How much does a third party inspection company cost? Answers to your questions about the specific factors that affect the cost of third-party inspections

In the field of foreign trade, third-partyInspection Company FeesHas its own characteristics and charging logic. According to China's import and export commodity inspection and appraisal of the relevant provisions of the different inspection programs, commodity categories will affect the final charges.

Generally speaking, in accordance with conventional billing methods, the daily fee per person is roughly in the range of 600 - 900 yuan / day. For example, in the inspection of a batch of ordinary daily-use ceramics foreign trade commodities, such products inspection process is relatively standardized, the technical difficulty is not particularly high, may be charged in accordance with the relatively low price of this range; and if it is like large-scale machinery and equipment, high-tech electronic products and other goods used in foreign trade and exports, due to its stringent professional and technical requirements, the inspection process involves a number of complex functional testing, quality control, etc. The corresponding charge per person per day is likely to be close to or reach the upper limit of the range. Control, etc., the corresponding daily fee per person is likely to be close to or reach the upper limit of the range.

Some foreign trade third-party inspection companies will also be billed by the hour, the hourly price of about 200-730 yuan / hour or so. When encountered only for a particular aspect of the goods for rapid sampling, verification, the overall inspection task does not require a long time, the customer chooses to hourly billing is more appropriate, to flexibly control costs. For example, for a batch of foreign trade clothing orders that urgently need to check whether the packaging meets the transportation requirements in a short period of time, hourly billing allows companies to accurately spend the corresponding costs.

For small quantities of foreign trade orders or single inspection services, some service providers cost 700 - 2190 yuan / order. Like some small foreign trade enterprises occasionally undertake a small number of special customized goods orders, the need for third-party inspection to ensure the quality of goods, the use of per-order billing, the enterprise will be able to clearly know the cost of a single inspection expenditure, to facilitate financial accounting and cost control.

Moreover, there are some special charges in the import and export commodity inspection. For example, the quality of imported goods inspection, general imported goods to import invoices or contracts listed in the total value of 2.4 per thousand of the inspection fee, such as timber, hides and other piece-by-piece inspection of the quality of the Department of goods received by the acceptance of acceptance to the Bureau of Commodity Inspection and the Bureau of Commodity Inspection of the re-inspection of the certificate, according to the internal part of the value of the goods in question of the one-thousandths of one-point-two billing, according to the external two-thirds of the cost of the four billing; electrical and mechanical instrumentation commodities, means of transportation, Bearings, etc., both internally and externally, according to the value of the problem or defective part of the 5 ‰ billing, imported goods to open the box to view, an additional fee of 10 yuan per box, and so on. Quality inspection of export commodities, internal export invoices or contracts listed in the total value of 1 per cent of the inspection fee (individual cases, do not grasp the contract price, you can also refer to the price of the finished product purchase), external export invoices or contracts listed in the total value of 2.4 per cent of the fee, and each batch is equipped with a minimum fee standard and other provisions, which will be reflected in the third-party inspection costs of foreign trade, and different third-party inspection of foreign trade Company will be based on the actual business situation with reference to the implementation and development of their own fee rules.

The cost profile of third-party inspections varies considerably across industries.

Take the electronics industry as an example, the third-party inspection costs are generally around $500 to $3,000. If only for ordinary consumer electronics accessories, such as headphones, chargers and other basic functional testing, appearance inspection and other routine projects, the cost may be relatively low, probably in the range of 500 - 1500 yuan; but if for such high-tech like smart phones, computer motherboards, and the internal structure of such complex, multi-functional electronic products to carry out a comprehensive testing, involving the various Performance index testing, electromagnetic compatibility testing, internal circuit safety inspection and other complex projects, the cost is often close to or even more than 3,000 yuan, after all, this requires the inspection personnel with professional knowledge of electronics and the use of professional testing equipment, time-consuming and labor-intensive, the cost of natural increase.

In the textile industry, the cost of basic items such as material and color fastness testing for ordinary clothing is low, ranging from about $100 to $2,000. For example, some conventional cotton T-shirts, simple knitted scarves and other products inspection costs may be in this range of low-end level; for high-grade fabrics, such as silk, cashmere products or special functional requirements, such as waterproof, fire, antibacterial and other textile testing, due to the need to use more sophisticated means of detection as well as professional analysis, the cost will be higher, and may amount to about $2,000 or even higher, and if a large number of foreign trade orders of textiles in accordance with the corresponding sampling ratio, the cost of basic items is low, about 100 to 2,000 yuan. Higher, and if a large number of textile foreign trade orders, in accordance with the corresponding sampling ratio for inspection, the more the number of samples, the overall cost will also increase.

The same is true for the automotive industry, where the fees charged by third-party inspection organizations vary. External testing, such as the annual vehicle inspection, generally costs about $200 for an on-line inspection, with a maximum of $300; internal testing, such as the inspection of the vehicle's engine, chassis, control system and other components by a repair shop or 4S store, usually costs between $200 and $500; performance testing, which is aimed at the testing of the vehicle's performance in terms of power, braking and handling, costs between $200 and $500; and safety testing, which also costs between $200 and $500; and safety testing, which also costs between $200 and $500. The performance test, for vehicle power, braking, handling and other performance aspects, also costs between $200 and $500; the safety test also costs between $200 and $500. However, if it is a comprehensive test for luxury vehicles, or the identification of complex projects for special-purpose vehicles, such as the quality of key components of large engineering vehicles, special performance tests, etc., the cost may rise significantly, as little as several thousand dollars, or tens of thousands of dollars.

In some other common scenarios, such as home inspection, if it is due to unqualified quality and the need for third-party appraisal of housing renovation, the cost is usually around 2 - 30,000 yuan; detection of second-hand cars, if it is a routine inspection, the cost is generally between 3,000 and 10,000 yuan, and for some disputes, accidents, or blisters probability of imported models and other special circumstances, the cost of testing is May reach a few thousand dollars or even higher, and different regions, different testing organizations will be different charges, Alipay in the third-party inspection of used cars costs due to the region, models, testing organizations and other factors, generally ranging from 100 - 300 yuan. In short, the third-party inspection costs of various industries will be subject to a variety of factors, the specific charges should be combined with the actual situation to determine the synthesis.

In international trade or supply chain management, the party responsible for third-party inspection costs depends mainly on the agreement between the buyer and seller, and is usually specified in the contract or purchase order.

For example, in some conventional foreign trade transactions, if the buyer of goods with high quality control requirements, hope that through the third-party inspection to maximize the protection of their own rights and interests, often agreed in the contract by the buyer to bear the cost of inspection, as part of the procurement costs. Like a large chain of supermarkets from foreign procurement of various types of goods, in order to ensure that the goods on the shelves are in line with quality standards, usually take the initiative to bear the cost of third-party inspection, to arrange for a professional inspection company to carry out inspections.

In some cases, the seller in order to prove to the buyer that the quality of their products is excellent, to enhance the success rate of the transaction, may also bear the cost of third-party inspection. For example, some eager to open up the international market, establish brand image of emerging manufacturing enterprises, in the first cooperation with foreign customers, will take the initiative to find a good reputation, full qualification of the third-party inspection company to inspect the product, and bear the corresponding costs, in order to enhance the customer's sense of trust.

In the acceptance of government procurement projects, different regions have different regulations. Hangzhou Interim Measures for the Acceptance of Government Procurement Performance, Article 20 states that the costs incurred in the acceptance of performance are borne by the purchaser for the first acceptance process; the costs incurred in the acceptance process are borne by the purchaser for the first unqualified acceptance and re-acceptance process, if there is an agreement in the procurement contract to implement the agreement, and if there is no agreement, the same will be borne by the purchaser. Shandong Provincial Government Procurement Performance Acceptance Management Measures (Lu Cai Cai [2021] No. 25), Article 20 also provides that the acceptance of the project testing (inspection) fees, labor compensation and other costs and expenses, the procurement contract has agreed in accordance with the agreed implementation; no agreement, the purchaser to bear. The relevant notice issued by the Finance Bureau of Wuhu City, Anhui Province, mentions that the procurer should improve the internal mechanism, strengthen internal supervision, refine the internal process, embed the performance acceptance into the unit's internal control management process, strengthen the performance acceptance of the work of the organization, personnel and financial security, and acceptance of the process of expert fees, testing fees and other costs borne by the procurer.

In addition, with regard to third-party inspection, testing and appraisal costs incurred in handling complaints, article 41 of the Measures for Challenges and Complaints in Government Procurement stipulates that the financial department shall not charge any fees to the complainant or the person against whom the complaint is made for handling the complaint; however, third-party inspection, testing and appraisal costs incurred in handling the complaint shall be advanced by the supplier who has made the application in the first instance. After the complaint-handling decision has clarified the responsibilities of both parties, it will be borne by the party responsible in accordance with the principle of "whoever is at fault bears the burden"; if both parties are responsible, the burden will be reasonably shared by both parties.
Therefore, whether it is international trade or domestic business, buyers and sellers or the relevant subjects involved need to be clear in advance of the third party inspection costs bear the problem, to avoid subsequent unnecessary disputes arising from the cost of the problem, to ensure that the transaction and other activities can be carried out smoothly.

Fourth, how to choose a cost-effective third-party inspection company

(i) Reference to accreditation

When choosing a third-party inspection company, referring to its accreditation status is a crucial step. International certifications such as ISO 9001 are important indicators of the quality and standardization of a company's services. An ISO 9001 certified third-party inspection company means that its quality management system meets international standards and has standardized processes to ensure that each inspection service is completed with high quality.

For example, SGS, as an internationally recognized testing, inspection and certification organization with ISO 9001 and other qualifications, has formed a large service network around the world and can provide comprehensive and professional services for the upstream and downstream of the supply chain in many industries. From textiles to electrical and electronic products, from agricultural and food products to life sciences and other fields, we can carry out accurate inspection with standardized processes and professional teams. For example, Measurement Depot, a third-party inspection company with authoritative qualifications such as ISO9001, ISO27001, CNAS17020, AQSIQ, etc., and more than 400 professionally trained senior full-time inspectors and auditors in China and Southeast Asia, allows customers to place their own orders and track the inspection process in real time, making the service both professional and efficient.

Choose to have this kind of international certification of the company, can to a large extent to protect the inspection work reliable and orderly, so that customers can rest assured that the inspection task to them, do not have to worry about the uneven quality of service and other issues, so in the selection of the third-party inspection company should give priority to consider this kind of complete qualification.

(ii) Consideration of fee transparency

When choosing a third-party inspection service provider, the transparency of fees is a consideration that should not be ignored. A reliable inspection company should be able to provide customers with detailed quotations, clear details of the charges, and there are no hidden costs.
Some unregulated companies may initially give a seemingly reasonable offer, but in the inspection process, they will charge extra for various reasons such as transportation subsidy fees, expediting fees, special equipment use fees and other costs not stated in advance, which can easily lead to subsequent cost disputes with the customer and undermine the cooperative relationship.

And companies like Measurement Library, clearly launched a price all-inclusive service model, in mainland China per person per day charges 999 yuan, other countries or regions from 1799 yuan / person days, will be the auditor, the goods inspector transportation and accommodation, overtime on weekdays, weekends and holidays overtime, etc. are covered, no additional charges. Customers choose such charges transparent inspection service providers, you can clearly know their costs, budget planning, effectively avoid unnecessary trouble due to cost issues, to ensure that inspection services can be carried out smoothly.

(iii) Viewing service evaluations and success stories

The level of service of a third-party inspection company can be judged by looking at reviews from other customers and past success stories.
On the one hand, you can go to understand the company's reputation in the market and check the evaluation feedback from other customers on its service quality, professionalism, responsiveness and so on. For example, in some industry exchange forums or professional B2B platforms, there will be companies sharing their experiences of cooperation with different cargo inspection companies. If a company is often praised for its attentive service, ability to accurately find cargo problems, timely issuance of reports, etc., then the probability that its service level is more reliable.

On the other hand, past successes are an important reference point. For example Goods inspection online platform, with nearly 20 years of experience in goods inspection, specializing in third-party product inspection services, factory inspection services and government procurement acceptance services, applicable to all types of foreign trade import and export of small and medium-sized enterprises, and can do 7 × 24 hours around the clock scheduling, the same day the report, real-time grasp of the dynamics of the inspector and so on.These cases of successfully serving many customers fully demonstrate its strong service capability.

By taking a comprehensive look at service reviews and success stories, you can get a more complete picture of the actual level of a third-party inspection company, which will help you make a more appropriate choice.