{"id":2869,"date":"2026-08-29T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/sourcing-basics\/top-25-questions-to-ask-a-chinese-supplier-before-placing-an-order\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T11:05:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T03:05:40","slug":"top-25-questions-to-ask-a-chinese-supplier-before-placing-an-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/uncategorized\/top-25-questions-to-ask-a-chinese-supplier-before-placing-an-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1>Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order<\/h1>\n<p>Working with a Chinese supplier can cut costs and scale your business. Ask the right <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/faqs\/\">preguntas<\/a> first. Clear answers reduce risk. Use this checklist before you place your order.<\/p>\n<h2>Company and Legal Basics<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>1. What is your company name and business license number?<\/strong> Ask for the full legal name and a copy of the business license. Verify details against Chinese public records.<\/li>\n<li><strong>2. Are you a factory, trading company, or agent?<\/strong> Factories control production and costs. Trading companies handle <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/\">abastecimiento<\/a> and logistics. Know who you are dealing with.<\/li>\n<li><strong>3. How long have you been exporting this product?<\/strong> Years in export indicate experience with <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/how-we-work\/\">calidad<\/a> control, packing, and shipping.<\/li>\n<li><strong>4. Can you provide references or customer <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/case-studies\/\">testimonials<\/a>?<\/strong> Request recent buyer contacts or platform reviews. Follow up with those references.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Product and Specifications<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>5. Do you have product datasheets and technical drawings?<\/strong> Get detailed specs, materials, tolerances, and part numbers in writing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>6. Can you provide samples and what is the lead time?<\/strong> Ask for a pre-production sample. Note the sample cost and shipping method.<\/li>\n<li><strong>7. Is custom branding or OEM available?<\/strong> Confirm minimums, tooling fees, and expected lead time for custom molds or labels.<\/li>\n<li><strong>8. What are your MOQ and tiered pricing?<\/strong> Get exact MOQ per SKU and price breaks for higher volumes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Quality Control and Testing<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>9. What quality inspection processes do you use?<\/strong> Preguntar <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/about-us\/\">acerca de<\/a> in-line checks, final inspections, and who performs them.<\/li>\n<li><strong>10. Can you share test reports or certificates?<\/strong> Request CE, RoHS, ISO, or other relevant certificates. Verify authenticity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>11. Do you allow third-party inspections?<\/strong> Confirm acceptance of SGS, Bureau Veritas, or your chosen inspector at the factory.<\/li>\n<li><strong>12. What is your defect rate and warranty policy?<\/strong> Request recent defect statistics and written warranty terms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Production and Lead Time<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>13. What is the current production capacity for this item?<\/strong> Ask units per day or month. Ensure capacity matches your order timeline.<\/li>\n<li><strong>14. What is the standard lead time for full production?<\/strong> Get specific days for production after sample approval and deposit receipt.<\/li>\n<li><strong>15. How do you handle rush orders?<\/strong> Confirm extra cost and realistic delivery speed for expedited runs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>16. What is your production schedule and peak seasons?<\/strong> Learn seasonal slowdowns like Chinese New Year and national holidays that affect lead time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Pricing and Payment<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>17. What is the unit price at each quantity tier?<\/strong> Get a price table for 1\u2013100, 101\u2013500, 501\u20131,000+ units to plan margins.<\/li>\n<li><strong>18. What are your payment terms and accepted methods?<\/strong> Ask about deposits, balance terms, bank transfer vs. trade assurance, and escrow options.<\/li>\n<li><strong>19. Are there extra costs (tooling, packaging, labeling)?<\/strong> Request itemized costs for mold fees, custom packaging, barcodes, and artwork setup.<\/li>\n<li><strong>20. How often do prices change and when are quotes valid?<\/strong> Confirm the <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/get-a-quote\/\">cita<\/a> validity period and triggers for price adjustments like raw material surges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Shipping, Incoterms, and Logistics<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>21. Which incoterms do you use (FOB, CIF, EXW)?<\/strong> Clarify responsibility for freight, insurance, and customs at each incoterm.<\/li>\n<li><strong>22. Can you provide freight quotes and lead times?<\/strong> Ask for sea, air, and courier options with estimated transit times and costs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>23. Do you handle customs documentation and export compliance?<\/strong> Ensure they can provide commercial invoices, packing lists, and certificates of origin.<\/li>\n<li><strong>24. How is the product packed for export?<\/strong> Ask for carton specs, palletization, and photos of packing samples to prevent damage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>After-Sales and Risk Management<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>25. What is your process for returns, repairs, and dispute resolution?<\/strong> Request a written returns policy, RMA procedures, and timeline to resolve issues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Use These Questions<\/h2>\n<p>Ask these questions in writing. Save email threads for proof. Use clear timelines and signed agreements. Make samples and inspections part of the contract. Verify certificates independently.<\/p>\n<h2>Need Help Sourcing or Verifying Suppliers?<\/h2>\n<p>Supplier Ally (https:\/\/sourcingall.com) offers supplier verification, factory audits, and QC <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/services\/\">servicios<\/a> en China. <a href=\"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/contact-us\/\">Contacto<\/a> us to review quotes, confirm certificates, or assist with inspections. A short checklist and a few questions today can save you time and money on your next order.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order Working with a Chinese supplier can cut costs [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_internal_links_processed":["1"],"rank_math_rich_snippet":["article"],"_rank_math_rich_snippet":["article"],"rank_math_schema_Article":["a:2:{s:5:\"@type\";s:7:\"Article\";s:8:\"headline\";s:66:\"Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order\";}"],"_rank_math_schema_Article":["a:2:{s:5:\"@type\";s:7:\"Article\";s:8:\"headline\";s:66:\"Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order\";}"],"_uag_page_assets":["a:9:{s:3:\"css\";s:263:\".uag-blocks-common-selector{z-index:var(--z-index-desktop) !important}@media (max-width: 976px){.uag-blocks-common-selector{z-index:var(--z-index-tablet) !important}}@media (max-width: 767px){.uag-blocks-common-selector{z-index:var(--z-index-mobile) !important}}\n\";s:2:\"js\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"current_block_list\";a:15:{i:0;s:11:\"core\/search\";i:1;s:10:\"core\/group\";i:2;s:12:\"core\/heading\";i:3;s:17:\"core\/latest-posts\";i:4;s:20:\"core\/latest-comments\";i:5;s:13:\"core\/archives\";i:6;s:15:\"core\/categories\";i:8;s:25:\"greenshift-blocks\/heading\";i:9;s:22:\"greenshift-blocks\/text\";i:10;s:14:\"core\/paragraph\";i:12;s:18:\"core\/legacy-widget\";i:13;s:17:\"core\/social-links\";i:15;s:16:\"core\/social-link\";i:16;s:21:\"trp\/language-switcher\";i:17;s:9:\"core\/html\";}s:8:\"uag_flag\";b:0;s:11:\"uag_version\";s:10:\"1791536406\";s:6:\"gfonts\";a:0:{}s:10:\"gfonts_url\";s:0:\"\";s:12:\"gfonts_files\";a:0:{}s:14:\"uag_faq_layout\";b:0;}"],"_uag_css_file_name":["uag-css-2869.css"]},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"trp-custom-language-flag":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/author\/admin\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Top 25 Questions to Ask a Chinese Supplier Before Placing an Order Working with a Chinese supplier can cut costs [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2869"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3051,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869\/revisions\/3051"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sourcingall.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2869"}],"curies":[{"name":"gracias","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}