Getting scammed in today’s day and age is nothing uncommon, so it’s paramount you always do as much as you can to prevent it from happening.
This is especially true when sourcing products from China.
China’s sourcing scams are a well-known thing, but fortunately – we know more than a handful of ways to help you not fall victim to one of them.
Let’s check them out!
Find A Reputable Sourcing Agent
China sourcing agents are your best bet if you don’t want to end up scammed.
They’re the ones with knowledge, experience, and expertise when it comes to the Chinese market. Quite frankly, without them – you’d be pretty much lost.
The Chinese sourcing market is as big as it gets, so weeding out the bad seeds might be a bigger task than you’d think, but luckily, if you find reputable China sourcing agents – they’ll handle the bad seeds for you.
Only Work With Verified Suppliers
The second best way to make sure you don’t end up high and dry is to verify your supplier’s credentials.
There are several ways to do this, but two main ones should do the trick. The two main ones are – check if they’re actually a factory, and check if they can actually do what you want them to do.
In addition, you could check to verify if they’re a registered company at the local government office. You could also check their audited accounts or tax invoices, and so on. If all of it checks out – you’re good to go.
Look For Certification And Online Presence
Another thing you can explore is their online presence, as well as their certifications.
The China sourcing agents you’ve hired could help you with both of these.
Namely, go online and check their website to see if it looks legit. Ask your agent to do the same. A proper business should have a proper website – it’s as simple as that.
In addition to that, check for certifications and then check for the validity of those certifications if they are available.
Check Portfolio And Associated Businesses
If the company you plan on sourcing from is a legit company, they’ll have worked with various other businesses – most of which will be western businesses. So, ask your China sourcing agents to provide you with the portfolio and list of associated businesses of the company you’re interested in working with.
If you notice that they’ve worked with legit established businesses – there’s little to no chance that you’ll fall victim to a scam.
Ask Around
Finally, if you have someone in your vicinity that’s already sourcing products from China – ask them for reference.
They probably know of good suppliers you could cooperate with, and if not, they certainly know of excellent China sourcing agents that could, later on, point you in the direction of a reliable, trustworthy supplier.
Avoid Too Good To Be True Opportunities
Finally, if an opportunity seems to be too good to be true – it probably is.
Whenever you stumble upon something that’s unrealistic or just too affordable – keep away from it. It’s either a scam or a horrible service. Either way – nothing you’d be interested in.
Conclusion
As far as we’re concerned – you’re as prepared as you’ll ever be. Rely on reputable China sourcing agents, keep these tips in mind, and we’re confident you won’t deal with any scammers whatsoever.
