An East Rand importer lost nearly R40 000 on a purchase of crockery which was of such poor quality it had to be dumped IMPORTERS should run a preshipment inspection (PSI) on goods before they leave port to make sure they get what they paid for.
Commodity Inspection Services (SA) (CSI) m.d. Gert Storm says importers can save themselves time and money by making sure that goods they order live up to samples and the promises of the seller.
An independent inspection at the point of origin evaluates product quality as well as monitoring volume.
Most importers cannot afford to fly over and check each purchase. Our job is to make sure the goods comply with the order specifications, Storm says.
He cites a recent example where an East Rand importer lost nearly R40 000 on a purchase of crockery. The importer was satisfied with the samples he had seen and ordered goods from an overseas supplier.
However, when they arrived the items were of such poor quality they had to be dumped. Because he had already paid for the products he had no way of getting his money back.
Storm says a PSI would have saved him the money. PSI companies are independent and provide an objective analysis of the goods.
This can range from stress tests to metals to checking for shrinkage on clothing. Goods are also checked to make sure they are compatible with local conditions.
We have a lot of rust in KwaZulu Natal. Therefore a bridge, for example, will be subjected to a number of stress tests but also measured for rust resistance, he says.
In another instance a trader ordered 7 000 blouses from India.
CSI tested the products at the factory in India and checked for colour fastness, shrinkage and general quality of material. The total cost to the importer was only US$250, says Storm.
The aim is to protect importers in international purchases and to ensure their goods meet the required standards, he says.
