The Pre-Shipment Inspection Procedure Explained

A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is a defined check of goods before export release. It gives the buyer evidence about quantity, workmanship, packaging, labels, dimensions, and agreed function checks while corrective action is still possible in China. It does not replace product certification, laboratory testing, customs classification, or the buyer’s responsibility to define the specification.

Quick answer

• Schedule PSI when the agreed goods are sufficiently complete and available for the inspector to examine; the timing depends on the production and packing plan.
• Use an approved product specification, sample, packing list, and inspection checklist—not a generic visual review alone.
• Googol’s standard inspection workflow uses ISO 2859-1 sampling concepts with AQL 2.5 and records the lot, sample, defect categories, and acceptance decision in the report.
• AQL is a sampling and acceptance framework; it is not a guarantee that every unit is defect-free.

The Four Inspection Stages and Where PSI Fits

PSI is the final-goods checkpoint in a broader factory inspection sequence. The right stage depends on whether the main risk concerns materials, production control, finished goods, or loading.

Stage	When it happens	What it catches
Pre-Production Inspection	Before mass production	Wrong materials, missing components, and tooling that is not ready
During-Production / DUPRO	At 10–30% complete	Systematic process defects while the production run can still be corrected
Pre-Shipment / PSI	100% produced and approximately 80% packed	Finished-goods quality, quantity, packaging, and labelling problems
Container Loading Supervision	On loading day	Whether the right goods are loaded, and whether the container is suitable and sealed correctly

If you book only one stage, book PSI because it examines the finished goods before release. Add DUPRO for long production runs or new suppliers, where systematic defects may be easier to correct before the entire order is complete. See the pre-shipment inspection guide for further scheduling decisions.

When should a pre-shipment inspection happen?

PSI is normally scheduled near the end of production, once the goods and packaging are available for the agreed checks and before the shipment is released. The practical trigger is not a universal percentage; it is whether the lot, cartons, labels, and test items can be inspected against the approved brief. Record the cargo-ready date, lot size, factory address, and requested inspection date before booking.

If production is incomplete, the inspector may not be able to verify the full order. If the cargo has already shipped, a PSI can no longer provide the same pre-release control. Rescheduling or a follow-up inspection may be needed when the available goods do not match the agreed scope.

When to Book It: The Three Timing Rules

1. Wait until the goods are 100% produced and roughly 80% packed

Book the inspection when all units are produced and roughly 80% are packed into their final cartons. The inspector must be able to examine finished goods as well as the real inner packaging, outer cartons, shipping marks, and labels that will be used for dispatch.

2. Schedule it before the final payment milestone

Arrange PSI before the final payment is due so that a failed report does not leave the buyer with no practical payment leverage. A common industry structure is a deposit followed by the balance after a passing inspection report; this describes a payment arrangement, not Googol’s pricing or a universal contract rule.

3. Leave time for rework and re-inspection

Schedule the visit early enough before the vessel cut-off to allow corrective work, replacement, documentation updates, and a follow-up inspection if required. A report issued immediately before loading may identify a problem without leaving a workable window to resolve it.

What a PSI should check

The inspection scope should be based on the approved product specification, sample, purchase order, packing list, and destination requirements. A practical six-checkpoint scope is:

1. Quantity: Count the available cartons and units, verify units per carton where applicable, and compare the totals with the purchase order and packing documents. Record any shortage, overage, mixed lot, or unidentified product.
2. Appearance and workmanship: Examine sampled units against the approved sample, drawings, or defect criteria. Record visible issues such as damage, contamination, poor assembly, incorrect colour, uneven finishing, or other critical, major, and minor defects as defined in the brief.
3. Function: Perform the product-specific function checks agreed before inspection. These may include operation, assembly, switching, charging, leakage, fit, or other practical tests, but the method and pass criteria must come from the product requirements.
4. Dimensions and specifications: Measure the required dimensions, weight, materials, construction points, and other specifications against the approved drawings or tolerances. Record the measured values rather than relying only on a visual pass/fail statement.
5. Packaging: Check the inner and outer packaging, carton condition, protective materials, palletization where applicable, and shipping marks. Confirm that the packaging supports handling and matches the approved packing instructions.
6. Labelling and compliance: Verify barcodes, SKU references, country-of-origin marking, warning labels, instructions, and other market-specific labels within the agreed scope. Required regulatory testing or certification must be checked separately where the destination or product requires it.

How AQL 2.5 fits the inspection

ISO 2859-1 describes sampling schemes indexed by an acceptance quality limit (AQL) for lot-by-lot inspection. AQL does not mean that 2.5% of units are automatically acceptable, and it does not define the product specification. The agreed lot size, inspection level, defect classification, sample size, and acceptance/rejection numbers must be recorded for the specific inspection.

Googol’s standard workflow uses AQL 2.5 with General Inspection Level II unless the approved project brief specifies another plan. Critical defects are treated separately from major and minor defects. The report should show the actual sample, actual findings, and the decision against the agreed criteria; never fill in a result before the inspection evidence exists.

PSI is not a product guarantee

A sample-based inspection can identify evidence in the inspected lot. It cannot guarantee every unit, future production, regulatory approval, safe use, or Amazon receiving. Add laboratory testing, certification, or product-specific compliance work when the product or destination requires it.

What PSI does not do

PSI uses statistical sampling to provide a probable picture of the inspected lot, not an absolute guarantee about every unit. It does not replace regulatory laboratory tests, product certification, or destination-specific compliance work. It also examines finished goods, so root-cause correction belongs to earlier controls such as pre-production review and DUPRO when the issue is caused by materials, tooling, or the production process; the pre-shipment inspection guide explains what AQL sampling does not prove in greater depth.

Reading the Report: What a Real One Contains

A useful report should allow the buyer to understand what was inspected, what evidence was collected, and how the decision was reached. Look for:

• The lot identity and sample size selected according to the agreed inspection level and sampling plan.
• Defect counts by class, together with the applicable accept/reject numbers.
• Dated photographs of defects, with piece, carton, or sample references where possible.
• Measured values, such as dimensions or weights, rather than only general pass/fail statements.
• An explicit verdict: pass, pass-with-conditions, or fail, followed by any required action.

A report that arrives with no documented defects or context for a complex product deserves scrutiny. The buyer should be able to connect the conclusion to the sample, checks, measurements, and evidence recorded during the visit.

Controlled inspection workflow

1. Prepare the brief: product, SKU, PO, lot size, approved sample/specification, tolerances, packaging, labels, destination, and required tests.
2. Confirm readiness: factory address, contact, production status, cartons available, and inspection date.
3. Inspect: quantity, packaging, labels, visual workmanship, dimensions, function, and documents within the agreed scope.
4. Record evidence: defect counts by category, measurements, notes, photos, and video where included.
5. Issue the report: sample details, findings, acceptance decision, open issues, and recommendations.
6. Close exceptions: approve release, rework, replacement, follow-up inspection, or escalation from the actual report.

What the client should provide for a quote

• Product name, SKU, material, drawings or approved sample, and destination market.
• Purchase order quantity, carton plan, factory address, and cargo-ready date.
• Critical dimensions, tolerances, function tests, label and packaging requirements.
• Defect definitions or acceptance criteria, including any critical safety concerns.
• Required documents, photos, video, certificate checks, and report deadline.

When comparing inspection providers, assess whether the proposed scope, evidence, reporting, and China-side coverage match your product risk; our guide to choosing a pre-shipment inspection company provides additional questions to ask.

Frequently asked questions

Is pre-shipment inspection mandatory for every shipment?

No. A buyer may require it contractually, a destination may require a specific certificate, or the risk profile may justify it. Confirm the destination and product rules separately; PSI is not automatically a customs requirement.

Does AQL 2.5 mean 2.5% of the order may be defective?

No. AQL is part of a sampling and acceptance plan. The sample size and accept/reject numbers depend on the lot and inspection parameters, and defect classes are evaluated against the agreed plan.

What should the inspection report contain?

It should identify the inspection date, factory, product, lot, sample plan, checks performed, measurements, defect counts, photos or video where included, documents reviewed, and the decision or next action supported by the evidence.

Sources checked

• ISO 2859-1:2026 — Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes — official standard page; checked 2026-09-13.
• Googol Traders internal inspection checklist standard — internal operating reference; reviewed 2026-09-13.

Request a China-side inspection

Use this procedure to prepare your scope, then see our pre-shipment inspection services in China when you are ready to discuss the visit.