When to book a pre-shipment inspection, what is actually checked, and how to read the report before you release the balance payment.
LINKORA SOURCE · FIELD GUIDE
What the inspection compares
Sample
Shape · finish · colour
Specification
Critical dimensions and function
Packing
Protection · count · marking
Decision
Findings recorded for the buyer
Timing decides what you can still fix
The usual point is when production is around 80 percent complete and packing has started, so that a finding can still be corrected before shipment. Booking after the container is loaded turns the inspection into a record of a problem rather than a chance to prevent one.
- Around 80 percent produced and part-packed
- Booked with enough notice for a re-check
- Balance payment released only after the report is reviewed
Sampling is statistical, not exhaustive
Inspections normally draw a random sample using an AQL plan under ISO 2859-1, so the result describes the likely condition of the lot rather than confirming every unit. Agree the sample size and the accept and reject numbers for critical, major and minor defects before the visit.
- Sample size and inspection level agreed in writing
- Separate limits for critical, major and minor defects
- Result read as a lot judgement, not a per-unit guarantee
The checklist has to be yours
A generic visual check finds generic problems. Supply the approved sample, the packing specification, the artwork and the two or three failure modes that would actually cause a return in your market, and require them to appear as named line items.
- Approved sample and specification supplied in advance
- Your market-specific failure modes named
- Photographs and measurements tied to each finding
Authoritative references
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