Quality Control & Inspection
Quality Control 101: What an AQL Inspection Actually Checks For
AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) is the industry-standard sampling method for pre-shipment inspection. Instead of checking every unit in an order - impractical at scale - an inspector checks a statistically representative sample size based on the total order quantity, and the order passes or fails based on how many defects turn up in that sample.
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An article by
Client Success Manager
A typical inspection checks three categories of defects: critical, major, and minor.
Critical defects are anything that makes the product unsafe or unusable, such as electrical safety issues, sharp edges, or choking hazards - even one critical defect can fail an order.
Major defects are things that would likely cause a customer to return the product, such as wrong color, broken function, or visible damage.
Minor defects are cosmetic issues unlikely to affect saleability, such as small scuffs or slightly uneven stitching.
Inspectors also verify quantity (is the carton count correct), packaging (does it match the approved artwork and specs), and barcode or labeling accuracy - catching FBA labeling mistakes before they become a rejected Amazon shipment instead of after.
Sampling levels follow AQL tables based on the total order size: a larger order requires inspecting a larger sample, but not the full order, which keeps inspection time and cost proportional to shipment size.
Skipping inspection on a first order with a new factory is one of the most common, and most expensive, mistakes new importers make. The cost of an inspection is a fraction of the cost of a container of defective inventory arriving with no recourse.
We run AQL inspections on every order before it leaves our Shenzhen facility, with photo and video documentation so you can see exactly what passed and what didn't before the shipment ever leaves China.
