Buyer agent vs inspection company
A practical guide to buyer agent vs inspection company: what to check on site, what a photograph cannot establish, and what to write in your purchase specification.
Inspection and laboratory testing are different services that solve different problems. The confusion between them is common, and it sometimes results in paying twice for the same requirement.
The distinction
| Inspection | Laboratory testing | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | At the factory, on the goods | In a laboratory, on a sample |
| Question answered | Do these goods match what was ordered? | Does this product meet a published standard? |
| Reference | Your PI, specification and sample | A national or industry standard |
| Result | A verification statement | An accredited report with legal standing |
| Can it be used for customs | No | Yes, if accredited |
When you need both
Often, if your goods are sold into a market that requires compliance documentation, or installed under a client contract that specifies test results.
In that case the sensible sequence is: the laboratory tests the product, and the inspection verifies that the factory's report covers your specification, your model and your order quantity.
Where accreditation comes from
In China, CMA is the mandatory national accreditation for testing institutions, and CNAS is the voluntary national accreditation. An institution without CMA cannot issue reports for regulatory purposes, however good its facilities are.
The question to ask before paying
Ask for the report you would receive and check three fields: the standard, the product model covered, and the issuing laboratory's accreditation. how we work states plainly what an inspection covers and what it does not.
If a provider offers both
Ask whether the referral fee goes to them. A provider that earns a commission on laboratory work has a reason to find laboratory work necessary. A provider that takes no part in the fee has no such reason — and can say honestly when a check is sufficient.
Common questions
What should my purchase specification contain?
Model and quantity, dimensions with tolerance, materials named rather than described generically, colour standard with a grey scale value, and any standard the goods must meet.
How early should verification happen before shipment?
After production is substantially complete but before the container is sealed. Earlier and there is nothing to inspect; later and the remedy is to unload in China rather than in your own country.
What does AQL mean in furniture inspection?
AQL is the Acceptable Quality Limit under ISO 2859-1 — the quality threshold used to accept or reject a sampled lot. It is an input to a decision, not a statement about how good the goods are.
Verifying a furniture order?
We check your goods at the factory against your PI, your agreed specification and your approved sample. Three levels, published prices, report within 24 hours.