Product inspection checklist: tips for importers

Checklists are usually prepared in an Excel or Word document.
Here is an example of checklist organization, for consumer goods inspections:

1. MATERIALS & COMPONENTS
What is the product made of? This is exceedingly important, and you might want to control the components before they are embedded in the final product.

2. ASSEMBLY / WORKMANSHIP
How is the product supposed to be made? Example: the type of stitching on a garment.

3. COLORS, FINISHING, ASPECT
If possible, give Pantone codes and include photos.

4. SIZE WEIGHT, AND OTHER MEASUREMENTS
If possible, show/specify the way to take the measurements.

5. LABELING, MARKINGS, LOGO, TAGS, STICKERS...
Should the markings resist when they are rubbed? If there is a barcode, should the inspector do a reading test? Where are the labeling elements?

6. PACKACING
Content and type of retail packaging, breakdown per master carton, quality of carton, shipping marks.

7. TESTS TO BE DONE BY THE INSPECTOR
Some tests can be done with the factory equipment, or have to be done in a lab. Make sure the inspector does all he can within his workday, since labtests are usually expensive.

8. VISUAL DEFECTS TO LOOK OUT FOR
For example, if you noticed defects on a previous shipment, you can call the inspector's attention on them.

If you have any question, don't hesitate to contact me: ra (at) sofeast (dot) com.

Basically, an inspector who checks a batch of products needs a list of checkpoints.
Otherwise he only takes photos and measurements, and he cannot estimate whether production is conform to the buyer's expectations. There are four reasons why this is not a good idea:

1. Timing
The inspection company reports the findings to the buyer, who needs to analyze this information and take a decision. if the shipment is urgent and a decision needs to be done quickly, this analysis can waste precious hours or even days.

2. Reporting
The inspector might forget to check some aspects of the product that are actually of prime importance for the buyer.

3. Avoiding bribery
In the absence of predefined checkpoints, it is easy for a rogue inspector to avoid reporting certain quality issues and get a bribery from the supplier. He can simply say "oh sorry, I didn't know I should check this aspect".

4. Ambiguity
In Asia, it is in the buyer's interest to define his requirements in the most intimate details. (And these requirements naturally become the quality control (QC) checklist once inspection time comes.) When the buyer does not do this job, he basically trusts the factory (whose interest is to save on all materials and accessories) to guess right. This is not a good formula!

To sum up, the buyer is much better off giving a detailed checklist to the inspector. Now let's see how to prepare such an inspection checklist.

Here are some simple guidelines:
-- If you purchase custom-made products, define the specifications of the products you buy.
-- If you have no deep product expertise, or if you buy standard goods, ask your supplier to give you precise specifications before you place an order.
-- Research the potential safety issues corresponding to your product, and define some tests (either on site or in a lab) to be performed on random samples.
-- If your supplier sends you samples and you notice issues to fix, note them down--they might make the same mistakes in production.
-- Read the next part (below) to make sure you don't forget any important piece of information.

Use all the information gleaned in the above steps, and list them. If this is too complex, work with a quality control firm and ask them specifically for an inspection checklist (read it and approve it before inspection starts).

For more information, you can read 5 proven ways to enforce your quality standard in China.