You've received your shipment and found defects. Don't panic. Here's the protocol we've developed over 20 years of handling QC issues.

Step 1: Document Everything

Before contacting the supplier: photograph every defect clearly, count total defective units, calculate defect rate as percentage, note defect patterns (same issue recurring?), and keep all packaging and shipping labels.

Step 2: Determine Defect Rate vs AQL

AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) is the standard. AQL 2.5 means up to 2.5% defects is acceptable. If your rate is within AQL, the supplier isn't obligated to compensate (but good ones still might). If above AQL, you have grounds for compensation.

Step 3: Contact the Supplier Professionally

Send photos, defect count, defect rate, reference to your contract's quality clause, and your proposed resolution (replacement, refund, discount). Be specific: "6% defect rate vs our agreed AQL 2.5%. I propose a 6% discount on this order and replacement of defective units in our next order."

Step 4: Negotiate

Most suppliers will offer: replacement units in next order (most common), discount on current order (5-10% typical), or refund of defective portion (rare, requires leverage).

Step 5: Learn and Prevent

What caused the defects? Was pre-shipment inspection skipped? Were specifications unclear? Update your process. The cheapest QC is the inspection that catches defects before they ship.

This is why we inspect every order before shipment. Our clients almost never deal with this scenario — because we catch defects at the factory, not at the destination port.