How to verify a Chinese supplier before you pay

By I&R Group, Jiaxing. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.

Before paying a Chinese supplier, check its business license and unified social credit code, confirm whether it is a factory or a trading company, make sure the bank account belongs to the same company, approve a pre-production sample, and inspect the goods before the balance payment.

Checks before the first payment

1. Ask for the business license and check the unified social credit code in China's national enterprise credit system.
2. Confirm the business scope on the license matches the product, and whether the company manufactures or trades.
3. Make sure the bank account on the proforma invoice is in the same company name as the license.
4. Visit the factory, or have someone you trust visit, and take photos of the line making your product.
5. Approve a pre-production sample and keep one as the reference for inspection.

Checks during and after production

• A during-production inspection catches problems while they can still be fixed.
• A pre-shipment inspection compares finished goods with the approved sample before you pay the balance.
• Container loading checks confirm quantities and packing before the container is sealed.

Warning signs

• Payment requested to a personal account or a company with a different name
• Prices far below every other quote for the same specification
• No sample offered, or a sample that differs from the photos
• Reluctance to allow a visit or an independent inspection