LED Decorative Lighting Quality Checklist

Check the Product at Full Length

Unpack the sample and extend it completely. Length, LED spacing and the evenness of the spacing are the three things a photograph hides, and all three are what the customer sees at home.

Check the Light Colour in the Dark

Warm white varies widely between factories and between batches. Compare the sample against the other products in the range in a dark room, since that is where any mismatch will show. If two products are meant to be used together, approve them side by side.

Check the Moulded Parts Lit and Unlit

A figure that looks good on the shelf can lose its face once it is lit from inside. Look at every moulded piece both ways, and check the seams where the halves of the mould meet.

See the Christmas Santa Claus Figure Light →

Check the Wire Where It Enters a Part

The point where a wire enters a figure, a battery box or a connector is where decorative lighting usually fails. Flex it gently a few times and look for movement at the entry point.

Check the Battery Box and the Switch

On battery products, open and close the compartment several times, check that the lid still holds, and operate the switch through every mode. These are the parts a customer touches most and the parts a factory is most tempted to save money on.

Check the Pack as Well as the Product

Coil the product back into the pack the way a customer would. If it does not go back, it will be returned. Check that the moulded tray protects the figures and that the printed pack survives being handled on a shelf.