Quality control in China means checking the goods before they leave the factory and before you pay the balance. While the batch is still at the supplier's warehouse, defects can be reworked, replaced or deducted from the invoice. Once the goods are on their way to Kazakhstan, Russia or anywhere else, the problem is yours alone: shipping them back is expensive, and selling defective items on Kaspi, Wildberries or Ozon means returns and bad reviews.
Why you need quality control in China before shipping
A Chinese supplier rarely cheats on purpose. More often it's small things: a cheaper material because the old one ran out, packaging that doesn't meet marketplace rules, a color that differs from the sample because of another dye lot. For the factory these are acceptable variations; for you they are returns and penalties.
- Money. The balance is usually around 70% of the order. Once it's paid, you have almost no leverage over the supplier.
- Logistics. Returning a batch to China from Almaty or Moscow costs more than the goods themselves.
- Marketplaces. Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon track return rates. A defective batch hurts the listing's rating, eats into revenue in tenge or rubles and can get the listing blocked.
- Time. The goods aren't selling, and your money is tied up.
An inspection costs far less than these losses, so even small batches deserve at least a photo check. If you are still choosing a supplier, start with the factory itself — see how to verify a factory in China.
Types of inspections: from sample to container loading
Quality control is usually split into four stages. You don't need all of them — it depends on the order value, the product and whether you've worked with the factory before.
Sample check before production starts
Before paying the deposit you approve a golden sample that the whole batch is later compared against: photographed from all sides, measured, weighed, function-tested, materials recorded. For private-label and OEM orders this stage matters most — it fixes logo placement, packaging and print colors.
During-production inspection
Done when roughly 20–40% of the batch is finished. The inspector compares the first finished units with the golden sample, checks raw materials and whether the factory is on schedule. The point is to catch a systematic error — the wrong shade, the wrong zipper, a misprint — while it's cheap to fix. Worth it for large orders, OEM and a new factory.
Pre-shipment inspection
The most common check, done when the batch is at least 80% finished and packed. The inspector picks cartons at random, pulls a sample according to AQL and checks quantity, appearance, dimensions and weight, function, labeling, packaging and barcodes. You get a photo and video report and a verdict: pass or fail. If you buy through a sourcing agent such as ChinaGoGlobal, the manager agrees the inspection date with the factory and handles the conversation in Chinese.
Container loading check
For full-container sea and rail shipments: the inspector checks the container, the carton count and condition, the stacking and the seal. For consolidated cargo this stage is replaced by acceptance at the warehouse.
| Type of check | When | What is checked | Who needs it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sample check | Before the deposit | Materials, dimensions, functions, packaging | All orders, especially OEM |
| During production | 20–40% finished | First units, raw materials, schedule | Large orders, a new factory |
| Pre-shipment | 80–100% finished and packed | AQL sample, quantity, labeling, packaging | Almost any wholesale order |
| Container loading | On dispatch day | Container, carton count, stacking, seal | Full containers by sea or rail |
| Warehouse acceptance | On arrival from the supplier | Appearance, quantity, completeness, photos | Small batches from 1688, Taobao, Pinduoduo |
AQL: how a sample tells you about the whole batch
Checking every unit in a batch of 5,000 is slow and expensive, so inspectors sample under ISO 2859-1 (ANSI/ASQ Z1.4). AQL — acceptable quality level — is the maximum share of defects at which a batch still counts as acceptable. The standard sets how many units to pull and how many defects are allowed.
Three categories of defects
- Critical — unsafe or unsellable: an exposed wire, sharp edges, a device that won't turn on. As a rule AQL 0: one such defect and the batch is rejected.
- Major — the customer would return it: a stain on the front, a broken zipper, the wrong color. Usually AQL 2.5 for consumer goods, 1.0 for electronics, children's products and premium goods.
- Minor — noticeable but doesn't affect use: a loose thread, a faint scratch on the bottom. Usually AQL 4.0.
Sample size and acceptance numbers
At general inspection level II (the default for most inspections) the sample size depends on the batch size. A few rows from the standard's table for single sampling, normal inspection:
| Batch size | Sample | Major (AQL 2.5): accept / reject | Minor (AQL 4.0): accept / reject |
|---|---|---|---|
| 281–500 | 50 | 3 / 4 | 5 / 6 |
| 501–1,200 | 80 | 5 / 6 | 7 / 8 |
| 1,201–3,200 | 125 | 7 / 8 | 10 / 11 |
| 3,201–10,000 | 200 | 10 / 11 | 14 / 15 |
AQL is not the defect rate of the whole batch. A sample shows the batch most likely meets the set quality level, but it doesn't guarantee every carton is defect-free. If you need zero defects — for electronics or gift sets, say — order a 100% inspection: slower and dearer, but no sampling risk.
What a photo and video report shows
The report is the main output of an inspection: it lets you see the goods the way your customer will, without flying to China, and decide whether to pay the balance. It usually includes:
- The batch as a whole — cartons at the factory, their number and markings.
- Packaging — outer carton, inner packaging, inserts, polybags, protection from moisture and impact.
- Units from the sample — each unit from all sides next to the golden sample, measured and weighed against the specification.
- Function tests on video — switching on, charging, buttons, seams, fasteners, leak tests.
- Defects — close-ups, with the category and count for each type.
- Labeling — barcodes, labels, composition, country of origin.
- Verdict — accept / reject per category and overall.
For sellers on Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon labeling matters most: marketplaces require a barcode on every unit, and some categories in Russia need Chestny Znak marking. A label error is easier to fix at the factory than to relabel a thousand units in Almaty or Astana. More in goods from China for Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon.
Send your checklist in advance
An inspector checks what the brief says. Send the specification, reference photos, tolerances for dimensions and color, the mandatory tests and packaging requirements in advance. Without a checklist the report may miss the one detail that matters to you.
What to do if defects are found
A report with defects isn't a disaster — it's the start of a negotiation. As long as the balance is unpaid you have leverage, and most factories cooperate. Your options, from mildest to toughest:
- Sort and rework. The factory replaces or repairs defective units. Works for isolated, fixable defects: loose threads, poor packaging, dirt.
- Replace the defective part. The supplier makes the missing quantity. The schedule slips, so decide whether you wait or ship the good part now.
- A discount. If the defect is cosmetic and the goods can still be sold, negotiate a lower price for the batch or the defective part.
- Reject the batch. The last resort for critical defects or a batch that broadly fails to match the sample. Getting the deposit back depends on the contract, so agree the terms in advance.
After rework, order a re-inspection: the supplier may simply repack the same cartons. A repeat check is usually shorter and cheaper. Common mistakes at this stage are covered in mistakes when buying in China.
Don't pay the balance before approving the report
The most expensive mistake is paying the balance “so they ship faster” and checking afterwards: once paid, a factory can ignore complaints for weeks. Write into the order that the balance is paid after the report is approved.
How to check quality before shipping: a step-by-step plan
- Fix the requirements. Specification, golden sample, tolerances, marketplace rules for packaging and labels, confirmed by the supplier.
- Write acceptance terms into the order. AQL levels, who inspects and when, what happens on rejection, when the balance is paid.
- For a first order or OEM, inspect during production. A check at 20–40% saves reworking the whole batch.
- Order a pre-shipment inspection 3–5 days before completion; the batch must be packed.
- Study the report. Compare it with the checklist, ask about every defect, request extra photos if needed.
- Decide — accept, rework, discount or reject. Only then the balance and dispatch.
- Check again at the warehouse in China before shipping: carton count and condition.
How ChinaGoGlobal helps with quality control
If you don't have your own buyer in China, the checks can be delegated to a sourcing agent. ChinaGoGlobal has worked since 2024 with marketplace sellers, wholesalers and manufacturers from Kazakhstan, Russia and beyond, taking over what is hard to do remotely:
- Factory verification before you order — so you don't start production with a middleman posing as a factory.
- Quality control at the factory or at the warehouse, with a photo and video report.
- Buyout on 1688, Taobao, Pinduoduo, Alibaba or direct from a factory, with all communication in Chinese, including negotiations over defects.
- Warehouse and consolidation — four warehouses in China (Foshan, Guangzhou, Yiwu, Khorgos): goods from different suppliers are received, inspected and shipped together.
- Delivery by air (2–3 days), road (7–10), truck (10–14), rail (20–30 days from dispatch) or sea. Insurance is 2% of the goods' value: damaged insured cargo is paid in full or reordered at the company's expense.
The cost depends on the product, the batch size and the factory's location, so it is quoted on request: message a manager on WhatsApp, describe the product and send the specification. If you haven't found a supplier yet, start there.