Is my Chinese supplier a real factory or a trading company? How to tell
Answer
Use China's official register to identify the legal company, then check who operates the production site. A business licence, company name or registered address alone cannot prove that a supplier makes your product. Many companies both manufacture and trade, or subcontract. A trading company is not bad in itself; the risk is not knowing who really makes your goods.
- Applies to
- Buyers who found a supplier online and want to know whether they deal with the maker or a middleman.
Clues from the register
China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System is at gsxt.gov.cn. You need the company's legal Chinese name or its 18-character unified social credit code. Treat what you find as clues, not proof:
- Business scope (经营范围): 生产 (production) or 制造 (manufacturing) suggests making; 销售 (sales), 批发 (wholesale), 贸易 (trade) suggests trading. Many companies list both.
- Registered address: an industrial zone (工业区 / 工业园) or an office tower. The registered address and the factory are often in different places.
- Company name: 贸易 ("Trading") or 进出口 ("Import & Export") in the name tells you how it registered, not what it actually does.
Questions both a factory and a trader should answer
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Who signs the contract? | That is who you can claim against |
| Who makes the product, and where? | Quality and delivery depend on them |
| Who controls quality, and how? | Who you hold responsible for defects |
| Who exports and who receives payment? | Must match what you verified |
| Who fixes problems if goods fail? | Write it into the contract |
A good trading company can be the right choice for small mixed orders. Ask openly: "Which company makes this, and can we see that production site?"
Ways to confirm
- A live video walk-through of the production line can help, but it can be staged. Check that the site, the equipment and the process match your actual product; for larger orders, consider an independent check.
- Certificates and test reports: look at who is named as applicant, manufacturer and factory, plus the model, product scope and whether it is still valid. A matching name is not enough on its own; a different name is not automatically invalid.
- Make sure the company on the contract, invoice and payee is the same, or that any difference is explained and verified.
Still uncertain
- The gsxt site returned an access error during our check, so we have not confirmed the full search steps from overseas.
- Business scope wording varies by region; it is a hint, not proof.
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