Pre-Shipment Inspection Checklist: What To Check Before Goods Leave China
Prepare a practical pre-shipment inspection brief covering specifications, quantities, defects, packaging and corrective action, with a worked example.
Start with your approved specification and sample, turn them into measurable checks, and agree what happens if the shipment fails. An inspection report is useful only when it compares the actual production lot with requirements you supplied before the visit.
What A Pre-Shipment Inspection Checks
A pre-shipment inspection examines goods near the end of production, before dispatch. QIMA describes checks covering quantities, workmanship, dimensions, function and packaging. Its published procedure uses production readiness thresholds around 80%; confirm the exact finished and packed quantities required by your chosen provider instead of treating one percentage as a universal rule. Source: QIMA’s inspection procedure.
For a buyer, the practical question is whether enough of the actual order is available for a meaningful examination and whether there is still time to correct problems. A beautiful sample sent months earlier cannot answer that question. Read our sample comparison guide when setting the reference standard.
Build Your Checklist Around Evidence
The following is an HMZ planning template. Adapt it to your product; it is not a universal testing standard.
| Check | Write In The Brief | Evidence To Request |
|---|---|---|
| Order identity | PO, SKU, revision, colour and pack configuration | Labels and product photographs tied to each SKU |
| Quantity | Ordered units and units per carton | Finished, packed and unfinished quantities recorded separately |
| Dimensions | Measurement points, units and agreed tolerances | Measured readings, including out-of-tolerance results |
| Workmanship | Examples of unacceptable scratches, seams or assembly faults | Defect photos and counts, with the checked quantity |
| Function | Required operation, method and equipment | Observed results and any checks that could not be performed |
| Packaging | Approved artwork, inserts, protection and carton marks | Photos of the packed product and outside carton |
Worked Example: A Travel Organiser Order
Suppose you order 600 travel organisers in three colours. This is a hypothetical planning example, not a client result. The approved brief specifies 200 units of each colour, a particular zipper and a retail sleeve. An instruction to “check quality” leaves too much open to interpretation.
A better brief identifies the approved colour references, zipper specification, finished dimensions and agreed tolerances. It asks the inspector to record colour quantities, compare construction with the reference sample, operate the zipper using the agreed method, and check sleeve artwork against the approved file. Specify what packaging and functional checks require separate sample quantities.
If the factory substituted a zipper, a tidy appearance would not resolve the specification mismatch. The buyer needs an explicit decision: accept the substitution in writing, require rework, or hold the affected goods pending review. Avoid quietly changing the acceptance criteria after seeing the report.
Sampling Does Not Mean Every Item Was Checked
QIMA describes statistical sampling and classification of critical, major and minor defects. Ask the provider to state the sampling plan, inspected quantity, acceptance limits and classification rules. Do not interpret a passing sample as a guarantee that every unit is defect-free. QIMA’s sample report overview shows the type of evidence an inspection report can contain.
Separate visible product checks from claims requiring specialist testing. For example, matching a supplier’s label is different from verifying the underlying material composition. Identify unresolved questions and the appropriate testing scope before shipping.
A Copyable Booking Brief
- Purchase order, product revision and factory location:
- Quantity by SKU, colour and pack:
- Approved specification, artwork and reference sample:
- Dimensions, tolerances and function checks:
- Defect definitions and agreed sampling plan:
- Required test equipment and access:
- Production readiness and proposed inspection date:
- Report recipient and person authorised to release shipment:
- Corrective action and reinspection arrangements:
What To Do With A Failed Result
Ask for a defect-by-defect correction plan identifying affected goods, the corrective work and completion date. Decide whether a further inspection is needed and document the release decision. A supplier’s promise to “fix everything” is less useful than evidence linked to the specific findings.
For booking and current scope, see China Sourcing & Procurement. For preparing the underlying requirements, use our product sourcing brief template.
Next step: Create a controlled golden sample approval record.