There is an old saying in China, “seeing is believing”, which means what you see with your own eyes is true and reliable. But most international buyers could only know whether the supplier is reliable by mail or telephone before placing an order with a Chinese supplier.
The following seven methods could help you validate the reliability of Chinese suppliers and avoid being cheated, even if you could not come to China in person.
If you already have suppliers in China, you could let the old suppliers have some insight into the new supplier to who you will place the order
Chinese suppliers are often familiar with the domestic situation, and even if necessary, let them visit the factory or office of the new factory on the spot.
When you have doubts about one supplier, I suggest you continue to communicate with the supplier directly by telephone rather than by mail. Because there is enough time to think when writing an email
But when talking on the phone, they often show flaws by the speed, intonation, and even logic of the conversation, as there is not enough time to conceive.
If there is only a mobile phone but no fixed phone in the supplier’s contact way, then you should be vigilant
Relatively speaking, it is easier to apply for a mobile phone number in China. Only one ID card is needed to apply for a mobile phone number, while a lot of information is needed to apply for a fixed phone. That’s why fraudsters almost use cell phone numbers instead of a fixed phone. The standard Chinese fixed-line telephone number is as follows: +86 21 6666 8888, of which 86 is the national code of China, 21 is the area code, and the last eight digits are the telephone number.
If the budget is adequate, it is better to invite a third-party inspection company to the factory for a comprehensive inspection before delivery
Not only could ensure that the goods are qualified, but could also ask the inspectors to take pictures of the workshop, production equipment. This will help you understand the factory more intuitively.
Let the suppliers show their contracts with other customers (omitting important information about quantity, amount, payment terms, etc.)
Usually, suppliers are happy to do so, because it is also a way to prove their strength.
When making inquiries, ask as many professional questions as possible about the products and let them supply samples
If the response is slow or not conveyed the question you ask, and the samples are terrible, so you have to be more careful about the company. At least, this is not a professional company, and there must be hidden risks to cooperate with them.
Purchasing in China is not so terrible, and even a trap everywhere. There is still a large quantity of excellent and honest suppliers in China. But some foreign purchasers complain that their Chinese suppliers disappeared after receiving the deposit or they received a bunch of inferior products after paying the balance, which was not the same ones as the previously confirmed samples.
In fact, the tricks of these fraudsters are not brilliant, but why are some purchasers still cheated every year? Because they are often tempted by the lower prices. On the contrary, you should be more vigilant when you get a quotation far below the market, because it is probably the first step in fraud.
When sourcing from China, in addition to reminding yourself to prevent fraud, you also need to avoid some mistakes. I also wrote another article – Don’t Make These Mistakes When Importing promotional products from China. Attached the link below:
It may help you avoid some mistakes when you purchase promotional products from China.
