Most sourcing disasters are preventable in the first 48 hours of contact with a new factory. Here is the exact checklist our ground team runs before any factory enters our network.
1. Verify the business licence
Request the licence number and cross-check it against the national registry. Match the registered scope to the products you are buying.
2. Audit the actual production line
Photos can be borrowed, certificates can be faked — a live video walkthrough of the production line is hard to stage.
3. Test communication speed and honesty
Send a question the salesperson cannot answer without checking with engineering. The response tells you more than any catalogue.
4. Order a paid sample batch
A free catalogue sample proves nothing about mass production. Pay for a small batch made on the real line, then inspect it against your spec sheet.