Inspector

In foreign trade, an Inspector specifically refers to a professional commissioned by the buyer, seller, or a third-party inspection agency to examine goods during production, before shipment, or at the time of loading, checking quality, quantity, packaging, etc. Common scenarios include: the buyer sending an inspector to the factory for mid-production or final random inspection (e.g., DUPRO, FRI); or third-party agencies such as SGS, BV, TÜV assigning inspectors to issue inspection reports. Note in usage: an inspector's authority is usually limited to sampling and recording, with no power to directly decide rejection or amend the contract; their report is an important basis for the buyer to decide whether to accept the goods, but unless the contract explicitly stipulates that 'the inspection certificate serves as a payment condition,' it does not automatically constitute a legally final quality certificate. Difference from 'QC (Quality Control)': QC is mostly an internal factory position responsible for process control, whereas an inspector often represents external stakeholders and emphasizes independence and impartiality. Unlike a 'Notary,' an inspector focuses on physical inspection and does not involve legal document authentication. Foreign trade practitioners should specify in the contract the appointing party of the inspector, inspection standards, cost bearing, and how inspection results are handled.