Not All Import Inspections Are Created Equal
Whatever your business is, I would guess quality will always be your number one concern. You must have heard by now, getting the right quality of goods is not something that comes along naturally, like the lovely fruit tree that suddenly grew in your backyard. However, some of the stories I find from first time importers, show that quality is something they thought would be a given. Losses incurred because of such false assumptions can run into the millions.
Even if the products you receive from your Chinese supplier end up to be serviceable, they may not be exactly what you specified.
The common mistake is assuming that doing business with China, is no different from conducting business locally with a local Australian company.
There are generally three critical inspections that an importer has to remember. They are the factory audit, during production inspection, or DPI and the pre-shipment inspection, or PSI.
- Ensuring the quality of your products begins with choosing the right supplier. The quality of your shipments is a reflection of the quality of your screening work, or your factory audit. It involves verifying the factory’s existence, finding out what their competencies are, checking the background of the people you are dealing with and finally, inspecting the quality control systems that are in place.
- The next quality control procedure is the DPI. This allows you to address any problems before they end up in your final shipment. This inspection includes sampling for quality, and finding the causes of defects while the products are still in the process of production. This phase also involves the use of inline inspection reports and corrective action reports.
- Lastly, the PSI is done when at least 80% of the goods are ready for shipping. Your goods have to pass your AQL, or acceptable quality level. The AQL is usually something you and your supplier agree upon. PSI involves random sampling techniques with codes like, ANSI/ASQC Z1.4, BS 6001-1, and ISO 2859-1. Goods are inspected for quantity, style, color, workmanship, sizing, packing requirements and shipping marks. The process ideally includes a detailed final inspection report with digital images.
I hope this gives you a reminder of what I often tell my clients about importing from China, “Everything is possible in China, but nothing is simple.”