You receive information from a Chinese supplier that your goods will be ready for shipment any minute now. You feel a twinge of uncertainty, wondering if everything has been completed according to your specifications. At this stage, you need a pre-shipment inspection report. If you’ve never ordered one, let’s see what exactly is in the actual report and go through it page by page.
What is a pre–shipment inspection report?
A pre–shipment inspection (PSI) happens when your order is roughly 80–100% produced and packed. An independent inspector visits the factory, pulls a random sample based on internationally recognized AQL sampling, checks it against your specification, and writes it all up. The report is the evidence – dozens of pages of photos, measurements, test results and a clear verdict. It exists so you make the ship–or–hold call, not the supplier.
Walking through a real report
The example is an electronics order – LED beauty masks bound for the EU. Order quantity: 600 sets. Inspected sample: 80 sets. Final verdict on the cover page: PENDING. Here’s how it was decided.
1. The inspection summary
Page one is the page you read first. It lists the client, factory and supplier, the product name, the PO/PI numbers, order and finished quantities, destination country, and a tidy table of ten check categories – each marked Passed, Pending or Passed with conditional. In our example, quantity and barcodes passed, but net weight and product dimensions were left Pending. One glance tells you where the trouble is.
A quick tip: if you only read one page before a phone call with your supplier, read this one. It has all the crucial information.
2. AQL and the defect breakdown
Using the ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 sampling standard, the inspector separates findings into critical, major and minor defects, then compares them against agreed limits to decide “Accept” or “Reject.”
Defect rate
Our order showed a defect rate of 3.75% – zero critical, zero major, three minor: an uncut thread on a strap, a glue mark on a controller, and a black dot on a mask. Small things individually – but without the report, they’d arrive as customer complaints later.
3. Quantity, weight and dimensions
The inspector counts cartons, opens a sample of them, and verifies that the quantity actually finished matches your PO. They weigh products and cartons, and measure product and packaging dimensions against your spec. In our report, the finished quantity hit 100% – good news – but marked carton weights and dimensions were missing, which is exactly the kind of gap that causes freight and customs headaches later.
4. Packaging, barcodes and shipping marks
The report checks inner boxes, sales packaging, artwork, labels, shipping marks and barcodes. In our example, the inspector flagged that lot and serial numbers couldn’t be scanned on one item, and that a required UN3481 lithium–battery transport label was missing – a compliance issue that can literally stop a shipment at the border.
5. On–site testing and function checks
This is where a good inspection earns its keep. The report covers switch on/off tests, battery voltage, function checks, aging tests, adhesion tests and verification against your approved sample. Crucially, it also records what couldn’t be tested: our factory refused to open a unit for an internal battery–capacity check, calling it “destructive,” so those specs were marked Pending. That honesty is the point – the report tells you what’s confirmed and what’s still an open question.
6. Special attention and observations
Two lists close the analytical part:
- Special Attention (SPA) items need your decision before shipping – like that missing UN3481 label.
- Observations (OBS) are for your reference, such as charging time or which model name appears on the manual versus the carton.
Together, they hand you a ready–made action list for your supplier.
7. Photos, videos and annex
Finally, the report is packed with dozens of on–site photos and inspection videos – every defect, label and test documented. When you negotiate a discount or a rework, “the inspector photographed it” ends the argument fast.
What “PENDING” really means for the importer
Notice the verdict wasn’t “Failed.” It was “Pending” – meaning the samples broadly met requirements, but open issues remained for the client to resolve.
That’s the report doing its job: instead of blindly shipping, the importer could push the factory to add the UN3481 label, fix the scanning issue and confirm the battery specs before the container sailed. A few hours of inspection replaced weeks of returns, disputes and customs delays.
Is pre-shipment inspection worth it?
A single inspection costs a fraction of one rejected pallet – and a tiny fraction of a customs hold or a brand–damaging batch of faulty goods. For most importers, one caught problem pays for years of inspections. The report also gives you leverage: documented, third–party evidence is far more persuasive than an angry email.
If you want that peace of mind for your next order, we can arrange an independent quality inspection in China and deliver a report similar to the one above. But if you are not sure if your chosen supplier is reliable, order a supplier credit report first.