Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI)

Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) is the most common type of quality inspection in international trade. It is conducted at the factory when at least 80% of the order is finished and export-packed. A trained inspector randomly samples products from the completed batch according to AQL standards, systematically checks them against your specifications and quality checklist, and issues a pass, fail, or conditional pass report.

A standard PSI covers: quantity verification (are all ordered units produced?), workmanship check (visual inspection for defects), dimensional check (measurements against specs), functionality testing (does the product work as intended?), labeling and packaging verification (correct labels, barcodes, carton markings), barcode scanning (ensuring barcodes are readable), drop test (carton dropped from specified height to check protective packaging), and product-specific tests (water resistance, weight, color matching, etc.).

The PSI report typically includes a clear pass/fail/pending recommendation, defect photos with descriptions, a summary of quantities checked and defects found by category (critical, major, minor), and overall batch disposition. If the batch fails, you have several options: request the factory to sort and rework defective units and re-inspect, negotiate a price discount to accept the batch with known defects, or reject the batch entirely. Having a PSI report gives you documented leverage for these negotiations.