How to verify a 1688 or Alibaba supplier before you pay: a 5-step checklist
This is the routine I run before sending money to a new supplier on 1688 or Alibaba. None of it is complicated, and most sourcing problems I have seen would have shown up in one of these five checks.
1. Check the business license
Ask for a clear photo of the 营业执照 (business license). The company name must match the storefront and your contract. Take the Unified Social Credit Code from the license and look it up in China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. You will see whether the company is registered, when it was founded, and its official business scope.
If a self-described factory only lists wholesale or trading in its scope, it is a trading company. That is not always a problem, but you should know who you are paying and not pay factory prices for a middleman.
2. Match the bank account name to the license
For anything beyond a small sample, the receiving account should be a corporate account in the same name as the license. If a rep asks you to pay a personal account because it "clears faster", stop there. On 1688, paying inside the platform keeps the buyer protection that a direct wire does not have.
3. Get proof the product exists
Ask for a photo of the item in someone's hand, taken today. If they claim to manufacture it, ask for an unedited 15-second video walking through the workshop. Real stock takes minutes to film. Trading companies often stall here.
4. Get exact carton specs
Ask for master carton dimensions in centimeters, units per carton, and gross weight. You need these for freight quotes anyway, and a supplier who ships this product every week will have them without guessing.
5. Put the payment terms in writing
Write down the deposit and balance split, what triggers the balance (for example, passing a third-party inspection, not just "before shipping"), and what happens if bulk production does not match the approved sample.
What to ask for, in one message
Any legitimate supplier can send these four things within a day:
- A photo of the business license.
- The receiving bank details, with a beneficiary name that matches the license.
- A phone video of the actual product in their office or warehouse.
- Master carton dimensions and gross weight.
If they become evasive, especially about the account name, treat it as a serious warning.
None of this guarantees a perfect production run. It does filter out the worst cases before they have your money.
1688 Brief includes this pre-payment checklist alongside a Chinese inquiry writer and a reply checker for 1688 buyers. Learn more about founding access.