Sourcing guide · Checklist
How to verify a Chinese supplier: the 20-point checklist
Learning how to verify a Chinese supplier is the highest-leverage hour in your sourcing process. Most scams and quality disasters share the same root cause: money moved before verification finished. Work through these 20 checks in order — if a supplier fails an early section, there is no need to continue.
1Business license checks
- ☐Ask for the business license (营业执照) and copy the Unified Social Credit Code — every legitimate Chinese company has one.
- ☐Look the code up on the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System to confirm the company is active and the address is real.
- ☐Check the business scope covers what they sell — a license for "daily goods" selling you machinery is a warning sign.
- ☐Match the licensed company name to the bank account name on the proforma invoice. Different name, different risk.
- ☐Treat registered capital as weak evidence — it is cheap to inflate. The license proves existence, not reliability.
2Factory or trading company?
- ☐Ask directly: "Are you the factory, or a trading company?" Note how confidently they answer.
- ☐Request a live video call showing the production floor — not a photo, a walkthrough with today’s date mentioned.
- ☐Ask which processes are done in-house vs outsourced. Honest suppliers name their subcontractors.
- ☐Test OEM willingness: can they make your private label, your packaging, your size spec? Resellers often stall here.
- ☐Remember: a transparent trading company beats a lying "factory" every time. Judge honesty, not category.
3Keep a written record of everything
- ☐Confirm price, quantity, specs, delivery time, and payment terms in writing — a WeChat chat log counts.
- ☐Get the approved sample photographed against a ruler, with both sides agreeing "this is the standard".
- ☐Save the supplier’s quoted price list with a date — quotes drift, and you will want the original.
- ☐Ask for the name and role of the person you are dealing with, not just a WeChat nickname.
- ☐Before any deposit, send a one-message summary ("Confirming: 200 pcs, ¥18/pc, delivery Nov 20, 30% deposit") and get a "confirmed" reply.
4Run a trial order first
- ☐Start at the supplier’s minimum MOQ — large enough to test production, small enough to survive losing.
- ☐Pay the standard deposit (typically ~30%), never 100% upfront to a supplier you have not worked with.
- ☐Require pre-shipment QC photos or video — dated, with defects shown next to a ruler, not just beauty shots.
- ☐Release the balance only after you approve QC, or hold it in escrow per your payment method.
- ☐Test the full chain: production quality, packing, labeling, and on-time delivery — not just the product.
🚩 Red flags — walk away
- Large payments requested to a personal bank account or via crypto/gift cards.
- 100% upfront demanded from a brand-new supplier — the industry norm is a deposit with balance after QC.
- Prices dramatically below every other quote for the same spec — below cost means bait, substitution, or a scam.
- Refuses a live video call or factory walkthrough, with vague excuses.
- Cannot produce a business license, or the account name does not match it.
- High-pressure "today only" pricing designed to stop you verifying.
The one-sentence rule
Never let money move faster than verification. A verified supplier with a written record and a trial order behind you is worth more than the cheapest quote on the floor. For what happens after verification, read ourpayment safety guide andQC inspection guide.
Frequently asked questions
How can I check a Chinese business license from abroad?+
Ask the supplier for their business license (营业执照) and note the Unified Social Credit Code. You can look it up on China’s National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System to confirm the company exists, its registered address, and its business scope. Match the licensed company name against the name on the bank account you are asked to pay — a mismatch is a red flag.
Is it safe to work with trading companies?+
Yes, as long as they are honest about it. Many legitimate Guangzhou suppliers are trading companies that aggregate several factories. The test is transparency: if they claim to be a factory but cannot show you production, walk away. If they openly act as your buying office with clear margins, that can be a fine arrangement.
How big should a trial order be?+
Big enough to test the real process — production, QC, packing, and shipping — but small enough that losing it would not sink you. Many buyers start with a mixed batch at the supplier’s stated MOQ minimum, pay the standard ~30% deposit, and only scale up after the first delivery passes inspection.
Need help vetting a supplier?
Tell us what you’re buying and where you found the supplier — we’ll help you run the checks above or connect you with someone on the ground in Guangzhou.
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