How does Eshopbox perform quality check (QC)?

How does Eshopbox perform quality check (QC)?

What is Quality Check (QC)?

Quality Check refers to the inspection of your inventory. Such inspection helps to identify units that:

  • Does not satisfy the need mentioned.

  • Are defective / damaged.

  • Does not match with the information shared with the customer.

Such units (also known as rejected units) should not be used to fulfil an order from the customer. In this article, you will understand:

  • Why do you need a Quality Check?

  • What are the various approaches to perform a Quality Check?

  • How can Eshopbox serve you with the Quality Check?


Why do you need Quality Check?

The last thing you want is for a poor lot of product to ruin your credibility. Damage the relation with valuable customers. To keep the highest standard of perfection, you need to implement a QC.

Store like brick or motor, a customer on your E-commerce store will not have access to the product before buying it. He or she will read it on your website. So, the information mentioned on the website must match the product. You can also identify any issues with the product information on the site. It will save you from the massive cost of unnecessary returns.

Depending upon your business model, you may require performing quality checks for many reasons.

1. The vendor supplies the inventory.
This scenario represents one of the following situations:

  • A trader fulfils a purchase order placed by you.

  • A manufacturer is supplying you with the inventory against a work order.

  • If you are running a fulfilment program for your marketplace, one seller has sent the inventory for order fulfilment.

In either of the above conditions, you must perform QC at the time of receiving the inventory. QC will help you find any damages or defects in the inventory. You should send such rejected units (if any) back to the vendor and prevent losses. You may also want to adjust payments for such rejected units. Or, you can ask the vendor to send a replacement.

2. You transfer the inventory from a third-party location.
It represents one of the following situations:

  • You have recalled inventory delivered to your business partners on a consignment model.

  • You are moving inventory from any other fulfilment service providers.

Performing QC helps to identify damages to your inventory while you store it with a third party. You can then register a claim against such losses. It helps you to reconcile and settle.

3. You move the inventory from your location
It represents when you move inventory from one of your locations - either your warehouses or retail stores. You may or may not have performed quality checks on 100% of these units. In either case, QC is necessary to detect any lapses while packing or transporting the inventory.

4. You sell on multiple E-commerce channels
When you are selling on multiple E-commerce channels, inaccuracy may appear on product listings displayed on such platforms. Performing a QC at the time of packing the order will help you determine any such defect. It will help you control your return percentage and avoid severe penalties charged on such platforms. That can improve your ratings.


What are the various approaches to perform a Quality Check?

There are multiple methods to perform QC. The ideal approach for you will depend upon how you have set up your supply chain—the answer to the following questions required to complete an approach.

When should you perform a Quality Check?

You can do the QC at the time of receiving, order processing or both. QC at the time of order processing helps to identify the inventory damaged during storage. If you are selling on multiple E-commerce channels, it helps you to match the product information displayed on the sales channel with the physical units. But it might lead to delays in order processing. It might lead to order cancellation if the rejected product was the last unit in the inventory. QC at the time of receiving may delay the time by which you make inventory available to sell. But it is a future-proof way to ensure better quality control.

You should inspect every unit or only a certain % of the units in one consignment

Inspecting every unit in the consignment may be expensive. That can lead to a higher lead time to make inventory available to sell. But if the above consideration doesn’t matter, it is advisable to inspect every unit - especially for high-value items. It will prevent unpredictable losses and avoid poor customer experience.

What are the attributes to check at the time of inspection?

Attributes may vary for different categories of products. For example, the colour and size of apparel, the expiry date of medicines, and beauty products.


How does Eshopbox perform the Quality Check process?

You can configure how Eshopbox should do QC on your inventory. You have one of the following options:

  • Eshopbox should not perform a QC.

  • Eshopbox should perform QC based on Eshopbox standard quality check criteria. They will charge you as per the pricing for the standard QC.

  • Eshopbox should perform QC according to custom criteria defined by you. Contact Eshopbox to configure such custom criteria. There will be an added cost for such customization. Additional fees will depend on the quantity and type of criteria.

If you prefer for Eshopbox to perform either standard or custom QC. You can also select one of the below options:

  • Eshopbox should perform the QC at the time of order processing.

  • Eshopbox should perform the QC at the time of receiving the consignment.

  • Eshopbox should perform the QC at the time of receiving and order processing.

Note: Eshopbox performs QC at the time of processing a return. Let us discuss how Eshopbox performs returns processing. The configuration discussed here will not affect the criteria at the time of return processing.

Any unit that doesn’t pass the QC criteria will be added to the inventory as non sellable.

  • If you prefer QC at the time of receiving, Eshopbox will create a recall consignment for all rejected units in an inward consignment. You can track the reason for the rejection for every rejected unit along with the inward consignment.

  • In case you opt for a QC at the time of order processing, Eshopbox will sideline order in case of rejection. If there are additional units of the same SKU available in inventory, Eshopbox will pick them up and process the order. If the rejected unit is the last in inventory, you can either supply replacement units or cancel the order.

Note: Please note that Eshopbox may mark the unit as non-sellable even if you opt for no QC. This may cause the following situation:

  • At the time of receiving, Eshopbox determines that the unit is not relevant for storage. For example, the packaging of a fragile unit is hazardous, or product packaging is missing. There are some compliance issues. For example, the product doesn’t have mandatory labels corresponding to the legal metrology act.

  • Dimensions configured with the product are not correct.

  • Eshopbox determines that the unit is not suitable to fulfil a customer order. For example, there is a lot of dust on the product.

Eshopbox standard QC criteria

Eshopbox will inspect every unit to check if the units qualify on the following criteria.

  • Image: Physical products should match the image configured with the product in your Eshopbox workspace. With the kit/virtualkit, Eshopbox will match the picture of each component in the kit. If no images are present along with the product, Eshopbox will skip this criterion.

  • Maximum Retail Price (MRP): The MRP mentioned on the product label should match the product configured in your workspace.

Please note that Eshopbox will not open the product packaging, simply inspect the available details.

Custom parameters

You can configure custom criteria for Eshopbox to perform QCs. You may have to configure your product to include vital information to perform such custom quality criteria. For example, if you want Eshopbox to check if the size mentioned on a T-shirt is correct. You should create a custom field named “size” and configure its value for every product.

There are various limitations on the criteria you can configure. It is because operators at the fulfilment centers are not subject experts. To simplify, here are some examples of criteria that can or can’t be configured.

Example of custom QC criteria that can be configured:

  • The colour mentioned on the T-shirt is correct.

  • A dress includes accessories like belts.

  • The size mentioned on Eshopbox matches with the size embossed on the shoe.

Example of custom quality check criteria that cannot be configured:

  • Fabric purity of a shirt (100% cotton).

  • The thread count of a bedsheet.

  • If the material of a shoe is 100% leather.