Pre Shipment Inspection (PSI) Services

Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) Services

A Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI), also called Final Random Inspection (FRI), is an effective tool to protect buyers against costly import risks. It is used to ensure the quality, quantity, and documentation match the buyers’ requirements before goods are shipped.

A pre-shipment inspection will determine if there are any defective products in a batch and ensure that the products meet the quality and safety requirements of the target market. It provides the necessary results for deciding if the lot can be accepted or not before shipping. Examining products and documents and determining compliance with required standards avoids customs problems, reduces delays, and prevents defective products from reaching the customer.

Pre-shipment Inspection

Pre-Shipment inspections are guided by sampling. Sampling occurs when the material is 100% produced and 80% packaged for shipment. The principle of this type of inspection is to draw conclusions on the conformity of the batch from the results obtained on a sample rather than inspecting 100%. The sample size is chosen to be statistically representative of the total quantity and the individual units inspected are randomly selected by the third-party inspector. This quality control is the last opportunity to take the necessary corrective actions before shipping. When defective products are identified, they are either sorted or reworked so only compliant products are shipped.

The Pre-Shipment Inspection Precedent

Pre-shipment inspections are increasingly used and required because of an agreement to improve international trade standards under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade amended by the World Trade Organization. In international trade, third-party pre-shipment inspection services may be required to adhere to a letter of credit. When companies deal with foreign suppliers, a letter of credit is often created to protect the monetary interests of the buyer, ensuring that the products are as ordered before the bank releases the funds from the selling company.

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Sample Reports

Advantages of Pre-Shipment Inspections (PSI)

Identify Quality Defects

Avoid costly rework and delays

Improve import efficiency

Protect brand reputation

Pro QC’s Pre-Shipment Inspection Services

Ensuring product quality is an absolute necessity, both for regulatory compliance and brand image reasons. The product must be free of defects and match the required quality standards set by the buyer when it is shipped out of the factory. For many companies, a final random inspection is part of their quality control process. Having an inspector on-site at the factory to compare the purchase order with the actual products ensures a higher level of assurance and control.

Pro QC offers third-party Pre-Shipment Inspection services in over 88 countries. We support companies in conducting this verification independently and efficiently. Pro QC provides PSI solutions to a wide range of clients in textiles, shoes, eyewear, furniture, sporting goods, electronics, electrical equipment, medical devices, automotive parts, energy equipment, machinery, metal products, and construction materials.

As a third-party inspection company, Pro QC follow the ANSI Z1.4-2008 (ANSI Sampling Table) standard to define the number of units that will be randomly selected for evaluation.

Pro QC’s Final Random Inspection services detect quality defects at an early stage. This prevents material with visual or functional defects from being shipped to buyers and end-users. If inspectors detect a trend where the same type of defect is repeated, inspection data will inform interventions to improve the factory’s quality performance.

Ready To Control Quality?

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Ready To Control Quality?

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Pro QC’s Pre-Shipment Inspection Reports

Pro QC’s quality professionals work closely with clients to develop detailed product checklists that engineers use on-site. Our final random inspection checklists are customized according to client requirements and products – we understand that verification tests differ greatly from t-shirts to solar panels, and ensure that we cover the basic elements below:

Quantity verification
Packaging integrity (ISTA 1A drop-test)
Visual (Workmanship) evaluation
Functional, measurement (special testing) evaluation
Labeling verification
Photo documentation & reporting

After identifying defects, Pro QC’s auditor sorts them into three categories: minor, major, and critical. The inspection results are either FAILED, PENDING, or PASSED. Pro QC delivers Pre-Shipment Inspection reports to customers within 24 hours of completion. Each report outlines the general information of the client’s order, an inspection result summary, and the detailed inspection results by category with digital images and photos.

Preview example reports here.

Key Differentiators

Superior industry and technical expertise garnered since 1984
Tailored quality solutions provided in over 88 countries
Specialized and qualified quality inspectors
Detailed inspection reports delivered within 24 hours
Experienced with over 30,000 products from all industries

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Key Differentiators

Superior industry and technical expertise garnered since 1984
Tailored quality solutions provided in over 88 countries
Specialized and qualified quality inspectors
Detailed inspection reports delivered within 24 hours
Experienced with over 30,000 products from all industries

Request a quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Pro QC provide Final Random Inspections (FRI)?

Pro QC International is a third-party company that provides Pre-Shipment Inspections/Final Random Inspection (FRI) services in over 88 countries, through a large network of quality inspectors and offices across the globe. This includes, but is not limited to:

Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and more.
Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, USA, and more.
Europe: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and more.
Middle East & Africa: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and more.

Click here to see the full list.

How Often Should You Conduct Final Random Inspections (FRI)?

How often an inspection is conducted depends on several variables:

Supplier performance
Supplier history
Product return information
Internal evaluation feedback
Size of purchase order
Legal agreements

Why should you contract a third-party inspection company?

A buyer often does not have a physical presence in the country where their supplier operates. Without a presence in the manufacturing country, it can be quite difficult to ensure product quality and supplier compliance. This can result in a lack of control over a situation where the buyer is ultimately responsible. A third-party inspection company will provide qualified local engineers to assure product quality and prevent defective products from being shipped. The use of third-party inspection companies is often more cost-effective than using internal resources and allows a fast response time to any manufacturing and quality challenges encountered.