subject: Verifying the Legitimacy of Your Chinese Suppliers [print this page] Verifying the Legitimacy of Your Chinese Suppliers
How will I know that I am dealing with a legitimate Chinese supplier? This question have been asked many times. With the numerous resources available, it is now easier to check if you the supplier you are dealing with is real. There are basics things you need to know to ensure that you won't be scammed. This article tells you the things you need to look .
Ask for References
Referrals and recommendations are the best way to ensure that you will be dealing with a reliable Chinese supplier. You can ask other retailers you know, if they have dealt before with a particular supplier. Was it successful? Gather feedbacks and information regarding the company's products and services.
Check Online Directories
You can check supplier directories like globalsources.com. These directories provide information about legitimate Chinese suppliers and their products. When using online directories it is important that you check what necessary steps that the directory has taken to ensure the legitimacy of the suppliers listed in their directories
Verify the Contact Information
Check the contact information your Chinese supplier has provided. Call the number they gave you and ask for your contact person. This will help you establish that your contact person is really working for that company. Check the business address and verify if it really exists. Try to check on their local business directories and verify if they are registered.
Acceptable Payment Method
Another thing that you need to look into is the payment method they accept. Chinese scammers prefer wire transfer like Western Union since these are hard to trace. In addition, you are not protected to this type of payment method. Safe payment method would be Letter of Credit, PayPal or credit card, since you can file dispute in case of fraud.
Offering Low Prices or Branded Items
Offering incredibly low price is another way to determine that the Chinese supplier you are dealing with is a scammer. If the offer is too good to be true, then there is a big possibility that it is not true at all. Another thing is if they are claiming branded items to be authentic. Most of the time, you cannot get branded items in China, so it is likely that their product is a replica or the product doesn't exist at all.
