Overview

The supplier ships something different from what you ordered — mixing in defective, used, or counterfeit goods, sending empty boxes, or even loading bricks and stones into the container. This is outright fraud, and it happens more often than buyers expect.

How It Works

  1. Partial substitution — mix a percentage of rejects, seconds, or used/refurbished units into an otherwise good batch.
  2. Total substitution — send a completely different, cheaper product.
  3. Weight fraud — load containers with heavy non-product material (bricks, stone, scrap) to fake the shipped weight.
  4. Empty/under-filled cartons — short-ship the quantity while the documents claim the full amount.
  5. Timing — done at the last mile (loading the container), when the buyer has already paid and inspection hasn't been arranged.

Why It's Harmful

  • Total loss — you paid for goods you never received or can't sell.
  • Reputation damage — shipping defective/used goods to your customers destroys trust.
  • Hard to prove after the fact — once the container is sealed and at sea, evidence is gone.

Red Flags

  • Price far below market ("too good to be true").
  • Supplier insists on loading the container themselves and resists inspection.
  • Photos of the goods are generic or recycled.
  • Unwillingness to provide a detailed packing list.
  • New or unverified supplier with no references.

Solutions

1. Pre-shipment inspection (PSI) — non-negotiable

  • Have a third party (SGS, BV, TÜV, Intertek) inspect at the factory, during/after loading.
  • Verify quantity, model, and quality against the order.

2. Container-loading supervision

  • Have the inspector witness the loading of the container, not just inspect goods in the warehouse.
  • Photograph the goods going in, the full container, and the seal.

3. Seal and track

  • Record the container seal number; a broken or changed seal on arrival is immediate evidence of tampering.
  • Use a GPS tracker inside high-value shipments.

4. Verify the packing list

  • Require a detailed packing list (carton counts, per-carton quantity, weights) and have the inspector cross-check it against the physical goods.

5. Weight cross-check

  • Compare the VGM (Verified Gross Mass) and the Bill of Lading weight against your own estimate; a mismatch is a red flag.

6. Stage payment

  • Keep the balance until after inspection passes; never pay in full before loading is verified.

Key Takeaway

Bait-and-switch is defeated by one thing: an independent set of eyes at the point of loading. Inspection that happens after the container is sealed is too late. Witness the loading, record the seal number, and track high-value cargo.