12 Dos and Don’ts of Pre-Shipment Inspections
Pre-shipment inspections are a must in the modern world. With so many different products crossing oceans and reaching into your homes, you can never be too sure if the product you’re getting is safe or not. In addition, if you run a business, you will need to make sure that your products are up to the standards you’ve set for yourself. Nowadays, entire companies can get shut down overnight just because of one bad shipment. Obviously, even some of the most seasoned business owners aren’t too sure about what makes a good inspection. However, businesses with high standards, like our own Jonble, will always strive to provide the best, most detailed pre-shipment inspections out there. And in order to do that, we follow a list of 12 dos and don’ts about inspecting goods and products. This list, which we will cover in a bit, contains the most important details you should pay attention to when considering a pre-shipment inspection. But before we move on to the list itself, we need to establish what pre-shipment inspections are and why they’re important. What Is a Pre-Shipment Inspection? A Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) is a type of quality control method. It helps you make sure that the quality of goods you receive from suppliers is up to the highest of standards. Let’s say that you’ve just finished manufacturing 100% of your units that you plan to ship. In addition, you’ve packaged about 80% of them. At that point, an inspector is sent to your factory in order to perform a number of different quality checks. Normally, they will check for the following: Are the packages and labels in order? Do the products look in order? What are the dimensions of each product? What are some of the other physical requirements of the product? How well do they handle functional and drop tests, as well as other types of testing? Are the barcodes valid? Of course, each inspector has to follow a certain set of rules before they start pre-shipment inspections. That way, you, the manufacturer, will be safe from any inspection malpractices. The investigator should take these rules into consideration: They must be transparent They mustn’t discriminate on any grounds Confidential business information should not be compromised during the inspection They must avoid causing any delays Their price verification should follow a set of its own rules (i.e. comparison with similar products) Their inspection agency must establish an appeals procedure. Since an inspector will pick products at random to check, PSIs are also called final random inspections, or FRI. If you want to learn more about random inspections at Jonble, have a click right here. Why Are Pre-Shipment Inspections Important? How many times has it happened to you — you buy a car radio with Bluetooth and it doesn’t connect, or you buy a folding chair and the fabric appears snapped in the packaging? There are even horror stories out there of people buying a can of soda only to find a dead frog inside. These should be the obvious reasons behind the importance of PSIs. They will ensure that your products don’t lack anything and that they are ready for shipping. There are some important benefits to a PSI. Some of the most crucial ones include: Verifying product quality so that you (or your buyers) don’t deal with defective units Making sure that your factory made the product exactly per your specifications Avoiding defective product returns that might negatively affect your company’s image Making sure your products are safe and don’t contain any health hazards. Reducing the risk of smuggling illegal substances Checking all of the relevant paperwork for any mistakes The Dos and Don’ts of PSI: Our List Now that you understand the ins and outs of PSIs, we can move onto our list of dos and don’ts. The Dos DO Have a PSI Checklist You will need a detailed PSI checklist to provide to your inspector. It will help them keep an eye out for any defects and mistakes. More importantly, you can make sure that each product is being made according to your specifications. DO Visit Your Factory Visiting your factory gives you the opportunity to see if there are any problems early on. However, you don’t want to do it too early, as that might halt production. Instead, organize pre-shipment inspections when production reaches around 80%. That way, you will have the time to fix any issue without losing extra time on the production of new, proper units. DO Check Product Quantity When doing a quantity check, you will need the customer’s specifications. You should have more than the exact number of units they are looking for. In addition, check for the delivery deadlines; if you’re running out of time, validate the customer’s specifications and act accordingly. DO Perform Visual Inspections In shipping, we have a term called Acceptance Quality Limit or AQL. When you’re checking your products with your naked eye, assess any external damage, and check for defects. Anything that falls under AQL guidelines is ready for shipping. DO Select and Check Samples When doing a PSI, you don’t have to go over every product individually. Instead, pick a sample product or a few and test them. Depending on the inspection levels, you can decide whether you want to ship the products or not. DO Compliance Checks You set the rules for making your products, so it’s only logical that you want to test them before these items ship. In addition, check to see if they fit the customers’ requirements. These usually include tags, labels, packaging, manuals, as well as quantity. DO Safety Tests Depending on what kind of product you manufacture, it will need to pass a series of safety tests. Said tests will ensure that your product won’t harm the customer or damage the environment. For example, if you make chemicals, they will need extensive lab testing. Electrical appliances need performance testing, while other objects need to pass tests of durability so that they
Debunking a Myth: Why the Quality of Chinese Products Isn’t Poor
For as long as people have been buying products from China, there has been this running myth that it’s all cheap, low-quality stuff. However, what some buyers don’t understand is that the quality of Chinese products has improved immensely over the last few decades. In fact, it has never been easier than it is now, to buy superb products and materials from China. Here’s why. How the Quality of Chinese Products Evolved Over the Years Going from cheap, plastic products to high-quality equipment has not been an easy process. But here’s how China has managed to overcome its bad reputation, and come out the other side. 1. Advancements in Technology Back in 2015, China opened its first unmanned factory, which was a huge step toward dropping its defect rates. Thanks to the computer-controlled robots, the company from Dongguan city has been able to manufacture much better products than ever before. That’s because robots rarely make mistakes, and the robotic arms can work continuously. Of course, the unmanned factory is a somewhat extreme example of technological advancements. But over the last few decades, China has been following Japan’s example and investing a lot in its equipment. Nowadays, there are more machines and devices that can weed out the good from the faulty. In turn, the quality of Chinese products has gone up, and so has customer satisfaction. 2. Higher Labor Costs As China’s economy saw massive growth, so did the labor costs. In fact, in the past 10 years, workers have started earning more than 60% of what they used to, which is really impressive. But what does that mean for the importer? Well, given that labor costs are now higher, Chinese manufacturers have had to improve and optimize their production processes. One good practice that they’ve taken up is to pay more attention to better quality right from the start. That way, they were able to reduce mistakes, and almost eliminate manual rework. 3. Experience and Practice As with anything else in the world, getting product quality to where it is now was a long and bumpy road. Thankfully, over time, Chinese manufacturers started taking notes from other companies on how to make their products better. One of the first things most companies implemented was a better factory layout that would improve efficiency. Also, manufacturers put a huge emphasis on making their organizational processes better. 4. Quality Control Way back when, importers had issues with Chinese suppliers because they weren’t getting what they paid for. That’s because quality control was pretty much non-existent, and it was solely on the importer to hire someone. Also, quality standards were much lower a couple of decades ago. In addition to that, a lot of suppliers would oversell their abilities because they really wanted the job. However, times are changing pretty fast, and Chinese companies seem to have a much better understanding of what’s expected of them. So there’s a slim chance that you, as an importer, can get a product that’s not up to your standards. Another thing that has changed the game is that importers can nowadays hire reliable companies like Jonble to do their quality control. By hiring a third-party expert, your final product will undoubtedly be much better. 5. Competitive Markets There was a time when China was the biggest, as well as the sole, supplier for countless products and materials. So they didn’t really have to worry about their quality, or meeting deadlines. But as the world economy began changing, more countries, like Japan, started exporting their products. Soon, their vehicles, machinery, and plastic equipment would hit markets worldwide, leaving China behind. One of the reasons that made Japan do so well was because they began exploring ways to improve their quality. By re-evaluating their organizational processes, Japan was able to export high-quality products, at lower prices. Of course, China took note, and the quality of Chinese products has not been the same since. Now, their materials and exports are some of the best in the world and are on-par with other giants. Why You Should Be Importing From China We hope that we’ve settled any doubts or questions that you had about the quality of Chinese products. But if you’re still not convinced about importing from China, here are several reasons that might change your mind. 1. Affordable Prices Most importers enjoy the Chinese market because of its low prices. The materials, as well as the labor costs, are much lower in China than they are in most parts of the world. Also, some of the unmanned factories that we mentioned earlier can deliver products at more affordable prices. But that’s not to say that you should always go with the lowest bidder. Remember, at the end of the day, you will get what you pay for. So don’t expect to low-ball a price on a product, and get the superior quality that you expect. That’s just not how that works. In addition to the basic labor and material costs, you should also include a quality inspection in your budget. It’s an essential part of the process and the only one that guarantees that you’re getting what you paid for. 2. Original Equipment Manufacturers One of the biggest benefits of buying products from China is that you can go straight to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). By skipping the middleman, you can save a lot of money and time, and go directly to the source. Also, you can buy goods from China in bulk, which will not only be cheaper but will come with lower taxes as well. One of the best things about Chinese manufacturers is that they don’t require you to hold any special license or permit to export. All you have to do is to educate yourself on trade and customs regulations. There’s another huge plus when it comes to importing from China, and that’s being able to have direct control over the distribution model. It’s completely up to you where and how you’re
5 Main Types of Inspections in Quality Control
While purchasing products from an overseas manufacturer is a valuable asset when you expand your business overseas, without quality control inspections, you’ll always be left wondering whether the products you purchased meet your standards. That’s where quality control inspection companies like Jonble come in. You might not be able to fly overseas to oversee production, however, quality control inspectors can be your eyes and ears. Not only that, but many quality inspectors often specialize in certain types of inspections that can benefit your business in different ways. We know you might be wondering what quality control inspections you need to undertake when you’re sourcing products from overseas, and we’re here to help. So, let’s take a look at the five main types of inspections in quality control, how they’re performed, and when you should consider using them. 1. Pre-Production Inspection (PPI) The very first inspection that takes place following a purchase order is known as a pre-production inspection. During a PPI inspection, the quality control inspector will visit the site of your supplier to evaluate the quality of raw materials, components, and other preparations they are making for the manufacturing process. A typical PPI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to: Verifying the raw materials and their condition Inspecting planned storage for your products Inspecting a supplier’s production readiness and quality plan Inspecting the function, size, and measurement of raw materials and other components Making the required reliability and safety tests One of the main reasons why retailers use PPI inspections is to ensure that the supplier they’re purchasing from is using the raw materials and components outlined in the contract. It’s an unfortunate truth that many unreliable suppliers may try to use cheaper raw materials and components to save themselves money. However, if these raw materials don’t work with your product, then it’s you that has to deal with customer returns, complaints, and potential safety hazards. 2. First Article Inspection (FAI) Once production has started at a supplier’s site, then a first article inspection can be conducted. With an FAI inspection, your quality control inspector will inspect the first mass production run of your product from both the factory floor and the design documents. A typical FAI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to: Verifying the product matches the design documents Verifying the supplier follows the requested process and material specifications Making technical notes about the nature of manufactured products Most purchase contracts require that the retailer carries out an FAI inspection, which is why they’re one of the most common forms of quality control inspections. FAI inspections are also required following any engineering, materials, parts, manufacturing, or tooling changes to ensure that there have been no negative effects on your products. 3. During Production Inspection (DPI) A during production inspection takes place once 20-50% of your product run has been completed and packed. During a DPI inspection, a quality control inspector will inspect the completed product to ensure that all processes are being followed to the agreed standard. They’ll also look to identify any product deviations or issues early in the manufacturing process. A typical DPI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to: Verifying the production and quality plan Inspecting storage conditions Inspecting packaging, labeling, and barcodes Conducting reliability and safety tests Inspecting semi-finished products DPI inspections are useful as a quality assurance measure as it ensures that the quality of the products in production is the same as the one you received as a sample. It also gives you chance to make any necessary adjustments and corrections before the production run has ended, which can save you valuable time and money. If defects have been identified, knowing the percentage of finished products with defects also ensures that you have time to plan for them before they are shipped to you. 4. Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) Also known as a final random inspection, a PSI inspection makes sure that the supplier has manufactured your products to your specifications and packed them as required by your purchase contract. This will be conducted based on a random sample of products taken from the shipment, and as such, it’ll only be performed once the manufacturing run is complete and at least 80% of the order has been packed. A typical PSI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to: Verifying the safety and function of manufactured products Verifying the quality of products and organizing any price adjustments Verifying the order has been produced to the standards set out in the purchase contract Inspecting the product packing, labeling, and shipping marks The biggest strength of organizing a PSI inspection is that because products are taken as a random sample from the order, you get an accurate view of the order without needing to inspect every product. Also, safety and functionality tests conducted as part of a PSI inspection will help to identify faulty products, which you can then refuse to pay for. 5. Container Loading Inspection (CLI) The final quality control inspection type is a container loading inspection. Unlike the other inspections, this takes place at a supplier or forwarder’s warehouse. During a CLI inspection, your quality control inspector will supervise the loading of shipping containers to ensure that your order has been packed correctly. A typical CLI inspection checklist includes, but is not limited to: Verifying the correct goods have been loaded in the correct quantities Checking packaging for physical and environmental damage Performing a random spot check of products Recording loading conditions, seal numbers, and departure times Supervising the loading process to minimize damage and breakages A CLI inspection is your final chance to verify the quality of the products that you’ve ordered and reduce the risk of damage during transit, which can save you time and money when your order arrives. It also gives you the chance to stop any damaged products that were missed in earlier inspections from being shipped and sold, helping to save your brand image and reputation. Quality Control Inspections from Jonble