What should you do if the product has quality problems before delivery?

As long as there are sales activities, there will be after-sales needs to be resolved.

So when the pre-shipment inspection report shows that there is a quality problem, how should we communicate with the supplier about the quality problem?

 Definition of quality issues

The quality of products can be divided into the intrinsic quality and appearance quality. The contents covered are:

performance

life

safety

reliability

Economy

modeling

Color

Finish

Package

Suggestion 1 for solving quality problems: Reluctantly accept, but sign the Problem Confirmation Letter with the supplier.

The first principle of concession is that the product itself has no major quality hazards, and the quality can basically meet customer requirements. In general, our quality requirements for suppliers are often higher than customer requirements.

Experience sharing:

When Luca used to be a buyer, she sometimes received Quality Abnormal Reports from the quality department. In case of concession, she will fax a notice to the corresponding supplier.

The general contents of the notices are as follows: the XX products of your company’s XX order were inspected by our QC department to be unqualified. However, due to the tight delivery time, our company now gives in to accept this batch of goods. If the goods are later complained or claimed by the customer, your company shall bear all responsibilities.

Then attach the Quality Abnormal Report, ask the supplier sign it. In this way, even if there are customer complaints or claims in the future, the supplier is responsible.

Suggestion 2 for solving quality problems: price reduction

When a problem occurs, first give a detailed explanation to the actual situation with the customer. It is best to send a production sample to the customer for confirmation. Communicate with the supplier about price reduction after the customer confirms that the standard of the production sample can be accepted,

I encountered this situation once. A quality problem occurred in the order that is required to be delivered shortly, but the problem didn’t affect the product function. I asked the factory not to ship first, because the quality may not be acceptable to the customer. Then immediately communicated with the customer and the customer proposed that if the price is reduced by 15% he will accept the goods. Then I went to negotiate with the factory, and the factory finally agreed.

For products that are acceptable to customers through price reductions, be sure to inform the supplier of the risks that such problems may bring after shipment when communicating with the factory. The factory knows that the products are not standard and it is normal for customers not to accept them. We are helping them to deal with the goods by decrease the price.

Suggestion 3 for solving quality problems: Rework

The factory will rework the unqualified products in the fastest time.

If the delay causes the customer to miss the best sales time, it is necessary to communicate with the supplier about the claim (it is recommended to write the compensation standard in the Purchase Contract).

Returning to rework is the most common solution to the quality problems in the order, but it often takes a lot of time. Need to inform the factory of the latest delivery time in time, and urge them to complete on time.          

Suggestion 4 to solve quality problems: Cancel the order

Before delivery, if the quality of the product is found to be unqualified during the inspection, you can immediately contact the supplier to request the cancellation of this order ask for compensation for losses arising from the cancellation of the order.

There is a saying in the foreign trade industry: “The problems that can be solved at home are not big problems.” Therefore, any quality problems that may occur before shipment need to be circumvented in advance to avoid greater losses after shipping to foreign countries.