1688 Quality Control: Samples, Free Receiving Checks and Paid QC

A free warehouse receiving check answers whether the expected product arrived. Paid quality control answers how good or bad that product appears under a closer check. Sellers should not treat the two services as equivalent.

ZQ recommends paid QC for a first order from an unfamiliar supplier, a new product, or a high-value item. For a low-value product from a supplier with a stable history, paid QC may not be necessary on every purchase order.

Last reviewed: September 21, 2026. Prices and scopes below reflect the current ZQ Dropship Checkout options.

What does ZQ check for free when a Dropship product arrives?

Every ordinary Dropship inbound order receives a quick visual receiving check at no additional charge. The warehouse verifies that the received item appears to match the ordered product or variant, checks the visible color and size label where applicable, confirms the expected quantity, and looks for obvious external damage.

This is a fast warehouse-receiving step designed to keep ordinary products moving into inventory and fulfillment. It does not include a photo set, a detailed workmanship review, an internal inspection, an exhaustive operation of every zipper, button or fastener, or a functional test.

The free check should therefore be understood as identity and obvious-condition verification, not detailed product QC. If ZQ only performs the free check, the first person to examine workmanship closely may be the seller's customer.

What do ZQ's Basic and Advanced QC options cost?

ZQ charges paid QC per selected SKU in a purchase order, not per individual unit.

Checkout option	Current charge	Included scope
Free receiving check	$0	Quick check of the ordered product or variant, visible color and size label, expected quantity, and obvious external damage; no photos
Basic QC	$0.50 per selected SKU	Three photos: front, back and side; overall external appearance check; electronic function test where applicable and authorized
Advanced QC	$1.00 per selected SKU	Everything in Basic QC, five photos including two close-ups, and a closer check for minor visible defects

For example, one purchase order contains three SKUs and ten units of each SKU. Selecting Basic QC for all three SKUs costs 3 × $0.50 = $1.50. Selecting Basic QC for only one SKU costs $0.50. Selecting Advanced QC for all three SKUs costs 3 × $1.00 = $3.00. The number of units in each selected SKU does not multiply the checkout QC fee.

The checkout QC selection is not a laboratory test, product certification, destructive test or formal AQL inspection plan. A seller that needs a different inspection method should provide a written checklist and confirm the scope before the goods arrive.

What does Basic QC check on non-electronic products?

Basic QC can be selected for any product category. For clothing, accessories and other non-electronic goods, the warehouse checks the overall external appearance and supplies the three stated photos. Basic QC does not mean that every button is pulled, every zipper is repeatedly opened and closed, or every possible use condition is tested.

For an electronic product, Basic QC includes an applicable power or function test when the packaging can be opened and the customer has authorized the required access. Advanced QC includes the Basic QC scope and adds more photos and a closer minor-defect check.

A useful instruction is measurable. Ask for the correct model, color, size label, visible surface condition, power-on result, accessory count or another observable detail. A request such as “make sure it is high quality” does not define a repeatable test.

Will ZQ open sealed packaging during QC?

Ordinary product packaging can be opened for paid QC. Plastic seals, tamper seals and other sealed packaging are not opened automatically. The customer must explicitly authorize opening when an internal check or power-on test requires breaking the seal.

Without that instruction, ZQ preserves the sealed packaging and limits the check to what can be verified without opening it. This protects the sellable condition of products whose packaging cannot be restored after inspection.

How does ZQ handle supplier packaging?

Packaging decisions affect both product protection and international freight cost. ZQ therefore does not discard every supplier box by default.

• Domestic courier bags are removed even without paid QC. They carry domestic shipping labels and normally cannot be reused after opening, so the goods receive a replacement outbound bag when appropriate.
• A suitable, intact product box is normally retained. Warehouses cannot stock every possible replacement-box size, and a larger box can increase volumetric weight and international freight.
• Soft, deformed or visibly damaged boxes can be replaced. The replacement decision considers product protection and the packed size.
• Good packaging without Chinese text may remain unopened. This avoids unnecessary handling when no internal inspection is authorized.
• Visible Chinese text is normally covered. If it cannot be covered reasonably, ZQ will try to use suitable replacement packaging.

Paid QC and replacement packaging are separate decisions. Choosing QC does not mean that every original box will automatically be discarded.

What happens when ZQ finds the wrong product or a defect?

ZQ pauses the affected product and follows the seller's saved exception rule. A seller may instruct ZQ to continue shipping products with acceptable minor imperfections, or to request a replacement whenever a defined defect is found.

If a new customer has not provided a rule, ZQ contacts the customer and waits for a decision before taking the next step. The seller can then approve shipment, supplier return, replacement, rework or another available action.

Purchasing-stage returns remain subject to the marketplace listing and the supplier's after-sales rules. For 1688 purchases, the seven-day period after warehouse receipt is often an important return or exchange point, but the actual product listing and supplier policy control the available remedy. If return freight is not covered by the supplier, the domestic China return cost is charged to the customer's account.

This purchasing-stage process is separate from ZQ's after-sales policy for an international order after it has been fulfilled and delivered.

Can ZQ help buy one sample when the 1688 listing has a higher MOQ?

Yes, ZQ can ask the 1688 supplier whether it will sell one unit as a sample or accept MOQ 1. The supplier decides whether to accept the request, so MOQ 1 cannot be guaranteed.

If the supplier refuses, ZQ can look for comparable products with a lower MOQ and notify the customer when a suitable alternative link is found. The customer decides whether to keep the original supplier, buy the required quantity, or change to the alternative product.

Use the 1688 MOQ workaround guide for the purchasing decision and the 1688 sourcing service when supplier coordination is required.

Why is a sample not enough before a bulk order?

A sample proves what one unit looked like at one moment. It does not guarantee that the supplier will use the same material, finish, color, packaging or production consistency in the later batch.

Before a bulk order, keep an approved sample or a written specification that defines the measurable result. Then inspect the actual production goods in China before paying international freight. A seller can compare:

• Model, color and variant.
• Material and finish.
• Dimensions and weight.
• Visible workmanship.
• Included accessories.
• Packaging condition.
• An applicable power or function result.

This makes the inspection about an agreed standard instead of a vague promise from the supplier.

When should a seller pay for QC?

Paid QC is strongly recommended when:

• The supplier is new or has not completed a successful order for the seller.
• The product is new, customized or difficult to judge from listing photos.
• The product value is high enough that one unnoticed problem would be costly.
• The product has electronics, moving parts, visible finish requirements or fragile packaging.
• The seller's customers are likely to examine details closely or return products for minor workmanship issues.
• The goods will move internationally in bulk, making supplier returns much harder after dispatch.

Paid QC is less likely to be essential when the product is low-value, simple, repeatedly purchased from a known supplier, and the seller has enough past data to accept the remaining risk. It is a risk decision, not a mandatory charge on every product.

Where can sellers view QC photos?

ZQ displays completed paid-QC photos in the record that triggered the inspection:

1. My Products & Pack → Purchase List. When the seller pays for QC in a Purchase Order created during product purchasing, the QC grade and photo thumbnails appear in that Purchase Order after inspection.
2. Dropship Orders. The QC grade and photo thumbnails also appear with the corresponding Dropship Order. For a stocked product that is inspected for an order without a new Purchase Order, this is the place to view the QC photos.

If a QC inspection has a Purchase Order, the photos can be viewed from both the Purchase List and the corresponding Dropship Order. If no Purchase Order exists for that inspection, there is no purchase record to display it, so the photos appear only in Dropship Orders.

Frequently asked questions

Does Free QC mean the product's quality is approved?

No. The no-charge receiving check confirms that the expected goods appear to have arrived without obvious external damage. It is not a detailed quality approval.

Does ZQ provide photos for every inbound product?

No. Photos are included with paid Basic or Advanced QC. The free receiving check does not automatically produce photos.

Is the $0.50 or $1.00 QC fee charged for every unit?

No. The checkout fee is charged for each SKU selected for QC in that purchase order. Ten units under one selected SKU do not create ten separate checkout QC charges.

Does Advanced QC include Basic QC?

Yes. Advanced QC includes the Basic scope and adds five total photos, including two close-ups, plus a closer minor-defect review. Applicable electronic function testing is included.

Will ZQ break a product's plastic seal to test it?

Only with explicit customer authorization and the appropriate paid QC instruction. Sealed packaging is otherwise preserved.

What if the supplier refuses to sell one sample?

ZQ can negotiate with the supplier and search for a lower-MOQ alternative, but cannot force a supplier to accept MOQ 1. The customer chooses among the available options.

Does paid QC guarantee zero defects?

No. Paid QC provides the documented scope selected at checkout. It improves visibility before international shipping but does not guarantee that every hidden, laboratory, transport or customer-use issue will be discovered.

Service scope and verification

This page was reviewed on September 21, 2026 against ZQ's current Dropship Checkout options and Shenzhen warehouse workflow. Review the Quality Inspection service, the 1688 purchasing workflow, and the 1688 shipping timeline before placing a high-value or first-supplier order.