The benefits of Quality Control for Amazon sellers

 

Amazon quality control plays an important role in the supply chain. This step will ensure that your goods are pre-inspected before shipment to avoid stories that touch the heart. Once your products are paid in full and shipped, you are beyond the point of no return. If you had to find quality problems once the goods arrive, it’s too late.

 

 

Instead, you must ensure that your products meet all technical specifications and quality requirements before paying the balance.

In this article, I will point out the advantages of quality control for Amazon sellers, in fact for online sellers and I will also answer the most common questions about the practicalities of ordering quality control in China.

 

Why do I need quality inspections as an Amazon seller when I import from China?

 

Manufacturing is not an exact science. The question is not whether there are quality problems, but how serious these problems are.

 

I’ve inspected hundreds of orders in person, and that’s what I’ve often found:

 

• Scratches
• Dirt
• Brands
• Minor cosmetic issues

We must even expect it. However, there are also more serious quality issues:

 

• Detached pieces
• Incorrect labels
• Incorrect design
• Invalid colors
• Damage

 

Note: Quality issues are, in a way, as safe as death and taxes. It is not unique to China, but it is the case when it is manufactured in any country.

 

However, what is unique in China, and most other Asian countries, is that you can not return the goods if you find quality problems in your own country or in your hand. As an Amazon seller, you can’t afford any loss which may occur from product impairment that you can prevent before time.

 

For this reason, quality controls are a crucial step in the process. You simply can not skip this part of the process for it is one of the most important parts of your Amazon selling strategy.

 

The 5 most common issues found during an Amazon FBA Audit

When it comes to Amazon FBA quality control, Amazon sellers face a unique set of challenges.  Unlike traditional brick-and-mortar businesses, Amazon sellers must maintain constant vigilance to ensure that their products and packaging meet Amazon’s strict standards.

 

To help you keep your business on track, we’ve compiled a list of the five most common quality control issues found during an Amazon FBA audit:

 

1. Inconsistent product quality: 

One of the most common issues found during quality control is inconsistency in product quality. This can be due to several factors, such as incorrect ingredient proportions, poor mixing or packaging, or even operator error. To resolve this issue, manufacturers need to ensure that their processes are well-defined and followed consistently.

 

2. Poorly designed products: 

Poorly designed products can often be the cause of quality control issues for your dropshipping business. Incorrect or missing specifications, poor engineering, or inadequate testing are some of the key reasons for poorly designed products.

 

 

3. Defective materials: 

As an Amazon seller, be cautious about your supplier using low-quality and defective materials. It’s not very uncommon for Chinese suppliers to use subpar materials, improper storage, or handling of the materials in order to save on costs. This can often lead to defective products, which can be a huge issue for your Amazon business.

 

 

4. Poor workmanship: 

Poor workmanship may lead to a lot of trouble for your business. This can occur due to several factors, such as inadequate training of workers, poor quality control of the work, or rushed or sloppy work. By performing a thorough FBA audit, you can make sure that the workers are adequately trained and that they follow proper quality control procedures.

 

 

5. Poor packaging: 

Amazon has specific guidelines for product packaging. If your products are not properly packed, it can often lead to quality control issues. Make sure that your products are well-protected and securely packed to avoid any damage during shipping.

If you’re having difficulties ensuring the quality of your Amazon FBA products, it might be a good idea to hire a reputable FBA auditor while outsourcing from China.  By doing so, you can be sure that your products meet Amazon’s high standards and avoid any potential quality control issues.

 

A Comprehensive Amazon FBA Checklist

 

The fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) program is a great way to get your products in front of millions of Amazon customers. Since Amazon does the fulfillment for you, it can save you time and money. This program allows you to store your products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, and they will pick, pack, ship, and provide customer service for your products. In other words, it takes a lot of the hassle out of selling products on Amazon. But before you can take advantage of this program, there are a few things you need to do first. Here’s a comprehensive Amazon FBA checklist to help you get started:

 

 

 

1. Research your product:

Conduct thorough market research to determine if there is a market for it. Who is your target customer? How much can you realistically charge for it? These are all important questions to answer before you invest money in inventory.

 

 

 

2. Choose a supplier:

Once you’ve decided on a product, you need to find a supplier from countries like China. There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a supplier: quality, price, minimum order quantity, and delivery time. Be sure to get sample products from potential suppliers to test out the quality and compare prices. You might also need to perform a supplier audit to determine the legitimacy of the supplier.

 

 

 

3. Create your listing:

Your listing is what will sell your product, so it’s important to make it as appealing as possible. Include high-quality photos, persuasive copy, and keyword-rich titles and descriptions. Don’t forget to choose the right category and subcategory for your product, too!

 

 

 

4. Set up your shipping options:

Amazon offers two shipping options for FBA sellers: standard and expedited. Standard shipping is free for customers but takes longer, while expedited shipping costs extra but gets the product to the customer faster. You’ll need to decide which option makes more sense for your business.

 

 

 

5. Register for a Professional seller account:

This is required if you want to sell on Amazon FBA. A Professional Seller account costs $39.99 per month, plus additional selling fees. 

 

 

 

6. Perform Amazon FBA product inspection:  

Before sending your products to Amazon, you’ll need to inspect them to ensure they meet Amazon’s quality standards. This process is called an FBA inspection audit.

 

 

 

7. Ship your inventory to an Amazon fulfillment center:

Once you’re registered as a Professional seller, you’ll need to create shipments of your inventory and send them to Amazon fulfillment centers around the country. You can use Amazon’s Shipping Queue tool to help manage this process. 

 

 

 

8 . Promote your products:

There are many ways to promote your products on Amazon, including paid advertising, product reviews, special offers, and more. Be sure to experiment with different promotion strategies to see what works best for your business. 

 

 

 

9. Monitor your goals and metrics:

It’s important to set goals for yourself and track your progress along the way. Some important metrics to track include sales volume, conversion rate, average order value, and more. Keep an eye on these numbers so you can see how well your business is doing and identify areas for improvement.

 

 

 

10. Repeat:  

The key to success with Amazon FBA is to always be testing and improving. Try new products, suppliers, listings, promotions, and shipping options. Once you find a winning formula, just rinse and repeat!

 

What types of quality control for Amazon can be done by the 3rd party company?

 

All that can be done with the equipment available.

Some examples follow:

 

• Take pictures of the product and labels
• Dimensions and measures
• Visual inspection (search for damage and defects)
• Functional tests
• Verification of the label
• Drop tests
• Water pressure tests
• Packaging

 

Note: The objective is to verify that the product meets all specifications and quality requirements that you want for your customers.

 

What do I receive after quality control for Amazon?

 

Within one business day after the quality inspection, Tetra Inspection will send you a PDF report with photos and other data collected.

 

Example: They can include dimensions, descriptions of defects, number of defects found, and more.

You can also request videos. Bear in mind that the PDF statement will correspond to the quality checklist.

 

How is the Pre-Shipment Inspection performed?

 

The pre-shipment inspection is done at the place of production when your order is between 80% and 100% produced and before loading the products in the containers. In this procedure, the following are verified:

 

• Quality
• Weight
• Measurements
• Colors
• Packaging
• Barcode
• That the conditions of purchase are fulfilled 100%

 

All this with the purpose that the buyer does not receive any unpleasant “surprise” when he receives his merchandise.

 

What am I going to do with the quality control report?

 

The report shows the number of defects, as well as images and descriptions. Therefore, the report can help you decide whether or not you approve the order.

 

 

Tip: Keep in mind that you must set an accepted default rate before placing the order. Otherwise, it is difficult to say whether the number of defects is acceptable or not.

 

How do I know if my supplier accepts quality control?

 

First of all, you should never consider a supplier who does not fully accept Amazon Quality Control.

 

Warning: Suppliers who refuse or even hesitate to accept quality control have something to hide.These suppliers intend to rip you off or subcontract your order to a local sweatshop.

 

Do I have to inform my supplier in advance?

 

Yes, you must inform your supplier that you intend to obtain control of the quality of the order as soon as possible before even placing a sample order.

 

 

It is crucial to make the supplier understand that you are a buyer with a serious quality assurance process in place — not one of those gullible buyers who lean back to accommodate the suppliers.

 

Experience: Believe me when I say that some foreign suppliers have no respect for buyers who easily give in to their demands. They like to test their customers by rejecting the most absurd demands, for example by suggesting that quality control is not even necessary.

 

Do not fall into the trap.

 

How can I reserve a quality check online?

 

Tetra Inspection has online reservation systems.

 

 

All you need to do is log in and submit the following information:

 

• Name of supplier
• Contact details
• Factory Address (if applicable)
• Product specifications
• Amount
• Control List
• Inspection date
• And then, sit back and relax we will take care of the remaining job, and I assure you; you will appreciate our services.

 

When should products be inspected?

 

At a minimum, you should have the products inspected before shipping and pay the balance. However, you can also consider on-site quality control during production.

 

 

Quality control during production can help you find quality problems at an early stage (i.e., colors or wrong materials) and correct them while there is still time.

 

Tip: If your order volume is over US$ 10,000, I strongly suggest that you do both during production inspection (DUPRO) and pre-shipment inspections.

 

How do I know what kind of checks Tetra Inspection should do?

 

The purpose of the inspection is to show you the status of your products. You can ask them to report anything that can be obtained while they are in the factory.

 

 

For example, you want product photos, dimensions, packaging control, and visual inspection.

 

Council: The inspector will use a specific checklist to check your products and add all checkpoints you ask him to do and any other fault that we think that it should be necessary to check on your product, so do not forget. Keep in mind that we are the expert in the in-product inspection and quality control industry.

 

 

In addition, Tetra Inspection officers take a closer look at potential quality issues discovered during the sampling process.

 

How do I know if the inspector is qualified to check my products?

 

For all inspections, Tetra Inspection uses the internationally recognized ANSI (American National Standard Institute) and ASQ Z1.4 statistical sampling standard. The inspection covers an examination of the features, performance, overall appearance, durability, and dimensions of the merchandise. An inspection certification will be allotted to you (in the case of a payment to the manufacturer by letter of credit).

 

 

What is important is that we have a strong track record and that you provide a clear and measurable checklist.

 

Do I have to send pre-production samples to the agent?

 

You do not have to do this, but it can help the agency better understand the product. That said, most of our customers do not send samples before production.

 

 

Reference samples can be very useful for checking fabrics and other materials during an inspection, as it is also difficult to confirm whether the product is correct.

 

Will the inspected samples be destroyed?

 

Not in most cases, but some quality tests may damage the product to a certain extent. This includes flame retardants, material weight controls, and water pressure testing.

 

Note: You only need to use one unit for most of these tests.

 

Can I go to China and do the inspection myself?

 

Of course, you can fly to China and visit the factory for yourself. In fact, this is something I encourage you to do, before placing your first order.

 

 

However, when it comes to quality control, not only will you save money on hotels, flights, and visas – but you will also find that the quality inspector does a better job than you would yourself.

 

Note: There are of course exceptions, but a professional inspector will almost always do a better job of finding defects than a novice buyer.

 

Should I do a quality check on each order?

 

Yes, you should have each order inspected. As we said, manufacturing is not a science, and a faulty or damaged component can ruin the whole lot.

 

 

Warning: A defective lot can ruin your reputation, giving you bad reviews and you know that bad reviews scare potential buyers away. You must always check the quality before shipping. In addition, your supplier is much more likely to minimize defects if he knows you will have the lot inspected. If you start to relax, they will too.

 

Can the quality control company also verify that the products comply with mandatory safety standards?

 

Our agents check labels and verify compliance with mechanical compliance requirements (i.e., loose parts or sharp edges).

 

However, we have the equipment to perform more complex product safety tests (i.e., electrical or EMC tests), or chemical and heavy metal audits.

 

Keep in mind that the lab test is paid for separately, and is often more expensive than quality control.

 

What happens if they notice quality problems?

 

It is very likely that you will find quality problems. If the inspector finds only a few minor quality issues, the problems will be corrected, and you can go ahead and approve the order.

 

 

Tip: You must ask your supplier to redo or repair the products and have the order inspected again.

Remember that you will have to deal directly with the supplier. The agent will not negotiate compensation or anything of that nature with the supplier.

 

Can I just do a quality check when the goods arrive at me?

 

No, of course, but what’s the point?

 

Note: Assuming you find quality problems, there is nothing to do. You can not return the products to the supplier, nor force them to reimburse you.

And even if they are willing to accept a return, it is difficult to get the goods through Chinese customs.

 

Prevention: The repayments are also complicated because of the control of the capital. But it is very likely that you will not have to deal with customs or control of capital because the supplier can simply refuse any compensation and leave.

 

 

Most quality problems are caused by misunderstandings or vague datasheets. No supplier will lose profit, equivalent to 20 orders, simply because the products do not confirm the perceived (and even imaginary) idea by “good quality” buyers.

 

Advantages of pre-shipment quality inspection for Amazon sellers

 

Quality inspection (PSI) is a division of supply chain management and an important method of quality control to verify the quality of products that customers buy from suppliers.

 

 

Quality and Pre-Shipment Inspections ensure that the production complies with the buyer’s specifications and the terms of a purchase order. The pre-shipment inspection reduces the risks inherent to web commerce such as fraud or disappointment with products below the desired quality.

 

 

A PSI can be done in different stages before shipment to verify the total amount of goods and packaging, check the quality or consistency of the goods, check all documentation, such as test reports, packing list, or verification of compliance with the country of destination standards such as ASME, CE mark and import duties.

 

What is Amazon FBA approval and why do you need it?

Amazon FBA approval is a process by which Amazon assesses your products and your company to determine whether or not you are a quality supplier. The goal of the Amazon FBA approval process is to protect Amazon’s customers by ensuring that only high-quality products are sold on the site. In order to be approved as an Amazon FBA supplier, your company must meet certain criteria regarding product quality, packaging, and compliance with Amazon’s Seller Central policies.

 

How Tetra Inspection Can Help

For the seller, having a pre-shipment inspection is the guarantor of a quality product, and is the endorsement of a serious company that complies with the provisions of the law and its client.

 

 

At Tetra Inspection we make sure that your purchases are made under the highest quality standards and every aspect of the buying and selling process we monitor directly, in this way we eliminate any error framework, and you can be sure that your product will be as you chose, in the exact quantities and of superior quality.

Visit our Pre-shipment inspection page to learn more.