier if repeated failures occur

Quality Inspection Costs

Inspection Type	Cost	Timeline
Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI)	$150–$300 per factory visit	24-hour report delivery
During Production Inspection (DUPRO)	$150–$300 per factory visit	24-hour report delivery
Pre-Production Inspection (PPI)	$150–$250 per factory visit	24-hour report delivery
Container Loading Inspection (CLI)	$100–$200 per supervision	Same-day report
Factory Audit	$300–$600 per factory	48-hour report delivery

The return on investment for inspection is enormous — finding 500 defective units at the factory costs $200 in inspection; shipping back and replacing those goods would cost thousands.