Can a toolkit prove a supplier is safe?

No. Checklists and worksheets can help identify visible risk signals, missing evidence, and safer next steps, but they cannot guarantee that a supplier is safe.

Should I rely on platform badges alone?

No. Badges can be useful signals, but buyers should also compare the storefront, legal company name, invoice party, payment beneficiary, transaction terms, and supplier answers.

China Supplier Evidence Checklist Before Payment

Short answer

Before you pay a China supplier, collect evidence in seven areas: supplier identity, payment identity, platform signals, product and order terms, shipping and Incoterms, inspection and final payment terms, and communication records.

The goal is not paperwork for its own sake. The goal is to see whether the supplier story lines up before money moves.

When this matters

Use this checklist before deposit, sample fee, mold fee, bank transfer, off-platform payment, or final balance.

What to check before payment

Supplier profile link and storefront name
English and Chinese company names
Unified social credit code
Business license screenshot
Proforma invoice and contract party
Bank beneficiary and account type
Product specs, packaging, labeling, and defect standard
Incoterm and shipping responsibility
Inspection acceptance before final payment
Chat screenshots showing key promises

Red flags

Missing Chinese legal name.
Payment account mismatch.
Personal account for business order.
Unclear specs.
Vague DDP or shipping promises.
Refusal of inspection.
Pressure to pay before questions are answered.

What evidence to collect

Download the free evidence checklist and collect:

Supplier identity evidence
Payment identity evidence
Platform and storefront evidence
Product and order evidence
Shipping and Incoterms evidence
Inspection and final payment evidence
Communication evidence
Decision log

Questions to ask the supplier

Before we arrange payment, please confirm and provide:

1. Your full Chinese legal company name.
2. Your unified social credit code.
3. Business license screenshot.
4. Proforma invoice under the same company name as the payment account.
5. Bank beneficiary details.
6. Exact product specifications included in this quote.
7. Packaging, labeling, carton size, and gross weight.
8. Incoterm and what the price includes.
9. Whether third-party inspection is accepted before final payment.
10. What happens if inspection finds defects before shipment.

When to use another service

Use inspection when goods exist. Use legal, customs, product compliance, or freight professionals when those issues determine the risk.

Use the $49 DIY Toolkit if you want the collected evidence organized into scorecards, worksheets, supplier question scripts, and company-identity checks before payment.

FAQ

Should I send full bank card numbers or passwords for review?

No. Do not send passwords, full bank card numbers, platform logins, private identity documents, or unrelated confidential information.

Can I redact bank account numbers?

Yes. Keep company names, account names, dates, payment terms, and invoice names visible.

Build your supplier evidence file before you pay.

Start with the free checklist, then use the $49 DIY Toolkit when you want reusable scorecards, supplier question scripts, and company-identity worksheets.

Download Evidence Checklist Get the DIY Toolkit $99 Identity Review

Disclaimer

This is an educational toolkit based on supplier evidence, public business-information concepts, and practical buyer checklists. It is not supplier certification, legal advice, financial advice, customs advice, product compliance advice, inspection, factory audit, sourcing agency work, or a guarantee that any supplier is safe.