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Preparing for a pre-shipment inspection
Updated 2026-10-18 · China
A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) answers one question: does this lot, as sampled, conform to the agreed specification? It does not answer "is the factory good", "will the goods last five years" or "is the certification valid". Understanding what it can and cannot decide is what makes the report useful — and what stops a buyer from treating "passed inspection" as a substitute for their own specification work.
In short
- Inspection is sample-based. It gives you a statistical decision on the lot, not a certificate for every unit.
- Book it against packed, finished goods. Inspecting before production is finished means inspecting something that will change.
- The approved sample is the reference. Without a sealed, agreed sample, conformance has no baseline.
- Most failures are paperwork and packaging, not product failure. Marks, labels, quantities and packing are checked, and they are where lots fail.
What a PSI checks
| Area | What is checked | Why it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity and packing | Carton count, units per carton, packing list match | Short shipment, wrong carton configuration |
| Product specification | Dimensions, materials, function, appearance against the approved sample | Specification never written down; sample not kept |
| Marking and labelling | Shipping marks, labels, language, warnings | Marks missing or mismatched; destination-language labels not applied |
| Function test | Basic operation, controls, safety checks per the standard | Units not tested before packing; known defects not sorted out |
| Packaging integrity | Carton strength, drop/compression check where applicable | Cheap cartons; insufficient protection for the route |
When to book it
The inspection has to happen when the lot is complete and packed, and early enough that a failure can still be fixed before the vessel cut-off. Book it against the production completion date, not the loading date, and leave time for a re-inspection if the first one fails.
- Book after the factory confirms the lot is 100% packed — partial lots produce ambiguous reports.
- Leave space between the inspection date and the cut-off; a failed first inspection needs a second cycle.
- Send the inspector the specification, the approved sample reference and the packing list in advance.
What to prepare
- A written specification — dimensions, materials, performance, packaging, labelling.
- The sealed approved sample, with its reference recorded.
- The final packing list with carton counts and shipping marks.
- Any certification or test report the inspector is asked to verify against the goods.
- A named contact at the factory who can open cartons and run the units.
Why lots fail
- No approved sample. The inspector compares against a catalogue photo, which proves nothing.
- Inspection too early. Goods are still being packed; the lot sampled is not the lot shipped.
- Shipping marks missing or wrong. The cartons cannot be matched to the packing list.
- Labels in the wrong language. Destination labelling requirements are checked, and pre-printed packaging cannot be fixed quickly.
- A known defect not sorted. A percentage of units with a visible defect that the factory intended to ship anyway.
- Quantity mismatch between packing list and reality. Usually caused by a late change that was not communicated.
After the report
A report is a decision point, not a formality. Pass means the lot can ship under the sampling rules used. Fail means the defects have to be sorted, reworked or excluded, and the re-inspection has to fit before the cut-off. In both cases, the report belongs in the shipment file — it is the evidence you will want if a claim arises later.
Sampling plans are usually expressed as an AQL (acceptable quality limit) — commonly a starting point of zero critical defects and a small allowance for major and minor ones. The exact plan should be agreed in the purchase contract, not left to the inspector's default.
What we do, and what we do not do
We arrange third-party inspection (SGS / BV / TÜV or an equivalent) before shipment and keep the report with the shipment file. We do not treat an inspection as a guarantee, and we do not let a lot ship against a specification that was never written down.
- Turn your requirement into a written specification and an approved sample before production.
- Book the inspection against packed goods and protect the cut-off with a re-inspection window.
- Track the defects found, who fixes them, and the evidence of the fix.
- Keep inspection reports, photos and the approved sample reference in the shipment file.
Categories this applies to
Electric oven · Stand fan · Air fryer & multi-cooker · Induction cooker · Blender & food processor
Buyer questions
Does a passed inspection guarantee the quality of every unit?
No. It is a sample-based decision on the lot. It reduces the risk that the lot as a whole is non-conforming; it does not certify each unit, and it does not cover long-term reliability.
Who arranges and pays for the inspection?
The buyer normally arranges and pays for third-party inspection. In our first-round trial orders we arrange it at our cost as part of the sourcing service, and the report goes into the shipment file.
Can the inspection be done at the factory or at the warehouse?
Usually at the factory, after packing. If several factories feed one consolidated shipment, the inspection can be arranged per factory or on the consolidated lot, depending on the risk and the buyer's requirement.
What is AQL?
Acceptable quality limit — the sampling plan's allowance for defects. The exact plan should be agreed in the contract. A common starting point is zero critical defects with a defined allowance for major and minor defects, but the numbers are a commercial decision, not a default.
What happens if the inspection fails?
The defects are identified and the factory sorts, reworks or excludes them; then a re-inspection is arranged before the cut-off. The alternative — shipping and dealing with it at destination — is almost always more expensive.
Primary sources
Checked 2026-10-18. Rules change; verify with the authority before you ship.
- SGS — inspection services
- Bureau Veritas — pre-shipment inspection
- TÜV Rheinland — inspection
- ISO 2859-1 — sampling procedures for inspection by attributes
Ask about your product
Not sure whether this applies to what you are buying? Send the specification and we will tell you what has to be in whose name — request a quote, or email sales@xinhuichuan.com.