Sourcing glossary
Pre-Shipment Inspection
Also known as: PSI, Final Random Inspection, FRI
A quality check carried out when production is at least 80% complete and packed, in which an inspector samples finished goods before the buyer pays the balance and the goods ship.
A pre-shipment inspection normally covers quantity, workmanship against the AQL plan, functional checks, measurements, packaging and labelling. It is the buyer's last practical chance to have defects fixed in the factory.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
Compliance
Buying Branded Goods from China: Counterfeits, Trademarks and Customs
Why Chinese sellers offer 1:1 replicas, what customs does with counterfeit imports in the US, EU and South Africa, and the legal ways to sell branded or own-brand goods.
Updated 2026-10-19 · 8 min read
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
Is My Chinese Supplier a Scam? 12 Patterns and the Checks That Catch Them
The twelve supplier scams importers meet in China, from the bank-account switch to the vanishing deposit, the check that exposes each, and what to do if you already paid.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 8 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
Which City in China Makes What: Product-by-Product Sourcing Index
An A-to-Z index of 60 product categories and the Chinese city or town that specialises in each, with links to the cluster page and wholesale market to start from.
Updated 2026-10-14 · 6 min read
Shipping
Shipping Small Orders from China to Latin America: Brazil, Mexico, Peru
Courier, air or sea for a first order from China to Latin America, the customs thresholds and taxes in Brazil, Mexico and Peru, and how consolidation works.
Updated 2026-10-10 · 8 min read
Part of Quality Control.