Pre-shipment inspection services

Ensure your product quality before shipment with professional AQL inspections

Our partial inspections and final random inspection services in China and across Asia follow the strict AQL sampling method to ensure your products meet international quality standards. As a trusted third party inspection company, we help importers avoid costly surprises by checking product conformity before shipment. Whether you’re sourcing from Alibaba suppliers or local manufacturers, our pre-shipment inspections are fast, transparent, and reliable.

What is a pre-shipement Quality Inspection?

Pre-shipement  Quality Inspection means our inspector selects from the whole quantity of your order a sampling lot, a small quantity of products that will be controlled visually and functionally. The result of that small quantity of finished products should represent the overall quality of your whole order according to the international AQL quality control method MIL-STD-105E / ISO 2859-1.

Also called sampling quality inspection, is the most used and common quality control method in China and Asia right now, for the last decade.

All the quality inspection companies usually use it as the quality inspection method.While it is a worldwide renown method, this method purpose is more to give customer a tendency of the quality of the full batch of a production.

It is a very good indicator of goods quality when performed as a pre shipment inspection China or Asia. At the same time , it is a cheaper inspection service method that requires most of the time only 1 day of control and can quickly help customer know if the whole order is quality compliant or not.

Final random inspection services in a factory in China
Team discussion during pre-shipment inspection in warehouse environment
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Benefits

Why Choose Pre-Shipment Quality Inspection?

Book your inspection !

We propose several ways to book your inspection

We inspect significantly more products per inspection at no additional charge compared to other inspection companies in China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.

pre-shipment inspections

Level 2 or 3 AQL inspections
  • Max 2 different product references per order (product category must be the same)
  • Booking should be submitted at least 48h before inspection
  • Downloadable PDF Pictures report
  • Inspection preliminary report provided the same day as the inspection
  • Inspection report available within 24h after inspection completion (Same day full report available for additional 50USD)
  • Video report available for additional 70USD
  • ​Payment by paypal or bank transfer

There are many options to reach us and get your inspection !

Simply fill this Word document and send it back to us at booking@amazingqualitycontrol.com to book your inspection !

Understanding AQL

AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) is an internationally recognized standard for random sampling quality inspections, specifying exactly how many items to inspect and the acceptable limits for critical, major, and minor defects. Based on your total order quantity, the AQL table determines the inspection sample size and maximum allowable defects. If defects found are below the AQL threshold, your order is compliant. If defects exceed this limit, the quality issues may prevent shipment acceptance. Currently, all professional third-party inspection companies in China use this standard.

How Many Pieces We Inspect

We perform product inspections following the AQL Level 2 standard. The number of pieces we inspect depends on your total order quantity, ensuring a reliable and representative evaluation of your production.

Total Quantity of your order (pcs) Quantity of pieces inspected
151 to 280 32
281 to 500 50
501 to 1200 80
1201 to 3200 125
3200 to 10000 200
10001 to 35000 315
35001 to 150000 500

AQL Table for Random Quality Inspection

Below you’ll find the AQL table we are using for random quality inspection.
See how many pieces we will inspect for you and what the maximum defects
Acceptance Quality Level is for your order inspection.

Total Quantity of your order (pcs) Sample lot size / Number of pcs we will randomly inspect AQL Major 2.5 (pcs) / Maximum Number of Major defects accepted AQL Minor 4.0 (pcs) / Maximum Number of Minor defects accepted
151 to 280 32 2 3
281 to 500 50 3 5
501 to 1200 80 5 7
1201 to 3200 125 7 10
3200 to 10000 200 10 14
10001 to 35000 315 14 21
35001 to 150000 500 21 21

*For critical defects, the maximum number of defects is 0.

Random Inspections at Any Production Stage

Production Start

During Production

Pre Shipment

Transparent Pricing

How We Calculate the Final Pricing

The final price of a random quality inspection depends on the amount of work required, which is calculated in man-days—each man-day representing a full day of inspection work.

For simple or small orders, 1 man-day is usually enough. However, for larger quantities or more complex products, multiple inspectors or days may be needed.

The total cost depends on two key factors:

A man calculating the inspection costs

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Trusted by clients worldwide

Discover what our clients have to say about working with Amazing Quality control. From product inspections to factory audits, our commitment to quality and reliability has earned the trust of businesses around the world. Here’s what our satisfied clients share about their experience with us.

Your questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Final Pre-shipment Inspection

AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) sampling is a standardized statistical method used during final random inspections to determine how many units should be inspected from a batch, and how many defects are allowed before the lot is rejected. It ensures that your quality control is both efficient and reliable without checking every single item. Learn more about AQL levels in our comparison table.

A final random inspection is your last line of defense before goods are shipped. It helps detect defects, confirm packaging and labeling compliance, and prevent costly returns or customer complaints. Whether you’re sourcing from China, Vietnam, or Thailand, this step secures your order and protects your brand reputation.

To prepare your supplier:

  • Inform them in advance of the planned inspection date.
  • Ensure all products are ready and at least 80% packed (for random checks).
  • Make product specifications, packaging details, and samples available for the inspector. We recommend using our downloadable prep checklist to streamline communication.

Amazing Quality Control can inspect a wide range of products, including:

  • Electronics
  • Fashion and textiles
  • Furniture
  • Kitchenware and home goods
  • Industrial components

If you’re unsure whether your product requires a specific protocol, contact us and we’ll guide you.

Our final random inspection report — including high-resolution photos, defect analysis, packaging feedback, and AQL results — is delivered within 24 hours after the inspection is completed. You also receive a downloadable PDF and optional HD videos of the inspection site for full transparency.

A final random inspection (FRI) is a quality control check performed when production is 80% to 100% completed and the goods are packed for shipping. A random selection of units is inspected based on AQL sampling to assess overall quality, detect defects, verify packaging, labeling, and ensure conformity with buyer requirements before dispatch.

A random inspection, also known as a pre-shipment or FRI, involves selecting items from a batch at random to represent the overall quality of the order. It is commonly used by importers working with factories in China or Asia to confirm that products meet expectations before they are shipped.

The final inspection process includes the following steps:

  1. Inspector arrival and supplier briefing
  2. Random sample selection based on AQL
  3. Product appearance and function check
  4. Packaging, labeling, and barcode verification
  5. Reporting with defect classification (critical, major, minor)
  6. Issuance of a PDF report within 24h (photos, checklists, findings)

At Amazing Quality Control, we also provide video documentation for full visibility.

The four main types are:

  1. Pre-production inspection (PPI) – before manufacturing begins
  2. During production inspection (DUPRO) – when 20-60% is completed
  3. Final random inspection (FRI) – at the end of production
  4. Container loading inspection (CLI) – during loading for shipment

Each serves a different stage of quality control in global sourcing.

In the garment industry, FRI ensures that clothing items are correctly sized, stitched, labeled, and packed according to specifications. It’s essential for fashion brands sourcing from Asia to avoid poor workmanship or incorrect tagging.

Common synonyms include:

  • Pre-shipment inspection (PSI)
  • Final inspection
  • Spot check
  • Quality spot audit

Each term may vary slightly in scope but all involve sampling-based quality verification.

The main goal of any inspection is to detect non-conformities before the product reaches the customer. It ensures compliance with agreed specs, safety standards, and helps avoid returns, chargebacks, or customer dissatisfaction.

A random spot check refers to an unannounced or sample-based inspection of goods to ensure that production standards are maintained. It helps uncover recurring issues and guarantees supplier accountability.

Both pre-shipment quality inspections and random quality inspections are essential quality control steps when sourcing from overseas suppliers — especially in Asia. However, their scope and timing differ.

A pre-shipment inspection is conducted when production is 100% finished and at least 80% of the goods are packed. The focus is on confirming that the final products match the buyer’s specifications and are ready for shipment. It’s the last safeguard before the goods leave the factory.

In contrast, a random quality inspection can be scheduled at any production stage. It uses AQL sampling to randomly select a subset of units for inspection, regardless of whether all goods are packed. This method provides a statistical representation of product quality across a batch and helps catch issues early — especially useful for high-volume or fast-moving consumer goods.

AQL, or Acceptable Quality Limit, is the cornerstone of most random quality inspection and sampling quality inspection procedures. It’s a statistical tool used to define the maximum number of defects allowed within a sample size drawn from a larger batch.

For instance, if you’re producing 5,000 units, the inspector won’t check each item. Instead, they’ll inspect a statistically representative number — say, 200 units — using the AQL table. Based on the chosen AQL level (e.g., 2.5 for major defects), they will determine how many defects are acceptable. If the number exceeds the threshold, the batch is rejected or flagged for corrective action.

This method is widely used in QC inspection for consumer goods, electronics, apparel, and more. 

Before you even consider a quality inspection, conducting a supplier quality audit is one of the smartest steps you can take — especially when sourcing in regions like China, Vietnam, or Thailand.

A supplier audit helps confirm that the factory is legitimate, operational, and capable of meeting your quality and compliance requirements. It assesses critical elements such as production capacity, documentation, quality systems, working conditions, and even environmental responsibility.

Combining a supplier audit with random quality inspection services gives you a complete picture — from evaluating the factory’s ability to manufacture your product, to ensuring the final product meets expectations. It’s especially critical if you’re buying from an unfamiliar supplier or sourcing via platforms like Alibaba.

 

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Pre-shipment
inspection

Inspection of a few dozen or a few hundred pieces selected randomly out of the full order quantity. It can be performed at different production stages.

100%
Inspection

Every single item is checked individually, ensuring no defects. This thorough inspection is mainly conducted at the end of production.

Factory
Audit

A pre-collaboration audit verifies a supplier’s legitimacy, experience, and production capacity. Amazing Quality Control uniquely offers video factory audits.

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