I'm paying for a pre-shipment inspection on my next order from China, and the inspection company asked me what AQL level I want them to use. I know AQL 2.5 is common, but I've also seen AQL 1.0 and AQL 4.0 mentioned. Which one makes sense for consumer products sold on Amazon? If I set it too strict, will every order fail? And if I go too loose, am I just wasting money on an inspection that won't catch real problems?
It is recommended to adopt AQL0 for fatal defects of the product; AQL2.5 for major defects; and AQL4.0 for minor defects.
If you use AQL 1.0 entirely, the factory will go crazy, and in the end, either increase the price or the factory will slow down the work. If you use 4.0 for your main defect, you are wasting money. The product quality may be poor, and the bad reviews and return rates will directly increase.
Last year, I shipped a batch of kitchen electronic scales to the United States, using Critical 0, Major 2.5, and Minor 4.0. At that time, it was found that the major machine could not be opened was just stuck on the edge of withdrawal, and the factory was pressed down on the spot for rework. If all AQL 4.0 had been used at that time, this batch would have been released. The consequence was that dozens of bad reviews would have increased the return rate, and half of the listing would have been wasted.
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