Quality is managed, not hoped for
Quality problems in China sourcing are rarely random. They come from unclear specifications, unverified suppliers, and inspections that happen too late. Quality control is a sequence of checks placed at the right moments.
The inspection sequence
- Pre-production: confirm materials, tooling, and packaging specifications before production starts
- In-line inspection: sample products during production, when problems are still cheap to fix
- Pre-shipment inspection (PSI): the final check — quantity, quality, packaging, and labeling before goods leave the factory
What a good PSI checks
- Quantity matches the order
- Quality meets the agreed brief — materials, finish, dimensions, function
- Packaging and labeling are correct for shipping and your market
- Documentation is complete for customs clearance
Handling defects
- Define the defect standard in writing before production — "acceptable quality level" in the contract, not after the fact
- Inspect before shipment so defects are caught while the supplier can still fix them
- If defects arrive at your door, document them and manage the claim with evidence
How Procovia manages quality
Quality control runs through our Evaluate, Manage, and Deliver stages — from sample review to pre-shipment inspection before goods leave China.
See also: How to source products from China and supplier verification.