Wholesale disputes are won and lost on delivery day. A buyer who inspects and documents the shipment within 48 hours of receipt gets warranty claims honored; a buyer who shelves everything and complains a month later gets sympathy at best. This is the receiving QC checklist our best wholesale customers run, and it takes under an hour per shipment.
Before Opening Anything
- Photograph the outer carton — crushed corners and water stains matter for carrier claims.
- Count cartons against the packing list before signing any courier receipt. Shortages reported after signature lose leverage.
- Check the ESD packaging: parts should arrive in anti-static bags, batteries with terminal protection, screens with protective films intact. Report packaging failures immediately — they predict transit damage inside.
Sample Testing by Category
| Category | Sample size | What to test |
|---|---|---|
| Screens | 10% of batch, min 2 units | Power-on, touch every corner, brightness sweep, dead pixel scan |
| Batteries | 10%, min 2 | Connector seating, voltage above storage level, no swelling |
| Port flexes | 10%, min 2 | Charge handshake, mic and speaker pass-through if integrated |
| Cameras | 10%, min 2 | OIS rattle check, focus sweep, no spots under the lens |
| Small parts | 5% | Fit check on a test chassis |
Logging and Claims
- Record defects with photos and unit serials in a simple log — supplier, order date, SKU, quantity, defect, photo reference.
- Report within the claim window (48-72 hours for transit damage, per your supplier's terms). Claims with photos resolve days faster than claims with descriptions.
- Segregate rejected stock — never mix disputed units back into sellable inventory; you will lose track and the claim evidence.
Sourcing matters here too: suppliers who pre-QC their stock reduce your inspection burden. Our QC process screens every batch before shipment — see the quality grades guide for how tiers map to expected defect rates, and order replacements for verified defects directly through the relevant collections such as screens, batteries, and cameras.
The Hidden Payoff
Shops that run this checklist build a defect-rate history per SKU and per supplier. Within two quarters you know exactly which lines to buy deep and which to buy shallow — data no competitor without a receiving process possesses.
FAQ
How long do I have to file a transit damage claim?
Typically 48-72 hours from delivery — photograph cartons immediately and report before opening individual units where the carton is damaged.
Should I test 100% of a batch?
Not for mature SKUs at 10% defect-free history; sample testing is the industry standard and catches process-level faults.
What if the supplier rejects my claim?
Complete documentation — photos, counts, timestamps — is the difference between a rejected and an honored claim in nearly every dispute.