Supplier verification
Before you send money to a new supplier in China, MSC checks that the company exists, whether it makes your product or only trades it, and whether the bank account on the invoice belongs to the company you are buying from. The registration check is free for your first supplier. If you want to see the factory, an on-site audit costs $240 per inspector-day, all inclusive.
| Check | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Registration status | Whether the company exists and is active, from China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. |
| Founding date, capital, insured employees | How old and how large the company is. A company founded last year with a handful of staff deserves a factory visit before a large payment. |
| Business scope | Whether manufacturing is registered, or only sales and export. Many suppliers that present themselves as factories are trading companies. |
| Registered address against the address on the quote | An address that matches no registered site often means the goods are made somewhere else. |
| Shareholders and legal representative | Who owns and runs the company, and which other companies they are linked to. |
| Court cases, enforcement orders, dishonest debtor list | Checked in China's official court enforcement database. Unpaid judgments are a serious warning. |
| Trademarks and patents | Whether the brand on the quote is registered to this company. |
| Payee on the invoice | Whether the bank account is in the name of the company you sign with. |
A short written summary in English, usually within one business day: the registered facts, the warning signs we found, and our recommendation. Screenshots of the official records are attached.
Records show that a company exists. They do not show whether it can make your product to your specification. When the records raise questions, or when the order is large, our inspector visits the factory: production equipment, raw material and component stock, quality checks, and whether your order is really made there. $240 per inspector-day, with a photo report within 24 hours. Factory audit and inspection.
Registration check: free for your first supplier. Factory audits and inspections: $240 per inspector-day, all inclusive anywhere in mainland China. For a first job, you pay after you receive the report, by PayPal or bank transfer.
Confidentiality. We sign an NDA before the first inspection if you wish. Your supplier details, drawings and reports stay with you, and we never work for two direct competitors at the same time.
Tell us what you need. We typically reply within one business day.
