Ask the wrong questions and a Chinese supplier will smile and tell you what you want to hear. Ask the right questions, and you’ll quickly separate real factories from traders, serious partners from time-wasters.
Here are the 10 questions that matter most when product sourcing from China — and how to interpret the answers.
Are you a factory or a trading company?
The most important question, asked first. Some trading companies will honestly say “trading company”; others claim factory status.
How to verify: ask for the business license (the registered business scope says it), a video call walking the production floor, and their factory address. Cross-check the address on maps — a real factory shows a compound with loading docks, not an apartment block.
Why it matters: traders add 15-40% margin and have zero control over quality. If you’re paying factory prices, you should be dealing with a factory.
Can I see your factory license and business registration?
A legitimate factory will share this freely. Ask for:
- Business license (营业执照) with the registered name
- Export license / import-export registration
- Any ISO certifications (ISO 9001 for quality management)
Red flag: hesitation, blurry photos, or “our license is with the accountant.”
What is your MOQ and price at 2x and 5x that MOQ?
MOQ alone tells you little. The real question is how price scales with quantity.
A serious factory quotes tiered pricing without being asked: 500pcs / 1,000pcs / 5,000pcs. A trader gives one price and “negotiates” later. Tiered pricing also reveals whether the factory actually produces your product or would outsource it.
What is included in your price?
“Unit price” can mean anything. Pin down:
- FOB port or CIF destination?
- Packaging included?
- Mold/tooling costs separate or included?
- Certifications and testing included?
- Any “market fees,” “inspection fees” or other add-ons?
Get a written all-inclusive quote. Surprise charges after deposit are a classic trap.
What are your payment terms and why?
Standard healthy terms: 30% deposit / 70% balance before shipment, paid to the company’s corporate bank account.
Red flags: demanding 50%+ deposit, insisting on a personal account, or pressure to pay before you’ve verified anything.
Payment terms are a risk indicator. Legitimate factories with export experience understand standard international terms — they’ll work with you, not pressure you.
How do you handle quality control?
Ask about their QC process, not their QC claims:
- In-house QC: how many inspectors, at what stages?
- Third-party inspections: do they accept pre-shipment inspection by you or an agency (AQL 2.5)?
- What happens to defective units in a batch?
Why it matters: the answer reveals whether quality is a system or a hope. A factory that welcomes third-party inspection is confident in its process.
Can you provide samples and will they match production?
Order samples and test them. But also ask the critical follow-up:
- Are samples from the same production line as bulk orders?
- Will bulk materials be identical to the sample materials?
- Can you keep the sample as a reference for QC comparison?
The trap: hand-picked samples vs. production reality. Pre-shipment inspection comparing bulk goods to the approved sample catches this.
What certifications and test reports do you have?
Depending on your market and product:
- US: FCC (electronics), UL/ETL (safety), FDA (food contact/cosmetics)
- EU: CE, RoHS, REACH
- International: ISO 9001, ISO 14001
Ask for current test reports (within 1-2 years) — expired certificates are a common dodge. Verify report numbers with the issuing body if the order is significant.
What is your lead time and how do you handle delays?
Get the production lead time in writing, plus:
- What happens if production runs late?
- Do you report delays proactively?
- Is there a penalty clause for late delivery?
Why it matters: missing a sales season because of a vague “20-30 days” that stretched to 60 is a real cost. Put the date in the contract with consequences.
10. “Can I have references from buyers in my market?”
References are the strongest verification there is:
- 2-3 buyers who ordered similar products
- Ideally in your country or region (same logistics/compliance context)
- Ask about delivery reliability, quality consistency, after-sales
Red flag: no references, or references that can’t be reached. Every real factory with export history has clients somewhere.
Bonus Question: “What happens if there’s a problem?”
Problem-response is the ultimate test of a supplier’s professionalism. Ask: if quality fails or delivery is late, what do you do? Rework? Refund? Discount? The confident supplier has a policy. The weak one has excuses.
The 10-Question Cheat Sheet
| # | Question | Good Answer | Red Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Factory or trader? | Factory, verified | Vague, defensive |
| 2 | Show license? | Shares immediately | Blurry/excuses |
| 3 | MOQ + tiered price? | Clear tiers | One price only |
| 4 | What’s included? | Written all-inclusive quote | Add-on fees later |
| 5 | Payment terms? | 30/70 to company account | Personal account |
| 6 | QC process? | System + welcomes 3rd party | “We have QC” only |
| 7 | Samples match bulk? | Same line, reference sample | Hand-picked only |
| 8 | Certifications? | Current reports | Expired/dodged |
| 9 | Lead time + delays? | Written + penalty clause | Vague |
| 10 | References? | Reachable buyers | None |
Turning Answers Into a Decision
A great answer beats a confident one — but only if you turn it into a decision. Score each reply against the cheat-sheet above:
- 2 or more red flags → drop them. The pattern is far more predictive than any single answer.
- A confident supplier with zero references is still a risk. Every real factory with export history has clients somewhere.
- Insist on a written all-inclusive quote and any promises put into the contract — verbal “we’ll take care of it” disappears after the deposit.
If the answers are solid, the last step is verifying they’re true. Licenses can be faked and video calls staged; the answers that actually hold up come from walking the production line. That’s where a third-party factory audit adds the verification a questionnaire can’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify a Chinese supplier is real? Ask for the business license (the registered scope says it), do a video call walking the production floor, cross-check the address on maps, and — for anything significant — run an on-site factory audit. A real factory shows a compound with loading docks, not an apartment block.
Is it safe to pay a Chinese supplier in advance? Use the standard 30% deposit / 70% balance before shipment, paid to the company’s corporate bank account. Avoid paying 50%+ upfront, and never pay a personal account. See our guide to paying Chinese suppliers safely.
What should I ask a supplier about quality control? Ask about their QC process, not their claims: how many inspectors and at what stages, and whether they accept third-party pre-shipment inspection under AQL 2.5. A factory that welcomes independent inspection is confident in its process. Use our free AQL sampling table to set the pass/fail numbers yourself.
What’s the difference between a factory and a trading company? A trading company adds roughly 15–40% margin and has little control over quality; a factory produces the goods. If you’re paying factory prices you should be dealing with a factory — but always verify, because some traders claim factory status.
Do I need a factory audit before my first order? For a new supplier, a significant order, or a safety-related product — yes. An on-site audit checks licenses, equipment, capacity and quality systems before you commit. It’s worth far less than a rejected shipment. See our factory audit guide.
Doing This Right = Doing It On the Ground
These questions work great in writing — but the strongest answers require being there. Factory licenses can be faked, video calls can be staged, and references can be arranged. The verification that actually holds up is an on-site audit: walking the production line, checking the equipment, meeting the QC team.
That’s what we do every week for clients who can’t be in China. Cantonmade verifies factories, negotiates contracts, supervises production and inspects shipments across the Pearl River Delta and beyond — showing you every invoice along the way.
If you have a product to source, send us your specification and we’ll run the full verification process on your behalf. New to this? Start with our complete sourcing guide.
Next step: the answers only matter if they end up in writing — see the order contract and PI guide.
