Supplier Red Flags
- Nancy Kong
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
1. Unwilling to Provide a Business License
A legitimate company will never hesitate to share its:
Business license (营业执照)
Export license
Registration number
Red flag: Excuses like“Boss is not in,”“Document is unavailable,”or sending a blurry/edited photo.
2. Prices That Are Too Good to Be True
If a supplier quotes far below the market price, it often means:
Low-grade materials
Cutting corners in production
No QC process
Hidden costs added later
Potential scam
Rule: Always compare with 3–5 suppliers.
3. Poor Communication Skills
Signs of trouble:
Slow replies
Avoiding direct questions
Changing information frequently
Not understanding your requirements
Good communication reflects professionalism and reliability.
4. No Factory Photos or Video Verification
If a supplier refuses:
Video call
Factory photos
Live demonstration
Production line tour
It may indicate they are a trading company pretending to be a factory—or worse, not a real operation at all.
5. Asking for Full Payment Upfront
Standard safe payment methods include:
30% deposit, 70% balance
Alibaba Trade Assurance
PayPal for samples
Letter of Credit for large orders
Red flag: Supplier demanding 100% payment before production without any guarantee.
6. Inconsistent Product Quality
If sample quality changes, or the supplier cannot maintain consistency, expect:
High defect rates
Unreliable mass production
Customer complaints
Consistency is more important than a perfect sample.
7. No Quality Control Process
Warning signs:
No QC team
No inspection reports
No testing equipment
“We check everything by eye”
A reliable factory should have:
Incoming material checks
During-production checks
Final inspections
8. Fake or Suspicious Certifications
Some suppliers use:
Expired certificates
Edited PDFs
Fake CE/RoHS/FCC reports
Certifications for different products
Always verify certificate numbers with issuing agencies.
9. Frequent Staff Turnover
If your sales representative changes every few weeks, it suggests:
Poor management
Unstable company
Communication problems
Higher risk of delays or mistakes
A stable team usually means a stable supplier.
10. No Clear Lead Time or Production Schedule
Reliable suppliers provide:
Production plan
Estimated delivery date
Material preparation timeline
Red flag: Answers like“Don’t worry, we will arrange,”“I will confirm later,”or constantly changing dates.
11. Negative Online Reviews or No Online Presence
Check:
Alibaba ratings
Google reviews
Sourcing forums
Social media pages
If you find complaints related to:
Wrong goods
Delayed delivery
Quality issues
Payment problems
Take it very seriously.
12. Refusing Third-Party Inspections
Good suppliers welcome inspections such as:
SGS
TÜV
QIMA
Bureau Veritas
Red flag: Supplier saying “no inspection allowed” or “inspection will delay everything.”
13. Always Saying “Yes” to Everything
A professional supplier will:
Point out risks
Correct your specification mistakes
Suggest improvements
If they agree to everything without questions, they may lack technical ability or are desperate for your order. Contact Information
Whatsapp: +86-18098151030Nancy/+91-9952044576Mallesh Gujjala/+86-181 2571 3582Rose/+86-13416222617Jack/+86-15918480524CC/+86-18125730121Kimi
Email: nancy@gmrglobal.co
Address: 201, Second Floor, PVR Building, Lawsons Bay Colony, Pedda Waltair, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530017, India
672C+H8F, Vichoor, Echakuzhi, Manali New Town, Chennai, Edayanchavadi, Tamil Nadu 600103
1315, 25th Main Rd, Kottapalya, Jayanagara 9th Block, Jayanagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560041
Room 102, No.3 Zhongyi Feihe Street, Panyu District, Guangzhou
Room 102, No. 9, Zhenhua Road, Lecong, Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province
Thank you for reading. I look forward to further communication with you!
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