A packing list check compares the supplier's packing list with the purchase order and with the cartons actually packed: number of cartons, quantity and assortment in each, net and gross weights, dimensions and total volume. It catches shortages and mix-ups before the documents go to the bank, customs and the buyer's warehouse.
Last reviewed 14 Oct 2026 · Written by Yogesh Raygoor
What is compared
Line on the packing list
Checked against
How
Total cartons and quantity per style
Purchase order and goods offered
Count cartons; open sampled cartons and count pieces
Assortment per carton (sizes, colours)
Packing instructions
Unpack sampled cartons fully
Net and gross weight
Scale readings
Weigh sampled cartons
Carton dimensions and total volume
Measured cartons
Measure; recalculate cubic metres
Carton numbering
Shipping marks
Check the sequence has no gaps or duplicates
From our inspections
Real photos from our published sample reports, anonymised. Click a source to read the full report.
A packing list for a home textiles order shows 120 cartons of table runners, 24 pieces each, 2,880 pieces in total, gross weight 8.5 kg per carton. On site the inspector counts 118 cartons. Three opened cartons hold 24, 24 and 20 pieces; the short carton is labelled 24. Five cartons weighed range from 7.9 to 8.6 kg.
The lot is short by at least 2 cartons and one carton is short-packed, so the declared total is wrong. The factory must correct the count or the document before the invoice is raised. A quantity shortfall alone, with the products themselves within AQL, leads to Hold for the buyer's decision.
How Clear To Load uses it
Quantity against the order and packing list is the first line of every inspection report. In our Jodhpur solid wood report, all 181 of 181 pieces were offered and packed, and samples were drawn from 28 cartons; in the Jaipur dining tables report, gross carton weights were checked on the scale. At loading supervision, the inspector counts cartons into the container against the final packing list.
Why does the packing list matter if the goods are fine?
The packing list is used by customs, the shipping line, the bank under a letter of credit and the receiving warehouse. A wrong count or weight can delay clearance or payment even when the products are perfect.
Is the packing list check done before or at loading?
Both. At a pre-shipment inspection the inspector checks the packed lot against the draft list. At loading, cartons are counted into the container against the final list.
Know before it ships
Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.
