The PI says 3,000 pieces. The packing list says 2,940. Or 3,120. The factory calls it “normal industry tolerance.” You call it short-shipped — or you refuse to pay for extras you did not order. Both of you are improvising. If the PI never stated a plus/minus, there is no agreed band, only a leftover argument after the carton count.
This piece is the quantity-tolerance line, not how to inspect.
1. One number on the PI is a target, not a rule
Process industries (fabric, fasteners, molded runners, food-contact film) often cannot hit a round figure without waste. Discrete units (appliances, furniture, kits) usually can. Do not copy “±5%” from a yarn PI onto a product that ships as complete sets. Write a band that matches how the thing is made — or write “exact quantity, no over/under.”
2. Say what the percentage applies to
A usable line names:
- the allowed over and under (they need not be equal — +0 / −2% is a choice)
- whether it applies to the PO total, to each SKU, or to each colorway
- how the invoice is calculated: actual shipped quantity within the band, at the unit price
- what happens outside the band: you may reject the excess, or they must make up the short at their freight
A single “±5%” on a mixed PO of five SKUs is how they over-ship the cheap color and under-ship the one you needed.
3. Price and deposit must follow the actual count
If they ship 3% over and you accept it, you pay for 3% more — unless you wrote that over-ship is free up to the band (rare). If they ship 3% under within an allowed band, the balance is on the shipped count, not on the original 3,000. Spell that out so nobody treats the PI total as a fixed invoice.
The deposit stays attached to the original PO; do not let an under-shipment quietly convert leftover deposit into a credit for a future order you have not placed.
4. Documents have to show the same count
Invoice, packing list, marks, and B/L quantity should match the pieces in the box, not the original target if you accepted a band. An L/C that states “3,000 pcs exact” will bounce a 2,940-piece presentation even if your PI allowed −2%. Align the credit with the PI before anyone applies.
The bottom line
Quantity tolerance is a priced rule: which SKU, how much over or under, how the invoice follows the count, and what happens outside the band. “About 3,000” and “industry standard” are not a band.
If you need the quantity-tolerance wording written into the PI in English and Chinese, I can prepare the clause and issue a stamped set under our bilingual translation company seal when you need one. See what this covers.
Tolerance customs vary by product. This article is general sourcing guidance, not legal advice.