Supplier verification is the cheapest risk reduction available to an importer. Here is what to check, in what order, and which answers should stop a deal.
Most import problems trace back to a supplier decision made too quickly. The checks below take days, not weeks, and cost very little compared with a bad order.
1. Confirm the company exists as described
Ask for the business licence and check three things: that the company name matches the one on your quotation and proforma invoice, that the registered capital and establishment date are consistent with how the supplier presents itself, and that the registered scope of business actually covers the product you are buying.
A company registered for trading that describes itself as a factory is not necessarily dishonest — but you now know what you are dealing with.
2. Establish factory or trading company
Ask directly. Then check whether the answer holds together: a genuine factory can describe its production lines, monthly capacity and worker headcount without hesitation, and can usually show you the floor on a video call at short notice.
Neither model is wrong. A trading company is often the better choice for mixed or low-volume orders. What matters is that you know which margin you are paying.
3. Check export experience
A supplier that has exported to your region before will understand documentation, packaging standards and transit conditions. One that has only sold domestically may be excellent at production and completely unprepared for the paperwork.
Ask which markets they export to and what share of output is exported.
4. Assess capability against your order
Capacity that is too small will miss your deadline. Capacity that is far too large will deprioritise you. Ask about typical order size, current lead time and how your order fits their schedule.
Ask what they cannot do. A supplier willing to name a limitation is usually more reliable than one who agrees to everything.
5. Request certification documents, not claims
If your product or your buyers require certification, ask for the certificate itself, then check the issuing body, the certificate number and the exact product it covers. Certificates are routinely presented for a related product rather than the one being sold.
Where a claim cannot be evidenced, treat it as absent.
6. Test communication before you commit
You will depend on this channel when something goes wrong. Note how quickly they reply, whether they answer the question you asked, and whether they raise problems proactively or only when pressed.
A supplier who tells you about a delay before you ask is worth more than one who is slightly cheaper.
7. Check the payment details
Payment should go to a company account whose name matches the business licence. A request to pay a personal account is a stop signal — not a negotiation point.
Agree payment terms in writing. A deposit with the balance against a passed pre-shipment inspection is a common and reasonable structure.
Red flags worth stopping over
- Prices far below every other quotation for the same specification
- Reluctance to provide a business licence
- Payment to a personal or third-country account
- Refusal to allow inspection before shipment
- Pressure to decide immediately
- Certificates that cannot be traced to an issuing body
A note on trust
Verification is not suspicion. Good suppliers expect these questions from serious buyers, and answering them quickly is itself a signal of professionalism. The suppliers who find them offensive are, reliably, the ones worth walking away from.
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