How to approve cosmetic defects for a batch
Approve the defect through a written concession tied to the named batch, defined appearance and confirmed quantities. Agree any discount, sorting or replacement separately, and state that repeat orders retain the existing specification and acceptance limits. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate the factory evidence and approval record.
Confirm that the defect is only cosmetic
A scratch, shade variation or surface mark may be acceptable for your intended sales channel, but first check whether it affects function, durability or safety. Ask for close-up photographs, wider views showing location, and a physical example where photographs cannot settle the question. The inspection guide explains the underlying accept or reject process.
UK manufacturers and importers placing products on the market need to demonstrate compliance with relevant safety requirements. Keep the concession limited to appearance; investigate any possible safety issue separately before deciding on release.
Identify the goods covered by the concession
Record the purchase order, product code, specification revision, batch identity and inspection report. Describe the exact defect, its location and the worst appearance you will accept, using labelled photographs or a retained defect sample. Identify the cartons or units covered so the factory cannot apply the approval to other stock.
Separate defects observed in the inspection sample from the confirmed affected quantity. Do not present a sampled finding as a count of the entire batch. If the extent is unknown, require sorting or further checking before fixing the concession quantity. Record quantities accepted unchanged, accepted under concession, held for rework and rejected, and reconcile them with the batch total. Use the batch traceability guide for tracking goods through shipment.
Agree the commercial adjustment separately
Assess the actual consequences: sorting labour, additional packing, reduced resale value, replacements and disposal where relevant. Agree who pays each cost, which goods receive a price reduction, how the adjustment will be documented and when it will be settled. A credit against a future order ties recovery to another purchase; consider whether that suits you.
Keep the commercial settlement separate from the quality decision. Record whether it resolves only the named cosmetic defect and avoid broad wording such as accepting the entire order as supplied. Agree the concession, adjustment and release conditions before authorising shipment or payment; the balance-payment checklist covers the wider payment checks.
Write an approval that preserves the original limits
Use wording along these lines, completing every bracketed field: “We approve only [defined cosmetic defect] on [confirmed quantity and carton identities] from [order and batch], as shown in [attached evidence]. Approval is subject to [sorting, commercial adjustment and release conditions]. All other requirements remain unchanged. This concession does not amend the specification, approved reference sample, defect classifications or acceptance limits for repeat orders. Any later exception needs separate written approval.”
Have the authorised buyer approve it and obtain written acknowledgement from your contracting seller and the factory contact responsible for production. Keep the inspection result against the original criteria, with the concession recorded separately as the release decision. Do not rewrite a failed inspection as a pass or replace the approved production sample with the defective sample.
Carry the correction into the repeat order
Keep the defective example labelled as concession evidence, separate from the approved reference. Ask the factory for the cause, corrective action and evidence that the production process has changed. Accepting the goods resolves the batch disposition; it does not establish that the cause has been corrected. The corrective-action guide explains what to check before closing the issue.
Attach the unchanged specification and acceptance limits to the repeat order, and flag the earlier defect for targeted inspection. Check the corrective action during production where useful, then inspect the finished goods against the original requirements. Cambridge China Bridge’s staff in China can coordinate sorting evidence, factory acknowledgement and repeat-order checks for the buyer’s decision.
Frequently asked questions
Does accepting a cosmetic defect change future quality limits?
State expressly that approval applies only to the named batch, defect and quantity. Keep the original specification and acceptance limits attached to repeat orders, and obtain the seller’s written acknowledgement.
Can I approve a batch from inspection photographs?
Photographs can define appearance, but they do not establish the affected quantity. Request sorting evidence if the extent is unknown, and a physical example if appearance or performance remains unclear.
Should I accept a discount or replacement goods?
Compare the adjustment with your actual loss and handling costs. Record the affected goods, settlement method and timing. Keep compensation separate from the approval of the defect.
Should the inspection report be changed to a pass?
Keep the result against the original criteria. Record the buyer’s concession separately, including its scope and release conditions, so future inspectors still use the unchanged quality limits.