Product inspection, whether by your own full-time staff or by a trusted third-party, is a fairly standard precaution in the manufacturing industry today. Most experienced importers know that it’s very difficult to be sure about the quality of the goods you’ll receive without inspecting them before they leave the factory.
But what many importers don’t know is what information to provide their inspector that will help them do the best job possible. And giving your product inspector the wrong information can cause problems, such as:
These are just a few of the serious issues you can avoid by being familiar with this list of common information to provide your product inspection company:
A PO, or a purchase order, is a document typically containing information like order quantities per stock keeping unit (SKU), item numbers, ex-factory date, pricing and more. A product inspection company will need the quantity information shown on the PO for quoting the cost of inspection. It’s also acceptable to provide a packing list or some other breakdown of product quantities, instead of the PO, which some importers will do to hide pricing.
The number of SKUs and quantities for each are important for determining the number of pieces to pull during sampling.
It’s also important to let your inspector know how soon you’ll need the order to ship. Informing product inspection staff of the shipping date helps by:
Product inspection companies often try to plan ahead, scheduling services two or more business days in advance to ensure they have staff available in that area to perform the service. You can ensure your inspection doesn’t delay shipping by notifying the inspector of the urgency of the order. And inspectors will be more vigilant in looking for common defects related to rushed production if you let them know ahead of time.
Importers of some types of products often have very specific requirements for packaging. Packaging is especially important for higher-end, luxury goods, such as timepieces, jewelry and cosmetics.
You should provide your product inspection company with any specifications or requirements related to packaging to ensure they’re familiar with what to check. This is even more important when a factory is rushing to meet a shipping deadline. Since packaging is the last step before shipping, you’re more likely to see rushing affect quality at this stage (related: 5 Packaging Tests Vital for Product Inspection).
Even novice importers are typically familiar with certain quality defects and other issues known to affect their product. And some importers will try to “test” their inspector by seeing if they find such issues without being told about them beforehand.
Instead, it’s generally a good idea to inform the people that will inspect your product of these known issues early. It also helps if you can indicate your relative tolerance for each defect type. For example, if you’re manufacturing denim jeans in Vietnam, you might think that untrimmed threads are a minor issue you’re expecting to see. But you might be aware of issues related to zipper function and color shading between pieces. Informing your inspector helps you because:
Simply put, you’ll receive a more accurate report of a more efficient inspection. Without this information, your inspector might conduct function testing for zippers on an inadequate sample of jeans. Your inspector might also classify some issues as “major” that should be “minor” and vice versa.
Every importer has unique preferences for how to evaluate their product. So your input on known defects and other issues essential to having your product inspected by your standard. Consider working with your inspector to develop a detailed QC checklist for your product as well.
Aside from the detailed address of the factory—which your inspector will need—it’s always helpful to provide urgent contact details for both you and your supplier. This is because your inspection company may need to reach you or your supplier more urgently than email will allow. And if there are issues that need to be discussed before, during or after inspection, communication by phone is often the best option.
It’s helpful if you can provide your inspection with the office and mobile number of you and your supplier and note when it’s appropriate to use which. There are also various communication apps for mobile phone or PC that you can download for free, such as:
Depending on where you and your supplier are based, it may be worthwhile to use one of these apps to communicate more urgent matters. You never know when your inspector or supplier will need to contact you quickly to clarify a requirement, explain a problem or address another matter.
Many importers make the mistake of receiving an inspection report, looking at the overall result and then setting it aside. If the result isn’t “pass” they’ll often delve deeper to find out why. But few importers will take the time to read through, or at least briefly scan, the full report.
Similarly, if you find the inspector is too strict in reporting certain issues, you can ask them to be more lenient in reporting these in the future. Changing the process for inspection to better suit you needs helps you get a more accurate report. It can even lower your inspection costs by eliminating needless checks or tests.
Your product inspection company should hold your product to the same standard that you would if you were inspecting the goods yourself. And you’re far more likely to be satisfied with the report if you’ve given your inspector and supplier clear product expectations and inspection criteria (related: 4 Steps to Success with Third-Party Inspection). Giving feedback on the reporting and inspection method is equally important.
Products that don’t meet your quality standard or requirements can leave your customers dissatisfied and your brand’s reputation damaged. But product inspections can help you be more confident that your products meet your expectations. If you decide to use third-party inspection, you’ll want your inspection company to have all the information they need to conduct an efficient and effective check of your goods.
Ultimately, there’s a critical piece to the quality puzzle, and that’s you. With your input on defects, order details and other important information, you’re in a much better position to have product inspection working for you.
And don't forget to check out the manufacturing podcast episode that covers this topic!
What else do you find is helpful to provide a product inspection company? Share your thoughts in the comments below!