{"id":5131,"date":"2025-04-01T06:45:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T06:45:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/?p=5131"},"modified":"2025-07-09T00:27:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T00:27:39","slug":"what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/","title":{"rendered":"Manufacturing Audit: What Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 14pt;\">Optimize your\u00a0manufacturing audit processes with our guide. Discover effective techniques to improve efficiency and quality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy counter-roman ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#What_is_Manufacturing_Audit\" title=\"What is Manufacturing Audit?\">What is Manufacturing Audit?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#Manufacturing_Audit_Checklist\" title=\"Manufacturing Audit Checklist\">Manufacturing Audit Checklist<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#2_Main_Ways_Overseas_Suppliers_Can_Cheat_Importers\" title=\" 2 Main Ways Overseas Suppliers Can Cheat Importers.\"> 2 Main Ways Overseas Suppliers Can Cheat Importers.<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#Verify_without_Questions_to_Ask_Distributors\" title=\"Verify without Questions to Ask Distributors.\">Verify without Questions to Ask Distributors.<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#What_Questions_to_Ask_Overseas_Suppliers\" title=\"What Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers?\">What Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/#Overseas_Suppliers_Audit_Conclusion\" title=\"Overseas Suppliers Audit Conclusion\">Overseas Suppliers Audit Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_Manufacturing_Audit\"><\/span><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\"><strong>What is Manufacturing Audit?<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-sourcepos=\"1:1-1:168\"><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 14pt;\">A manufacturing audit is a systematic examination of a company&#8217;s manufacturing operations to assess different aspects. There are two main types of manufacturing audits:<\/span><\/p>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"3:1-5:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"3:1-3:134\"><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Internal Audits:<\/strong> Conducted by the company itself to identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance with internal policies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"4:1-5:0\"><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Supplier Audits:<\/strong> Conducted before on boarding a new supplier to assess their capabilities and quality control measures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-sourcepos=\"6:1-6:154\"><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 14pt;\">The overall goal of a manufacturing audit is to identify and mitigate risks that could impact production quality, efficiency, or safety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/fhJsfNS9DI4\" width=\"560\" height=\"314\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"user-query-container ng-star-inserted\">\n<div id=\"user-query-content-4\" class=\"query-content\">\n<h2 class=\"query-text ng-star-inserted expanded\" dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Manufacturing_Audit_Checklist\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"font-size: 24pt; font-family: roboto;\">Manufacturing Audit Checklist<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"response-container ng-tns-c171050842-69 ng-star-inserted response-container-has-multiple-responses\">\n<div class=\"presented-response-container ng-tns-c171050842-69\">\n<div class=\"avatar-gutter ng-tns-c171050842-69 ng-star-inserted\">\n<div class=\"bard-avatar ng-tns-c728675259-70\">\n<div class=\"avatar-container ng-tns-c728675259-70\">\n<div class=\"avatar avatar_primary ng-tns-c728675259-70 ng-star-inserted\">\n<div class=\"avatar_primary_alt_model ng-tns-c728675259-70 ng-trigger ng-trigger-scaleDown\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"resize-observable\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"response-container-content ng-tns-c171050842-69 tunable-selection-with-avatar\">\n<div class=\"response-content ng-tns-c171050842-69\">\n<div class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel\" dir=\"ltr\">\n<p class=\"first-token\" data-sourcepos=\"1:1-1:13\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\">Sure, here is a manufacturing audit checklist that you can use to assess a manufacturing company&#8217;s operations:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"3:1-3:11\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>General<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"5:1-5:45\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"5:1-5:45\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Audit Scope:<\/strong> Clearly define the purpose and scope of the audit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"6:1-6:83\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Audit Team:<\/strong> Identify the members of the audit team and their qualifications.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"7:1-7:32\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Audit Schedule:<\/strong> Develop a schedule for the audit, including time for interviews, document reviews, and facility tours.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"9:1-9:14\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Management<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"11:1-11:59\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"11:1-11:59\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Management Commitment:<\/strong> Assess management&#8217;s commitment to quality and continuous improvement.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"12:1-12:106\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Quality Policy:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s quality policy and ensure it is communicated to all employees.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"13:1-13:11\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Quality Management System:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s quality management system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"14:1-15:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Organizational Structure:<\/strong> Understand the company&#8217;s organizational structure and how it relates to quality control.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"dynamic-element-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"attachment-container search-images\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"18:1-18:14\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Production<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"20:1-23:92\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"20:1-20:98\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Production Planning:<\/strong> Assess the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s production planning process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"21:1-21:111\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Production Processes:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s production processes to identify any potential quality risks.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"22:1-22:86\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Process Controls:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s process controls.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"23:1-23:92\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Non-Conforming Materials:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s procedures for handling non-conforming materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"24:1-25:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Corrective Action:<\/strong> Assess the company&#8217;s process for identifying, investigating, and correcting non-conformance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"26:1-26:19\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Quality Control<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"28:1-33:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"28:1-28:142\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Quality Control Plan:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s quality control plan and ensure it covers all critical aspects of the manufacturing process.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"29:1-29:96\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Inspection Procedures:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s inspection procedures.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"30:1-30:95\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Testing Procedures:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s testing procedures to ensure they are adequate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"31:1-31:141\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Control of Measuring and Test Equipment:<\/strong> Assess the company&#8217;s procedures for calibrating and maintaining measuring and test equipment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"32:1-33:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Control of Records:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s procedures for controlling quality control records.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"34:1-34:21\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Inventory Control<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"36:1-40:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"36:1-36:108\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Inventory Management System:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s inventory management system.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"37:1-37:91\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Raw Material Control:<\/strong> Assess the company&#8217;s procedures for controlling raw materials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"38:1-38:94\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Finished Goods Control:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s procedures for controlling finished goods.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"39:1-40:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Warehouse Management:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s warehouse management procedures.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"41:1-41:19\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Human Resources<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"43:1-46:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"43:1-43:102\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Training:<\/strong> Assess the adequacy of the company&#8217;s training programs for quality control personnel.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"44:1-44:104\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Competence:<\/strong> Evaluate the competence of the company&#8217;s workforce to perform their jobs effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"45:1-46:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Motivation:<\/strong> Assess the motivation of the company&#8217;s workforce to produce quality products.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"47:1-47:10\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Safety<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"49:1-53:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"49:1-49:86\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Safety Program:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s safety program and ensure it is effective.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"50:1-50:108\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Hazard Identification:<\/strong> Assess the company&#8217;s procedures for identifying and mitigating safety hazards.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"51:1-51:101\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Accident Reporting:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s procedures for reporting and investigating accidents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"52:1-53:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Emergency Preparedness:<\/strong> Evaluate the company&#8217;s preparedness for emergencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"54:1-54:17\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Documentation<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Quality Manual:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s quality manual to ensure it is up-to-date and accurate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Procedures:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s procedures for quality control.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Records:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s quality control records to ensure they are accurate and complete.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"60:1-60:20\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Supplier Quality<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"62:1-62:79\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"62:1-62:79\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Supplier Selection:<\/strong> Assess the company&#8217;s process for selecting suppliers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"63:1-63:82\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Supplier Approval:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s procedures for approving suppliers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"64:1-65:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Supplier Monitoring:<\/strong> Evaluate the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s procedures for monitoring supplier quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 data-sourcepos=\"66:1-66:25\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Continual Improvement<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol data-sourcepos=\"68:1-71:0\">\n<li data-sourcepos=\"68:1-68:89\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Internal Audits:<\/strong> Assess the effectiveness of the company&#8217;s internal audit program.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"69:1-69:85\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Management Review:<\/strong> Review the company&#8217;s management review process for quality.<\/span><\/li>\n<li data-sourcepos=\"70:1-71:0\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\"><strong>Customer Feedback:<\/strong> Evaluate the company&#8217;s process for collecting and responding to customer feedback.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-sourcepos=\"72:1-72:253\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; font-family: roboto;\">This is just a sample checklist, and you may need to modify it to fit the specific needs of your audit. By using a manufacturing audit checklist, you can identify potential problems in a company&#8217;s manufacturing operations and take steps to correct them.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/china-factory-audit\/\">Why and What is Examined During a China Factory Audit?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/china-pre-shipment-inspection\/\">How to Choose Best China Pre-shipment Inspection Service?<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Main_Ways_Overseas_Suppliers_Can_Cheat_Importers\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 24pt; color: #ff6600;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> 2 Main Ways Overseas Suppliers Can Cheat Importers.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When you buy from overseas suppliers, you may face some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/how-to-avoid-alibaba-scams\/\">scams<\/a>, and they can be divided into two categories.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a. Bad Behavior<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Disappearing after paying a deposit or sample fee.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Price increase after deposit transfer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Price increases from one order to the next, independent of the increase in production costs.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lack of respect for intellectual property (selling the buyer&#8217;s design to other customers).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lack of transparency (subcontracting outside of approved facilities, changing components without notice, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">b. Lack of Experience<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Lack of reliability: late deliveries, inconsistent communication \u2026<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Inability\/unwillingness to meet the required quality standards.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How do you know if a given supplier will cheat you? Not by asking them&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Even if you are the least intrusive buyer, you need to be wary of fraud. Any small fraud (for example, pretending they are a manufacturer when in fact they are a trading company) is fraud. If they lie about it, they will lie about other things too. So,<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Verify_without_Questions_to_Ask_Distributors\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\">Verify without Questions to Ask Distributors.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p class=\"serp-title\"><span style=\"font-size: 13pt;\"><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\">Without questions to ask overseas suppliers ahead, <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">the first step you should do some supplier background audit by yourself.\u00a0 Here are some tips:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Open Google and search for &#8220;[company name] scam&#8221;. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Check several online directories (Alibaba\u2026) and see if their information on these different directories is consistent. If the information displayed is very different (phone number, exact address \u2026), this is not a good sign.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\"><span style=\"font-size: 17.3333px;\">Search the company&#8217;s location, and Check if they are located in a residential building or a formal industrial park.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Does the supplier participate in trade shows? (They will appear in the list of exhibitors that search engines can usually crawl.) This is a positive sign.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Have the agency <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/verify-chinese-supplier\/\">check the company&#8217;s registration<\/a> and check a few other things. More and more service companies and lawyers are helping importers do this.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Let&#8217;s say you find a potential supplier, you have some communication with them, you review the legitimacy and reputation of their company, and you want to move forward.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Typically, the next step is to set questions to ask overseas suppliers, and if they don&#8217;t fit your needs, they&#8217;re disqualified &#8211; and if you don&#8217;t fit them, they&#8217;ll ignore you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5144 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Questions-to-Ask-Overseas-Suppliers.jpeg\" alt=\"Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Questions-to-Ask-Overseas-Suppliers.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Questions-to-Ask-Overseas-Suppliers-600x300.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Questions-to-Ask-Overseas-Suppliers-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Questions-to-Ask-Overseas-Suppliers-768x384.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"serp-title\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Questions_to_Ask_Overseas_Suppliers\"><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 24pt; color: #3366ff;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\">What Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Now, you have found some potential oversea suppliers, and need to narrow down them to 1-2 after reach out to them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> If they have at least 1 person who speaks English, give them a call. Make sure the person has worked there for several years (otherwise you&#8217;ll get a lot of &#8220;I&#8217;m not sure&#8221; and you won&#8217;t be able to dig deeper) and cross-check the information you&#8217;ve gathered so far. Below are some questions to ask overseas suppliers:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 16pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">1. Ask for the Product Information?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you want to develop a completely new product and you don&#8217;t want to show your design too easily, at this stage, you should quote the supplier for a <strong>relatively similar product<\/strong> that requires the same production process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>I assume you have asked for<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> Their minimum order quantity, <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Delivery time<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Port of loading and <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Distance to that port<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Payment terms<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">A possible price indication.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong><span style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: roboto;\">Best Way to Pay Overseas Suppliers?<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">The best way to pay overseas suppliers is through bank wire transfers. This service lets you send money from your bank account to a oversea supplier&#8217;s bank account elsewhere in the world and is offered by almost every bank or credit union.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">When you first time cooperate with overseas suppliers, you should understand the risks of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/send-money-to-china\/\">different payment methods<\/a> to protect your own funds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 16pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">2. Can I Know Some Basic Company Information?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 13pt; font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You can request samples and ask for payment on their company\u2019s bank account. If this information is provided, this is a good sign. Then, ask them for the address of your courier company so they can pick it up. Does that address match their email signature, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; font-family: roboto;\">3. Can I Send a Third-party Inspection Agency?<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: square;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mention that you will have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/china-quality-control-inspection\/\">third-party agency audit their factory<\/a>. See how they react. If they want your business and they are a serious factory, they will welcome the offer.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Mention that you will have a third party organization inspect their product before final payment. Again, if they are confident in their ability to do this, they will say OK.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">4. What is The Main Operation when You Walk Into the Shop?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">What is made in-house, what is semi-finished (they can be responsible for new product development, they do final assembly, they work with suppliers to complete the puzzle), and what is completely outsourced?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\">5. How to Deal with Product\/Sample Quality Issues?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How long is the warranty period of your products, and how do you solve the problems if the products are found in the use of customers?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you develop an ODM\/OEM product with a sample fee of more than $1000, you should know that there is a risk of failure, or make a second improve, then who will pay for the new sample fee, or the supplier is responsible for the modification until it reaches your requests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\">6. Do You Made this Products Before?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you select a product in their showroom\/booth, has that product been made for other customers before? From which countries? Is it based on their design (potentially a big IP issue)? Do they have exclusive agreements not to sell products to other companies in certain geographic areas?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 16pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"><strong>7. Do You Regularly Sign Contracts with Clients?<\/strong> <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Are they even willing to sign legally binding contracts? (Better know this early!) What kind contracts they signed before and can they provide the template?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">8. Can I Check Your Document?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">You should ask your supplier for this document and check if they are the same company mentioned in their email signature and pro forma invoice.. You should check at least 2 documents:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">a) Supplier Business License<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">b) The Certificate<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">The knowledge of these questions to ask overseas suppliers is used for reference, and you don&#8217;t have to ask the supplier all the questions at once. You can combine the questions you need, and slowly develop new questions in the constant communication with suppliers to attract their attention. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">No matter how eager you are finding a overseas suppliers to make your product, take your enough time, to ask questions, ask for references and supplier audit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HbqaR-lqcCg?t=18s\" width=\"560\" height=\"314\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overseas_Suppliers_Audit_Conclusion\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 18pt;\">Overseas Suppliers Audit Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">Even with a good overseas suppliers audits, there are a lot of issues to deal with, from quality control to labor to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/intellectual-property-in-china\/\">intellectual property<\/a> theft to sluggish shipping to payment disputes. There will also be import, customs, and compliance processes. All of them have multiple steps and middlemen involved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\" data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">If you follow these steps, you will greatly reduce your chances of being scammed when source products from overseas. After get the answers the questions ask to overseas suppliers. <\/span><span style=\"font-family: roboto; font-size: 13pt;\">You will have a subjective feeling \u2014 do you want to work with them? Do they seem to be a good fit for your needs? Or, may be cooperate with a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.supplyia.com\">product sourcing company<\/a> is a alternative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Optimize your\u00a0manufacturing audit processes with our guide. Discover effective techniques to improve efficiency and quality. &nbsp; What is Manufacturing Audit? A manufacturing audit is a systematic examination of a company&#8217;s manufacturing operations to assess different aspects. There are two main types of manufacturing audits: Internal Audits: Conducted by the company itself to identify areas for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/what-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Manufacturing Audit: What Questions to Ask Overseas Suppliers?<\/span> <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5144,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[2426],"class_list":["post-5131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-negotiate-price-with-supplier","tag-questions-to-ask-overseas-suppliers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5131"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5131\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12368,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5131\/revisions\/12368"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5144"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.supplyia.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}