Factory quality check before shipment
A practical guide to factory quality check before shipment: what to check on site, what a photograph cannot establish, and what to write in your purchase specification.
A factory quality check before shipment is a defined sequence, not a general inspection. This is the sequence, and what each step is for.
The sequence
- Documents first. The PI, the agreed specification and the packing list define what "correct" means. Without them the check can only establish general consistency, not conformity.
- Count and marks. Carton count against the packing list; carton marks and order numbers photographed.
- Sample draw. Under ISO 2859-1 general level II. The lot size, sample size and accept/reject numbers are recorded so the conclusion can be defended.
- Identity. Model and SKU on each sampled unit matched to the PI.
- Dimensions. Measured against the stated figure, including functional dimensions.
- Materials. Compared against the agreed specification, or against your sample.
- Physical checks. Load, stability, wobble, carton drop, assembly — whatever the category requires.
- Packing. Carton marks, protection, accessory and hardware pack completeness.
- Findings and limitations. What passed, what failed, and what could not be checked and why.
Where category detail goes
sofa verification scope and dining table verification scope list the specific checks for soft furniture and for dining furniture respectively, including the parameters and the level at which each is performed.
The step most people skip
Step one. A check with no written reference produces a report full of statements that cannot be enforced, because there is nothing to enforce them against.
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.