How can i identify a true Chinese Supplier if i am not going to China ? How do I know if the supplier is real or not ?
1. Check business licenses
2. Use search engines and B2B Directories
3. Make a phone call
4. Ask for references
5. Money matters
6.Pretend to audit the factory
7.Background checks
Do you want to get supply from China, and you want to find out how to determine a true Chinese supplier without going to China? Search no more, as the following are some tips on how to identify a legit supplier from China and will help you escape scammers.
1. Check business licenses
All legal companies in China must register with the Chinese government authorities and are given a unique company registration number. To verify this registration number you just need to visit their local administrative government website or contact Bureau of Industry commerce in China for verification. If the supplier is not willing to give you this registration number, it is not advisable to transact with him/her.
2. Use search engines and B2B Directories
Go to their website go through their policies and be sure that they have put their contact information and physical address on the site. Then use your search engine like Google ,Bing or Yahoo, search “company name+ scam” or “company name+ dishonest,” If there are complaints from previous customers they leave a trace of it on the web and you can see it. If there are complaints, hence the supplier may not be real.
B2B offers verification services and makes life easier and you can also use Global Sources or Alibaba checks which give suppliers information such as start date, the number of staff in the company, factory ownership, sales and brand names. This is very helpful, and it is very easy to identify a certain Chinese supplier.
3. Make a phone call
Most scammers provide wrong contact information to avoid being traced by law enforcers, so it is very advisable to call the number given to confirm. The most legit number should be a telephone number, not a mobile phone as most legit companies use landline services. Call the landline number and try to get information about the supplier like their registration number; if they hesitate to give it out, there are high chances that they are scammers. Scammers mostly use mobile phone numbers.
4. Ask for references
Ask for their previous customer’s records and also ask for the supplier’s bank reference letters. If the supplier does not have references, it is a sign he may not be true.
5. Money matters
Try to tell the supplier that the goods will be paid when your local agent in China picks them on their address. If they allow it, then they are very legit, but if they don’t, they can be scammers. Also, avoid untraceable money transactions. Mode of payment mostly is western union, pay pal, TT and Money Gram, used by legit suppliers.
6.Pretend to audit the factory
If the supplier is unwilling to be audited, mostly in production capabilities, it can signal a fake supplier.
7.Background checks
You can order a third party like China Purchasing Agent to give you a report on the supplier’s information like some shareholders, financial reports for the last three years, business scope, etc. This information will help you know if he is legit or not.
Conclusion
With the above tips, it is very clear how to identify a real Chinese supplier hence you can avoid scammers.
