Sourcing glossary
AQL
Also known as: Acceptance Quality Limit, Acceptable Quality Level
The worst average defect rate a buyer will accept, used with ISO 2859-1 sampling tables to set inspection sample sizes and accept/reject limits.
Buyers usually set separate AQL values for critical, major and minor defects — commonly 0, 2.5 and 4.0 for consumer goods. Read AQL explained for a worked example.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
QC
Factory Audit in China: What It Checks, What It Costs and When to Order One
Factory audits in China: audit vs inspection, the five audit types, what the auditor checks on site, published cost per man-day, how to order one and read the report.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 7 min read
Suppliers
China Sourcing Agent: What They Do, What They Cost and When You Need One
What a China sourcing agent actually does, the four types you will meet, typical fees, when an agent beats buying direct, and a checklist to vet one before you pay.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 8 min read
Suppliers
How to Source Women's Clothing from China: Markets, MOQ, Samples and Labels
Where women's clothing is made and sold in China, stock-pack vs made-to-order MOQs, how to sample and check quality, sizing, and the labels your market requires.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 8 min read
Yiwu
How to Buy from the Yiwu Market Without Visiting
How overseas buyers source from Yiwu remotely: agents, video-call booth tours, the Chinagoods platform, consolidation warehouses, payment, QC and the main risks.
Updated 2026-09-29 · 7 min read
Platforms
How to Verify an Alibaba Supplier Before You Pay
Check an Alibaba.com supplier step by step: what Verified and Gold Supplier badges mean, business license lookups, factory vs trader signals and red flags.
Updated 2026-09-29 · 7 min read
QC
AQL Explained: How Pre-Shipment Inspection Sampling Works
What AQL means in product inspection, how sample sizes are chosen, and which AQL levels importers typically set for critical, major and minor defects.
Updated 2026-09-26 · 3 min read
Part of Quality Control.