Quality control / Pre-shipment inspection
What is most feared by those of us who import from China? The answer is simple: that the goods are defective.
Basically there is no good way out of this problem. We cannot keep the products because they are of no use to us. We cannot return them either, because it would cost us a lot of money, and most likely the supplier will not accept them. Even getting rid of the goods will cost us money.
The solution is clear: carry out a quality control before shipment. This inspection costs very little compared to what not doing it could cost us, and there are very few occasions when it is worth skipping.
Not only will it help us avoid surprises at the destination, it will also help us identify whether a problem occurred before shipping or during the voyage. Let's not forget that we usually contract sea transport with insurance, so damage during the voyage would be covered.
Ideally, the company we hire to do the inspection will take photos, or even videos, and send them to us immediately over the internet so that our quality manager can also approve the import. That way, for the same price, we will have inspected the goods twice.
In conclusion, the importance of quality control at origin should not be underestimated. Taking such a risk to save a little money is not something I would recommend to any importer.
Other entries from the Manual for importing from China:
– How much does it cost to import from China? (A practical example)
If you would like to import from China, please do not hesitate to contact us with no obligation.