Accredited Test Lab
If you’re an importer who’s new in the business and interested in lab testing, there are several things you need to know.
For instance, your country or target market requires that the products you’re importing need to be certified for quality and international standards based on the test standards. The authorities will require a test report from an accredited test lab for that.
So, should you directly book the lab testing with the accreditation test lab, or can your supplier in the goods origin country do this for you?
(Related article from CPSC: Third-Party Testing Laboratory Accreditation & Small Entity Compliance Guide)
Should Let Your Manufacturer book Lab Testing for you?
There are some considerations to make here. But a rule of thumb, my advice is that you should never let your product manufacturer or supplier book the lab testing on your behalf.
1) Non-accredited testing lab
If a supplier reserves the necessary lab testing for you, they won’t have your best interests in mind. For instance, what if they choose a non-accredited testing lab? That will definitely mean a useless test report that can’t be accepted by the authorities in your target market or any other for that matter! that’s a big risk when your goods arrived at the port.
2) An unscrupulous supplier
More so a manufacturer that makes sub-standard products — may also go ahead and forge the test reports for you. Another useless piece of paper!
Some even bribe testing companies to get favorable results because they know their sub-standard goods can’t pass the tests if a competent firm does the certification, so they will try their best to get the test report, ONLY test report paper.
3) New Supplier
though genuinely wanting to help to book the lab testing for you, maybe unaware of all the regulations that apply in your target market country. Such a supplier may end up ordering a lab test that doesn’t correspond to requirements such as chemical levels and other safety standards in your target importation market.
Bonus Tip
Whether you fall into the hands of an unscrupulous supplier who doesn’t care about your interests or attempt to book for the necessary lab tests for the products you’re importing through a manufacturer or supplier who doesn’t fully understand what your country’s regulations require, you’ll still pay for the process but actually waist time and cost.
Besides, if your supplier is the one book the certification tests for you, the level of transparency will be typically diminished, exposing you to the risks and costs we’ve highlighted above.
That’s why we strongly recommend that you consider hiring a professional third party quality control solutions like AQI Service to perform for you the certification tests. We’ll conduct all lab tests and compliance certification from the production stage to pre-shipment inspection and all the sample quality inspections needed.
Quality Inspection and Lab Testing Agency
Founded in 2004, AQI Service-Quality Control Inspection Company is based in China, with over 40 active quality inspectors that offer professional quality control and product inspection services in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and elsewhere in Asia.
We provide production monitoring throughout the entire supply chain, starting from product development to sourcing to quality control and ending with shipping and delivery to you.
At AQI Service, it’s always our pleasure to help importers buying goods in Chinese and Asian markets with all the processes of inspection, audit, and product testing.
