Quality Control

Catch defects before they reach your customers.

Professional on-site QC inspections at your supplier's factory. We verify quality, quantities, and compliance — and deliver an official report within 1 business day.

$175–$200
Per man-day, all-in
1 day
Report turnaround
No minimum
Book when you need it
1 day
Booking response time
What is Quality Control?

A professional checkpoint between your factory and your customers.

Quality Control (QC) is an independent, on-site inspection at your supplier's factory — performed by a trained third-party inspector, not the factory itself. The inspector verifies that what's being produced actually matches what you ordered, and documents everything in a formal report.

Verification, not trust

The factory says the order is ready and correct. QC is how you verify that independently — before paying the final balance or loading a container.

Statistical sampling (AQL)

Inspectors use Acceptance Quality Limit (AQL) standards — a globally accepted sampling methodology that catches defects across random units, not just the pretty ones the factory shows you.

A paper trail that protects you

The inspection report is formal documentation. If problems surface later, you have evidence of what was — or wasn't — present at shipment, and leverage in any supplier dispute.

Why do QC

The cost of skipping QC is always higher than doing it.

One defective shipment can erase the margin on 20 good ones. QC is one of the cheapest forms of insurance in the entire supply chain — and the ROI shows up on your P&L within a single order.

Cut returns & refund rates

Defects caught at the factory cost pennies to fix. Defects caught by a customer cost you the return shipping, the refund, the replacement, and the review. Every % of returns you prevent drops straight to margin.

Avoid shipping rejected goods

Customs can hold shipments for labeling, certification, or safety issues. QC verifies compliance before the container leaves the port — not after.

Protect your brand reputation

On social media, one viral unboxing of a defective product can cost more in lost sales than a year of QC fees. Catching it upstream keeps your brand impression sharp.

Negotiate from a position of evidence

A formal inspection report gives you leverage to demand rework, credits, or replacements before wire transferring the balance. Without it, you're arguing in the dark.

Build supplier accountability

Factories that know you inspect produce consistently better work. QC is as much a behavioral signal as it is a checkpoint — and it compounds across reorders.

Catch silent spec drift

Suppliers sometimes substitute materials, thin out finishes, or tweak dimensions between batches to save cost. Regular inspections catch drift before it erodes your product.

Why Portless QC

Don't ship blind. Inspect first.

A single defective shipment can cost you thousands in returns, refunds, and lost customer trust. On-site inspections catch issues at the factory — before they become your problem.

Prevent costly returns

Identify defects, wrong quantities, and packaging issues before goods leave the factory. Fix problems where they're cheapest to fix.

Protect your brand

Every shipment that reaches a customer is a brand impression. QC inspections ensure your product meets the standard your customers expect.

Full transparency, fast

Official inspection report delivered within 1 business day. No direct factory communication from the inspector — findings go exclusively to you.

What's included

What you get in every inspection.

Every booking includes a professional inspector, a full quality check, and a detailed report.

On-site QC inspector

Professional inspector deployed to your supplier's factory

Quantity verification

Confirm units match your PO before shipment

Defect sampling

Statistical sampling per AQL standards to catch defects early

Product conformity check

Verify products match your specifications and approved samples

Measurement checks

Dimensional verification against your product specs

Official inspection report

Detailed PDF report delivered within 1 business day

Inspection types

Inspection types we offer.

Pre-shipment inspection

Final check before goods leave the factory. The most common inspection type.

Inline / during-production

Mid-production check to catch issues early, before the full order is complete.

Full inspection (100% QC)

Every single unit checked. Best for high-value or high-risk orders.

Truck loading supervision

Verify correct goods are loaded and properly secured for transport.

Inventory count or audit

Physical count and condition check of stock at the factory or warehouse.

Have an upcoming shipment to inspect?

Book a QC inspection in minutes. Our team reviews your booking and sends a quote within 1 business day.

Book an inspection
How it works

From booking to report in days.

1

Submit your booking

Day 0

Fill out the inspection request form with factory details, product info, and your preferred date.

2

We review and confirm

Day 1–2

Our team reviews your booking, confirms details, coordinates with the inspection agency, and sends you a quote.

3

You approve the quote

Day 3–5

Review the quote and confirm. We schedule the inspection and send you a confirmation with the date and inspector details.

4

Inspection day

Scheduled date

A professional inspector visits the factory and conducts the full quality check on your behalf.

5

Report delivered

+1 business day

You receive the official inspection report in PDF within 1 business day of the inspection.

Pricing

Simple, pay-as-you-go pricing.

No subscriptions. No minimum commitment. Book when you need it.

China
$175/man-day
No booking fee · all-in pricing
  • Professional on-site QC inspector
  • Full inspection report within 1 business day
  • Pre-shipment, inline, full QC, loading supervision
  • No minimum commitment
Vietnam
$200/man-day
No booking fee · all-in pricing
  • Professional on-site QC inspector
  • Full inspection report within 1 business day
  • Pre-shipment, inline, full QC, loading supervision
  • No minimum commitment

Last-minute cancellation (less than 48 hours) or supplier no-show (we arrive but the goods are not ready) will result in a full charge.

SLA

Service timelines.

Booking reviewWithin 1 business day of submission
Quote sentWithin 1 business day of review
Inspection scheduledSubject to availability; targeting 2 days after approval
Report deliveredWithin 1 business day of inspection

Important note

The inspector will not communicate inspection results or issue shipping approvals directly to the factory. All findings are reported exclusively to you through the official report. This ensures you maintain full control over your supply chain decisions.

See what you get

Real inspection reports. View before you book.

These are actual sample reports — the exact kind of document you'll receive in your inbox within 1 business day of the inspection. Click any report to open it in the viewer.

FAQ

When (and why) to use each inspection type.

The right inspection type depends on where your order is in the production cycle and how much risk you're carrying. Here's the field-tested guidance.

When should I use a Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI)?+
Default to PSI when 80–100% of the order is produced and packed. It's the single highest-ROI inspection because it catches everything — defects, wrong quantities, packaging issues, and labeling problems — before the container leaves the factory. Use this on every order over a few thousand dollars in value. PSI uses statistical AQL sampling, so you're not inspecting every unit, but you get a defensible verdict on the whole batch.
When should I use Inline / During-Production Inspection?+
Use inline when production is 20–60% complete and you have either (a) a new supplier, (b) a new product, or (c) a previous batch with defects you don't want to repeat. The point is to catch a systemic issue — wrong material, wrong stitching, dimension drift — early enough that the factory can correct the remaining production without scrapping the run. Inline is most valuable on first orders and high-stakes launches.
When should I do a Full Inspection (100% QC)?+
Use Full Inspection when (a) PSI failed and you need the factory to sort defective units from good ones, (b) the product is high-value or safety-critical (electronics, medical, infant products), or (c) you've had repeated quality issues with a supplier and need every unit verified. It's more expensive because every unit is touched — but if a defective unit reaching a customer would cost more than the inspection, this is the right call.
When should I use Truck Loading Supervision?+
Use it when you've had issues with wrong SKUs being loaded, damage during loading, or short-shipments — or for high-value containers where a loading error is too expensive to absorb. The inspector verifies the right cartons go on the right truck, are loaded properly to prevent transit damage, and that the count matches the packing list. Often pairs well with PSI: PSI verifies the goods are correct, loading supervision verifies they actually leave the factory correctly.
When should I do an Inventory Count or Audit?+
Use this when you need an independent verification of factory or warehouse stock — common scenarios: pre-payment count on finished goods you're paying for in advance, mid-season inventory verification on consigned stock, or before switching suppliers and recovering inventory from the old one. It's a physical count, photo documentation, and condition check.
What is AQL and why do inspectors use it?+
AQL (Acceptance Quality Limit) is the global standard for statistical sampling. Instead of checking every unit, the inspector pulls a randomized sample size based on batch size, then accepts or rejects the lot based on how many critical / major / minor defects appear. Standard sampling is Level G-II with Critical=0, Major=1.5, Minor=4.0 for non-electrical and Major=1.0, Minor=2.5 for electrical. Tighter limits (e.g. Major=0.65) catch more issues at the cost of more rejected lots.
What's the difference between Critical, Major, and Minor defects?+
Critical defects are safety, regulatory, or function-breaking (e.g. exposed wiring, missing safety warning, choking hazard) — usually zero tolerance. Major defects are functional or visible problems a reasonable customer would return (broken zipper, wrong color, misprint on logo). Minor defects are cosmetic and wouldn't typically trigger a return (light surface scratch, slight thread irregularity). Your AQL settings decide how many of each you tolerate per lot.
How fast can you schedule an inspection?+
Same-week scheduling is usually possible in China. Vietnam can take a few extra days depending on factory location. Booking review is within 1 business day, quote within another business day, and scheduling targets 2 days after you approve the quote — so worst case ~5 days from submission to inspector on-site. For urgent needs, mention it on the booking form and we'll prioritize.
What if the factory isn't ready when the inspector arrives?+
If the goods aren't ready (production not complete, packaging not done, etc.), we'll have to either reschedule or treat it as a no-show. Last-minute cancellations (under 48 hours) or supplier no-shows are charged at the full inspection rate because the inspector has already been deployed. To avoid this, confirm readiness with the factory 24–48 hours before the booked date.
Will the inspector tell the factory whether the inspection passed?+
No. All findings go exclusively to you. The inspector does not approve or reject the shipment to the factory — that decision is yours, based on the report. This keeps the inspection independent and gives you full control over how to handle defects (rework, discount, scrap, accept-with-noted-defects, etc.).
China vs Vietnam pricing — why the difference?+
Vietnam ($200/man-day) is slightly higher than China ($175/man-day) due to inspector supply, travel costs to factory clusters, and lower density of QC capacity in some Vietnamese regions. Both include the same scope and SLA.
How many man-days does an inspection take?+
Most pre-shipment inspections are 1 man-day. Larger orders or multiple SKUs can take 1.5–2 man-days. Full 100% QC inspections scale with unit count — we'll quote the man-day count when we send your quote so there are no surprises.
Can I get an inspection on a product I'm not fulfilling through Portless?+
QC inspections are available exclusively to Portless merchants. Sourcing service subscribers (the monthly tier) get a few inspection days bundled per year — see the Product Sourcing page for details.
Ready to get started?

Stop shipping without inspecting.

Book your first QC inspection today. Our team will review your request within 1 business day.

From $175/man-day, all-in. No commitment required.