12-point verification checklist for body-part suppliers in China

Most bad supplier decisions are visible before the deposit. The warning signs are in how the quotation is written, how part numbers are matched, and whether the supplier can show a real inspection record — not in the sales presentation.

This is the checklist we suggest buyers run on every body-part supplier, including us. It is educational: it describes what to ask for and what an honest answer looks like, not what certificates any particular company holds.

The 12 points

1. Legal identity. Company name, registration number, address and the bank account name should match. A proforma invoice issued by one entity and a bank account in another name is a stop sign, not a detail.
2. Part-number matching method. Ask how the supplier maps your OEM number to their SKU. A good answer describes a process — catalogue lookup, cross-reference, fitment confirmation by generation — not a promise that “it fits”.
3. Fitment evidence per SKU. For each line, ask which vehicle generation and year range the part is built for, and which side. Handed parts (lamps, mirrors, fenders) must be quoted as left or right, not “set”.
4. Physical sample or measurement data. For a new SKU, ask for a sample or a measured drawing: mounting points, connector type, panel thickness. Photos alone hide dimension errors.
5. Inspection records. Request a final-inspection report from a recent batch, with date, SKU, sample size and defect result. A report with photos is evidence; a certificate on the website is not.
6. Packing specification. Ask for carton dimensions, pieces per carton, inner protection and CBM per unit. These numbers feed the freight quote and the loading plan; a supplier who cannot provide them cannot plan a container.
7. Document samples per destination. Ask which documents they prepare for your market: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin, and the conformity support file. The answer should distinguish what they issue from what your broker or importer raises.
8. Tooling and private-label terms. If you pay for a mould or a private design, the quotation should state who owns the tool, where it is held and what happens if you stop ordering. Tooling ownership is a contract issue; make it explicit.
9. Lighting approval scope. For lamps, ask for the approval number and the exact part numbers covered. An honest supplier says the approval covers specific part numbers — not the whole catalogue — and sends the scope with the quotation. If an approval does not cover the part you are buying, they should say so before the order.
10. Conformity and inspection process. For markets with pre-shipment or Gulf conformity programmes, ask who books the inspection, when, and which documents the agency receives. The scheme is commonly required and the buyer’s broker confirms the scope.
11. References you can contact. Ask for two or three customers in your region, with permission to contact them. “We export to many countries” is not a reference. If names cannot be shared, ask for anonymised order records instead.
12. Communication and named contact. Ask who handles your file after the deposit and how quickly they reply. A supplier whose sales contact disappears after payment is a supplier with a process problem.

What red flags look like

• A proforma invoice with no HS code, no validity and no incoterm.
• “FOB China” without a named port, or a DDP number without a destination and duty basis.
• The same photo used for several different part numbers.
• An answer to “which generation?” that repeats the model name instead of the year range.
• A certificate shown as a brand asset rather than a scope document with part numbers.
• No packing data, or CBM numbers that are clearly guessed.
• Reluctance to put tooling ownership and inspection terms in writing.
• References that are always “confidential” while the sales deck shows customer logos.

How to run the verification without a factory visit

A structured remote check covers most of the list in a week:

1. Send the same RFQ to two or three suppliers with part numbers, quantities and destination.
2. Compare the answers line by line: fitment, packing data, incoterm, validity and document list.
3. Ask each supplier for one inspection report and one document sample. Read the dates and the SKU list, not just the letterhead.
4. Request a sample of the highest-risk SKU — usually a lamp or a painted panel.
5. Book a video call and ask to see the sample, the packing area and the inspection records for the batch you are buying.

For the factory-side version of this process, the factory verification guide and the factory visit agenda cover what to inspect on site. For a remote first pass, the sourcing checklist lists the questions to send with the RFQ.

What to do when the answers are vague

Vague answers are data. If the supplier cannot say which generation a part fits, the order will be a coin flip; if they cannot state tooling ownership, the mould will be a future dispute. Move that SKU to another supplier or ask for a paid sample and a written fitment confirmation before the bulk order.

The same discipline applies to the quotation itself: the quotation anatomy guide shows the fields that make two offers comparable, and the pre-shipment inspection checklist covers what to verify once production starts. Our quality page describes the inspection flow we run — apply the same questions to us that you would apply to any supplier.

FAQ

Do I need a factory visit to verify a supplier? No. A remote check with inspection records, a sample, packing data and a video call resolves most of the twelve points. A visit is the strongest option for a first large order, not the only one.

How many references should I ask for? Two or three buyers in a comparable market is enough to spot a pattern. Ask for permission to contact them and prepare three questions: defect rate, on-time rate and how claims were handled.

Should I pay for a sample? Expect to pay for the sample and the freight; many suppliers credit the sample cost against the first bulk order. The sample is cheap compared with a container of the wrong part.

How do I verify tooling ownership? Ask for the tooling clause in the quotation: who owns the mould, where it is held, who maintains it and what happens on transfer. Put it in the purchase contract, not just the email thread.

What if a supplier cannot provide the approval scope for a lamp? Treat the lamp as unapproved and price the order accordingly, or choose a part where the approval scope is documented. The pre-shipment inspection guide explains what to check at the sample stage.

Put the checklist into the RFQ

Send the same questions to every supplier and keep the answers side by side. Send your part list with the vehicle generation and destination and we will answer the twelve points in writing — including the parts where the honest answer is “we need the VIN” or “the approval does not cover that part”.