How to choose a reliable Chinese supplier: the importance of the factory audit

The best quality control starts before manufacturing: by choosing well who you entrust your order to. A solid supplier saves you most of your problems; an unsuitable one guarantees them. Before placing a major order, it is worth verifying the factory.

Manufacturer or intermediary

The first thing is to know who you are talking to. Many "factories" are actually *trading companies* (intermediaries). This is not necessarily bad, but it changes the price, the control over production and the traceability. Ask, request documentation and verify.

Documentary verification

• Business license valid and in force, with the scope of activity that corresponds to your product.
• Certifications that are relevant (ISO 9001 for quality management, product certifications where applicable).
• Bank details in the company's name, not an individual's.

Factory audit

An audit is an on-site visit that assesses whether the factory can manufacture your product with the quality and volume you need. It usually reviews:

• Production capacity: machinery, lines, actual volume versus what was promised.
• Quality system: internal controls, defect management, traceability.
• Conditions and facilities: order, storage, safety.
• Experience: references, customers, similar products already manufactured.

Start with a trial order

Even if everything checks out, a first trial order (with its inspection) is the best way to verify in practice how the factory works before committing to a large volume.

Warning signs

• Prices well below the market.
• Vague answers about materials or certifications.
• Resistance to inspections or audits.
• Last-minute changes to bank details (fraud risk).

With R'S WARE, these procedures are easier

Auditing a factory in China from Spain is, in practice, unworkable without someone on the ground. At R'S WARE we verify suppliers, carry out on-site factory audits and deliver a report that tells you, with data, whether that factory can be trusted. And if you are looking for a supplier, we help you find and validate the right one. The first quality control is choosing well, and that is where we add the most value for you.