Sourcing FAQ
Clear answers to common sourcing questions, including what to check, how to interpret the evidence, and what to do next.
How Do I Run a Background Check on a Chinese Supplier?
Obtain the supplier's Chinese legal name and business license, verify registration and operating status, identify whether the company is the seller, factory, exporter, or trading company, and match the bank beneficiary and product documents to the correct entities. Check capability against the exact product and review available export activity with its coverage limits. Resolve material inconsistencies before paying. For a high-value, regulated, or safety-critical order, add independent testing, a live factory check or audit, and an inspection plan.
How Can I Tell If a Chinese Supplier Is a Real Factory?
Identify the legal entity that operates the production site, verify the factory address and its relationship to the company signing the contract, and examine product-specific processes, equipment, staffing, quality controls, production records, and live site evidence. Manufacturing language in a business license and export records can support the assessment, but neither proves that the supplier owns or controls a factory. A trading company is not automatically a poor supplier; the key is transparency, accountability, and control over quality and corrective action.
How Can I Verify Product Compliance Before Sourcing from China?
Define the exact product, materials, intended use, user group, destination country, sales channel, and claims before requesting documents. Identify the applicable legal requirements, then match every report, certificate, declaration, label, and technical record to the final product, factory, and responsible entity. Existing documents are useful only when their scope is relevant and traceable. Arrange qualified testing or expert review when evidence is incomplete, outdated, unverifiable, or not representative of the product you will import.
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