Today, China is the manufacturing superpower of Asia and a destination of choice in terms of supply for brands and retailers worldwide and quality control and inspection in china are very important to make your importing successful.
Overall, “made in China” is no longer systematically synonymous with poor quality, but having effective quality control mechanisms remains a priority for any company looking to secure its supply chain.
In this essential article we have listed the most important tips you have to know to make your quality control and inspection successful.
Table of Content
Chapter 1 What are Quality control and quality assurance?
Chapter 2 Quality Control And Inspection Tools
Chapter 3 The Quality Control And Inspection Process.
Chapter 4 FAQs about Quality Control and Quality Assurance in China
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 What are Quality Control And Quality Assurance？
Carrying the product from China without performing any form of quality control and quality assurance is totally unacceptable and will cost you much if you don’t know details about the process.
What is Quality Control?
Simply, quality control is a process used to check the quality of production and output of a product, the identification process aims to identify and correct any defects related to the product before it is shipping to the final location.
the objective aims to identify faults after a product is developed and before its release, quality control finds and eliminates the sources of quality problems and issues detected by buyers themself or an expert agent who has experience in the field.
What is Quality Assurance?
Quality assurance is used to guarantee the quality of the process used to produce the product by the supplier and the factory, it intended to prevent defects from occurring.
However, Analysis and inspection of faults to guarantee quality is not only a process but it is a full responsibility, the inspector inspects to improve the production and testing processes so that faults do not occur during the product development and release.
The process builds a good quality management system and assesses its adequacy also performs a periodic compliance audit of system operations to ensure that everything is in place in accordance with the buyer’s design and specifications.
Each function needs someone to be responsible, hiring an agent will be the best choice for these responsibilities.
Chapter 2 Quality Control And Inspection Tools in China
Tools used to control the quality are applied to complete outputs and production of the product process, they are called statistical quality control SQC.
To ensure the quality of the process, tools, and techniques statistics are applied through process inputs and operational parameters that they are called SPC statistical process control.
We can say that quality control and quality assurance complement each other and if neither of them is in existence then the progress will not be complete and the results will be inefficient.
Chapter 3 The Quality Control And Inspection in China Process
Shipping your product from China without some form of quality control and inspection is a crazy step and decision.
you can import one product or several products from one supplier without any problem, but as soon as you start importing several products from several suppliers without any form of the quality control program, you will be affected, in addition, the cost of your business could be huge and if there are quality issues you will be the one who needs to correct and the costs will be your in responsibility.
Having no quality control in place, you report to the suppliers that you are not a professional company, expect to be taken away, apart from catching problems before shipping, regular audit and quality control encourage your factory and supplier to maintain high-quality standards and requirements.
The control you will need, vary depending on your business, your product, and of course your market requirements, this could be something between pr-production inspection, during production inspection and container loading inspection, or maybe all three.
To protect your products in particular and your business in general, the quality control process will go through the following steps and before shipment
a. First Phase
Send highly qualified inspectors to arrange the quality control service at the factory once they are there, the agent will check if your product specifications( size, color, materiel..), including packaging, labeling requirements, if they met what you were looking for or you need to fix issues while there is time to do it.
If you do the inspection by yourself, take a random sample to make a checklist and specify the number of units inspected at random, inspect one by one is a tiring process and the right choice is to use and hire a quality inspection agent to better manage it.
Your agent will be able to check multiple units even if this will increase the time required for the inspection, but this will reduce errors and other problems that cannot be ignored.
Inspectors usually use the checklist to verify a number of specific characteristics linked to the product such as product weight, dimensions, materials, color, design..etc.
The quality checklist is the best way and guides for all-important checks during most inspections processes to check the product properties such it materiel, packaging properties, and labeling because various packaging means various quality and if the packaging not good enough then it can damage your product during transport and will cost you much.
b. Second Phase
If you are carrying out the verification process on your own, write a very detailed and complete quality control report to find out a very clear point of view about what you have to do and correct. Otherwise, you can ask this report from your agent in case you are hiring a professional company, the checklist report is very important for any buyer to know everything about the products.
The reporting of quality defects will classify the defects as “critical”, “significant” or “minor” defects.
For example, you can consider the unlimited size of the product as a critical defect, not just a defect,
so if the size is not respected, it will be crucial and will affect the room process.
Experienced inspectors often refer to the QC checklist for instructions on how to classify and report
any defect found during the inspection.
Tolerance for more serious errors can be riskier and affect your business, so make sure you have the report and verify everything, you may receive inaccurate results if inspectors collect errors and incorrect information.
c. Third Phase
Now, if the goods are produced and passed, you must make the final decision before arranging the shipment of these goods. However, if there are quality or product issues that do not meet your specifications such as the contract you signed with your supplier, you can easily train to make sure the supplier corrects these errors and reproduces all of them before accepting and receiving the products at the end.
Every buyer who wants to buy in China firmly believes that quality control is more than just an inspection process, it is the actions that are taken before production and before quality control to ensure a good result on the decisions that are made after quality control to ensure the right things happen, and to avoid all the issues it’s better to hire a quality agent to the process on your behalf.
After covering and shipping your products, you have passed the point of no return, once you have goods in your country, you will have a risk related to the quality problems, and I can tell you that it is too late because you cannot return your products.
Instead, you must make sure that your products meet all the technical specifications and quality requirements before paying the balance.
We have answered here the most common questions about the quality control and inspection in China.
Why do you need a quality inspection agent company in china
Experienced and professional importers know that they must provide clear product specifications to their clients, otherwise they risk receiving a shipment that does not meet their expectations or those of their clients.
Chapter 4 FAQs about Quality Control and Quality Assurance in China
a. Why Do You Need an Agent Company For Quality Control and Inspection in China?
Experienced and professional importers know that they must provide clear product specifications to their clients, otherwise they risk receiving a shipment that does not meet their expectations or those of their clients.
As a quality agent company in china, we personally inspected hundreds of requests, and this is what we have often found:
Scratches
Dirt
Trademarks
Simple cosmetic issues
It is expected. However, there are also other quality issues:
Separate pieces
labels that are not correct
design can not be the same as you choose
colors can be different
Part or all your products can be damaged
However, in China, and in other Asian countries, everyone knows that you cannot return the goods if you face quality problems in your country.
b. What types of quality issues can be carried out by the quality inspector?
Everything that can be done with the available equipment.
Some examples follow:
Take product photos and labels
Dimensions and measures
Visual inspection (search for damage and faults)
Function tests
Label verification
Drop tests
Water pressure testing
Packaging
c. What Do I Receive After Quality Control?
Within one working day after the quality inspection, the agency will send you a PDF report with photos and other data collected, you can also request videos.
Keep in mind that the PDF report is the quality checklist, so you get what you asking for, they will not create and perform only what you request during the inspection.
d. Why The quality control report is very Important?
The report shows the number of faults, as well as pictures and descriptions. Therefore, the report can help you decide whether or not you approve of the order.
Can my supplier accept quality control?
a supplier who does not fully accept a quality control, you should never consider all.
These suppliers intend to rip you off outsource your order to a local sweatshop.
Do I have to ask my supplier about the QC?
Yes, you must inform your supplier that you intend to obtain quality control of the order as soon as possible. Before you even place an order for samples.
It is very important to make the supplier understand that you are looking for the best quality, as a buyer, make sure about the quality assurance process in place.
Not one of those gullible buyers who lean back to accommodate the supplier.
Still not checked
How can I book a quality control online?
Nowadays, most established quality control agencies have online booking systems.
All you need to do is log in and submit the following information:
Name of supplier
Contact details
Factory address (if applicable)
Product specification
Amount
Control List
Inspection date
e. How Far in Advance Should I Book Quality Control?
Most companies in Quebec announce that they accept reservations made only 72 hours before the date.
If you need advice from the QC company on how to submit the checklist first, you should book at least 3 weeks in advance. The earliest would be best.
How much should I expect to pay?
Most quality control agencies, including our company, charge around the US $ 300 per inspection. This also includes travel expenses and other expenses.
f. When Should Products Be Inspected?
At a minimum, you should have the products inspected before shipping and pay the balance. However, you can also consider-site quality control to make sure that the product adheres to a defined set of quality criteria and meet the requirements during production.
Quality inspection during production can help you find quality problems at the beginning stage ( incorrect colors, materials, size, design…) and correct them while there is still time for production to avoid all kinds of problems later.
g. What Kind of Checks The Inspector Should Do?
The purpose of the inspection is to show you the condition of your products. You can ask them to report anything that can be obtained while they are in the factory( photos and videos, dimensions of the product, packaging and visual inspection).
In addition, you should also ask the agent to take a closer look at the potential quality issues discovered during the sampling process.
h. How Do I Know if The Inspector is Qualified to Check My Products?
Most established organizations are qualified to inspect any product. In the end, this is what you write in the quality checklist.
What is important is that they have a solid track record and that you provide a clear and measurable checklist.
i. Sending Pre-Production Samples to The Agent Are Useful?
You don’t have to, but it can help the agency better understand the product. That said, most of our customers do not send samples before production.
Having reference samples is very useful as a powerful tool for checking fabrics and other materials during the exam, in fact, it’s difficult to verify the authenticity of the product, so having an inspection company for controlling the process is a good choice.
j. Will The Inspected Samples be Destroyed?
Not in most cases, but some quality tests can damage the product to some extent. This includes flame retardants, material weight checks, and water pressure tests.
k. Can I Travel to China to Do The Inspection By Myself?
Of course, you can fly to China and visit the factory for yourself. In fact, this is something I encourage you to do, before placing your first order.
However, when it comes to quality control, not only will you save money on hotels, flights, and visas – but you will also find that the quality inspector does a better job than you would yourself.
l. Should I do a Quality Check on Each Order?
Yes, you should have each order inspected.
As we said, product production and development is not a stable process, and a faulty or damaged component can ruin the whole business.
In addition, your supplier is much more likely to minimize defects if they know you will have the lot inspected.
m. Can The Quality Control Company also Verify That The Products Comply With the Mandatory Safety Standards?
The agent can check labels and verify compliance with mechanical compliance requirements (i.e., loose parts or sharp edges).
However, they do not have the equipment to perform more complex product safety tests( chemical and heavy metal audits as examples)
For such tests, the agent can take samples of batches to submit them to an accredited conformity testing company, such as SGS or Asiainspection.
Keep in mind that the laboratory test is paid for separately, and is often more expensive than quality control.
n. What Happens if They Find Quality Problems?
It is very likely that you will find quality problems. If the inspector finds only a few minor quality issues, you can go ahead and approve the order.
Remember that you will have to deal directly with the supplier. The agent will not negotiate compensation or anything of the kind with the supplier.
o. Can’t I Just do Quality Control When The Goods Arrive in My Country?
Of course, it is, but what good is it?
Conclusion
Quality inspections allow you to minimize your import risks, save on production costs, and reduce delivery times. Our business practices are based on international standards.
