The 15-minute check that saves container loads
Most wholesale scams are not clever — they rely on buyers skipping basic verification. This is the checklist our team uses when adding stalls to the Soudangkou directory, and it works for any Chinese supplier, factory or trader.
Before you send a dollar
1. Match the seller to a physical location
A real stallholder has a market, building, floor and shop number. Ask for it, then ask for a 30-second video call in front of the shop — geography can’t be faked live.
2. Check the business registration
Ask for the company’s Chinese registered name (营业执照). Look it up on public registry sites (e.g. qcc.com, tianyancha) to confirm it exists, its scope matches what they sell, and its registration address matches the claimed location.
3. Distinguish factory from trader
Traders are fine — but pay trader prices, not factory prices. Signals of a real factory: willing to show the workshop, names machines and capacity, accepts your QC visit. Signals of a trader: refuses video, “all styles available”, prices suspiciously below market.
4. Sample order first, always
Any real supplier accepts 1–10 piece samples. Refusal or excuses = walk away. Compare the sample to bulk on arrival — that’s your contract in practice.
5. Payment discipline
First orders: escrow (Alibaba Trade Assurance) or market office settlement. Direct WeChat/Alipay settlement only after 2–3 clean transactions. Never pay 100% upfront; 30/70 is the market norm for OEM.
Red flags (walk away immediately)
- Famous-brand logos offered on products — legal risk for you, and a signal the seller cuts other corners.
- Prices far below every other quote — margin traps or bait-and-switch.
- Refuses video verification or gives a shop number that doesn’t exist in the market directory.
- Pressure to pay personal (non-company) accounts on the first order.
- Website domain registered weeks ago with stock photos only.
Advanced checks for bigger programs
- Third-party inspection (SGS, TÜV, or local QC agents) for orders above ~$5k.
- Production monitoring: photo/video milestones written into the order confirmation.
- Contract in Chinese and English with the registered company seal (公章), not just a salesperson’s signature.
FAQ
Do verification services exist inside markets? Yes — Guangzhou and Yiwu have agents who walk floors and verify stalls for a small fee; our directory pre-verifies the stalls it lists.
What if a stall fails one check? One miss might be a language gap; two misses, move on — supply in these markets is deep.
广州服装档口相关入口
继续查看相关市场和品类入口，方便对比档口微信、货源范围、拿货方向和试单前需要核实的信息。
