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Pre-shipment inspection checklist
The points to prepare and check before you pay the balance: quantities, packing, workmanship, measurements and tests.
Download the PDFFinal Random Inspection
The pre-shipment inspection checks a random sample of finished, packed products under AQL before you decide to ship. The illustrated report arrives within 24 hours and tells you whether to ship, rework or sort.
Also called
- Pre-shipment inspection (PSI)
- Final inspection
- FRI
- Final random inspection
Step 4
The final random inspection (pre-shipment inspection)
This inspection takes place at the end of production. Thanks to the AQL standard, it gives you a clear and accurate view of the quality level of the whole lot, before the goods leave and usually before you pay the balance. It is the key step in deciding whether or not to ship.
What LPI will do for you during this inspection
This final stage takes place when production is finished and the goods are packed. It also adds an inspection certificate to the shipment before you decide whether or not to ship ‘as is’.
LPI’s inspector draws a random sample of finished goods according to the AQL standard and checks quantities, workmanship, dimensions, functions, markings and packing.
The products are compared to the approved master sample, and the defects found are classified as critical, major or minor.
Any other point you are concerned about is checked as well. To see the acceptance limits for your quantity, use our AQL calculator.
At a glance
Final Random Inspection: at a glance
- When
- 100% of the goods produced and at least 80% packed
- Sampling
- ISO 2859-1 / ANSI Z1.4, general level II unless agreed otherwise
- Usual AQL
- 0 critical, 2.5 major, 4.0 minor
- Duration
- Usually one inspector-day per factory and model group
- Report
- Illustrated, online, within 24 hours
- Booking
- At least 48 hours ahead
Price
What does it cost?
from US$ 268
per inspector-day, excluding tax
Inspections are charged per inspector-day, with travel in Asia and the illustrated report included. The number of days depends on quantity, AQL level, number of models and on-site tests: it is fixed in the quotation, before anything is booked.
See prices and termsHow a pre-shipment inspection runs, step by step
- Checklist and bookingYou send the purchase order, specifications, artwork and photos of the approved sample, plus your own concerns. We turn them into an inspection checklist and confirm the date with the factory.
- Quantity checkOn arrival, the inspector counts finished and packed cartons against the order. If production is not ready, it is recorded and you are told the same day.
- Random samplingCartons are pulled at random across the whole lot, not from the pile the factory prepared. The number of pieces comes from the AQL table for your quantity.
- Workmanship and appearanceEach sampled piece is compared with the approved sample: finishing, colour, materials, assembly. Every defect is classified as critical, major or minor.
- Measurements and on-site testsDimensions and weight, function and assembly tests, carton drop test, barcode scan, plus tests specific to the product (tension test on toy parts, safety checks on electrical goods).
- Packing and markingsShipping marks, labels, barcodes, warnings, user manual and retail packaging are checked against your artwork and the destination market.
- Verdict and reportDefects are counted against the AQL limits. The illustrated report, with a photo of every defect, reaches you within 24 hours: ship, have the lot reworked or sorted, or re-inspect.
Worked example
How many pieces are checked, and how many defects are accepted?
For an order of 5,000 pieces of one model, inspected at general level II with the usual AQLs (0 for critical, 2.5 for major, 4.0 for minor defects), the inspector checks 200 pieces drawn at random. The lot is rejected as soon as the sample shows:
200pieces checked
1critical defect
11major defects
15minor defects
Your quantity and AQL are different? The AQL calculator gives the sample size and the limits in seconds; the AQL guide explains how to read the table.
What to send us before the inspection
- Purchase order: models, colours, quantities
- Specifications and technical drawings
- Artwork for labels, packaging and shipping marks
- Photos of the approved (golden) sample
- Defects you have already had with this supplier
What the factory must have ready
- Production 100% finished and at least 80% packed
- The approved sample kept at the factory
- Access to the whole stock, so cartons can be drawn at random
- A well-lit table and, if needed, power and test equipment
- Someone who can answer the inspector on the day
Defects to look for on the finished lot
Products most often reported in the EU for defects that a final inspection can detect on site. Numbers of alerts come from Safety Gate; the share made in China is shown for each family.
| Product | EU alerts | Defects most often reported | What the inspector checks at this stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft toys | 39987% China | Tension and torque tests on eyes, noses and accessories, small parts cylinder, seams. | |
| Chargers and power supplies | 49084% China | Markings and ratings, plug pins, casing, function test; samples to the lab for dielectric strength. | |
| Light chains | 42191% China | Cable section, plug and connections, strain relief, function test. | |
| Childcare articles | 32060% China | Locking, stability, openings measured, small parts, warnings. | |
| Cutting tools and machines | 23357% China | Guards in place and fixed, blade fixing, markings and manual. | |
| Chairs and seating | 4650% China | Assembly, stability on a flat floor, welds and joints, load check on site. |
Source: Safety Gate, the EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products, January 2023 to October 2026; figures updated every week in our Quality Observatory. For your own product, see the Product Defects Monitor.
What a pre-shipment inspection cannot tell you
Knowing the limits helps you plan the right checks.
- Chemical compliance: phthalates, heavy metals or boron (REACH, EN 71-3) can only be measured in a laboratory.
- Every single piece: AQL is a statistical method. A lot that passes can still contain defects, up to the accepted limit.
- Durability: wear, fatigue or ageing need lab tests over time.
- Cheap fixes: at this stage, a defect means rework of the whole lot. The initial production check and the during production inspection catch it earlier.
- Loading: how the cartons go into the container is checked by container loading supervision.
Which inspection, when?
The six inspections compared
Each inspection answers a different question at a different moment of the order. Most importers start with the pre-shipment inspection, then add earlier checks for new products, new suppliers or large orders.
| Inspection | When | The question it answers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Article Inspection | Before mass production, on the first pieces from the series tooling | Do the first pieces match the drawings and the approved sample? | New product, new mould or tooling, new material |
| Initial Production Check | 1 to 20% of the goods produced | Are the materials right, and has the factory understood the requirements? | First order, new supplier |
| During Production Inspection | About 15 to 20% of the goods produced | Is the run staying compliant, and will the shipping date hold? | Large quantities, tight schedules |
| Production Monitoring | Every day, at each stage of production | Are defects removed and reworked as soon as they appear? | Supplier that failed an early check, critical orders |
| Final Random Inspection | Production finished, goods packed | Does the finished lot meet the agreed AQL: ship, rework or sort? | Every order, before the balance payment |
| Container Loading Supervision | Loading day, goods packed and ready to leave | Are the right goods, in the right quantity, loaded safely? | Mixed or fragile loads, several suppliers |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does the inspector check on the finished lot?
A random sample is drawn under AQL and checked for quantities, finishing, dimensions, function, markings and packaging, compared with the approved reference sample.
How are the defects classified?
As critical, major or minor. Usual AQL levels are 0 for critical, 2.5 for major and 4.0 for minor defects; the AQL guide explains the acceptance limits.
What if the lot fails the inspection?
You decide from the illustrated report: ship as is, have the lot reworked or sorted, or have it re-inspected. The inspection also adds an inspection certificate to the shipment.
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- Minimum notice: 48 hours
- Full illustrated report within 24 hours
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