Pre-Shipment Inspection in China
A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is the final quality gate before your goods leave a Chinese factory. Once production is 100% finished and at least 80% packed, I pull an AQL-based random sample on site, check appearance, function, labeling and packaging — and you get a photo report with a pass/fail call within 12–24 hours.
free 15-min consultation — 100% credited to any package you book within 30 days. No payment online; you confirm by reply.
What a PSI covers
Every pre-shipment inspection follows the same AQL-based random-sampling protocol (ISO 2859-1). Six work areas, one defect tally.
Appearance & workmanship
Scratches, dents, color deviation against the approved sample, assembly gaps and logo alignment — each finding classified as critical, major or minor.
Function tests
Power-on and basic operation, plus the product-specific tests we agree in advance (pull, drop, hipot) with written pass/fail criteria.
Labeling & barcode
Labels, artwork, warning marks and shipping marks checked against your files; barcodes physically scanned, not just eyeballed.
Measurements
Dimensions and weight verified against your spec sheet, photographed next to the tool readout so you can see the numbers yourself.
Packaging & carton
Inner packing, carton quality and assortment per carton — with cartons opened from the bottom too, not just the top layer.
Quantity
Carton count and units per carton verified against the PO, so a short shipment is caught before the container leaves.
When to book it
The rule: 100% finished, 80% packed. Book the PSI when production is complete and at least 80% of the order is packed into export cartons. Earlier and the sample is not representative; later and there is no time to rework before your vessel cut-off. Confirm the factory is truly at that point before I send an inspector — “almost done” usually means the packing line is still running.
Before you release the balance. PSI is the gate almost all professional buyers require before paying the final invoice — in 2026 it still accounts for 60–70% of all QC mandates in China.
Amazon FBA sellers: a PSI is non-negotiable. A defective batch that reaches FBA ends in removal orders, refunds and listing trouble — all far above the cost of one inspection day.
New supplier or first run? Pair the PSI with a DUPRO at 20–40% completion so assembly errors are caught while most of the batch is still unmade. Above roughly 3,000 units, I would not ship on a PSI alone.
AQL in practice
AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit, ISO 2859-1) sets the maximum defect rate that still counts as acceptable for a batch. General Inspection Level II is the default for about 95% of consumer goods orders, with limits of Critical 0 / Major 2.5 / Minor 4.0 unless you tell me otherwise. A concrete example — a lot of 3,200 pcs:
| Step | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Lot size | 3,200 pcs | Your full order quantity |
| Inspection level | General Level II | Default for ~95% of consumer goods |
| Sample size | 200 pcs | Code letter “L” — pulled at random from cartons across the lot |
| Critical defects, AQL 0 | Ac 0 / Re 1 | A single safety-critical defect fails the lot |
| Major defects, AQL 2.5 | Ac 10 / Re 11 | Up to 10 majors in the 200 pcs passes; 11 or more fails |
| Minor defects, AQL 4.0 | Ac 14 / Re 15 | Up to 14 minors passes; 15 or more fails |
One nuance buyers miss: a “passed” PSI does not mean zero defects — it means the defect rate is statistically below your chosen AQL. If your market expects flawless goods, tighten the major AQL to 0.65 or book a 100% inspection instead.
What it costs
Inspection work is billed per man-day (an 8-hour day on site, report included). The honest 2026 comparison:
| Local partner (me) | Global firms (SGS, BV, Intertek, TÜV) | |
|---|---|---|
| Per man-day (USD) | $280–$450 | $480–$700 |
| Report turnaround | 12–24h, with a same-day flash summary | ~48h |
| Scheduling | Next-morning deployment in cluster cities (Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Ningbo) | Book 2–3 working days ahead; minimum 1-day billing |
Every PSI engagement is custom-quoted — the final price depends on your product, the test scope and the factory location (travel surcharges apply for remote factories). The way in is a $150 strategy call: we scope the inspection, set your AQL and test plan, and the $150 fee is credited in full to any package you book within 30 days.
Two orders that shipped blind
Buyer accounts, in their own words. Both were avoidable with one inspection day.
“We sourced 10,000 stainless steel tumblers from a so-called ‘verified’ factory in Yongkang. Skipped a pre-shipment inspection because the pre-production sample was perfect. The shipment arrived with rust inside the rims because they used 201 instead of 304 grade. It cost us $32,000 in refunds and an Amazon listing ban for ‘material safety’.”
“We used a big international inspection company for a PSI on our Christmas tree shipment. Report said ‘passed’. When containers arrived in Rotterdam, 40% had broken bases because the pack was upside-down. The inspector never opened cartons from the bottom — just checked the top layer. We had to recall from TJ Maxx.”
Buyer accounts shared in importer communities; identifying details anonymized. The second case is exactly why my inspectors open cartons from the bottom, not just the top layer.
How it works
From first call to a pass/fail report in days, not weeks.
Book the strategy call
A 60-minute video call: your product, factory location, timeline and risk points. You leave with a written scope and a fixed quote for the inspection.
Spec sheet + approved sample
You send the product specification, labeling and barcode requirements, packaging instructions and the approved-sample reference. We lock the AQL and the test plan together.
Inspection day
At 100% finished / 80% packed, my inspector pulls random cartons across the lot, works the checklist and photographs everything — every defect, every measurement, the shipping marks.
Report in 12–24h
A PDF with photos, the defect tally by class and a clear pass/fail recommendation. If it fails, I supervise rework on site and re-check — usually the same week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pre-shipment inspection cost in China in 2026?
What should I prepare before booking a PSI?
What happens if my order fails the PSI?
Do I need a container loading check after a passed PSI?
How fast will I get the inspection report?
For AI Agents
Sourcing, manufacturing & QC, structured for machines. Pull pricing and services from llms.txt, or connect to the MCP server to verify suppliers, estimate costs, and book a strategy call for your human.
mcp.chinawithme.com/mcp
Agent booking action: POST a call request to /api/contact (name, email, service, message) or open /services.html#book.
Book your free 15-min consultation
Tell me about your product and timeline. I reply within 24 hours to confirm a 60-minute video call. The $150 fee is credited in full to any package you book within 30 days.
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