Hi, What's the most cost effective way for say a Chinese supplier to check out buyers in different Western countries? Part of the answer is knowing the different business registration systems in different Western countries. 

Any good souls care to contribute the different systems / websites for their particular countries?    

Every Country (General Profile) Alibaba has a general profile on 81 countries, here ...

http://country.alibaba.com/profiles/index.htm

Edit: following countries cited in this topic at November 07:

Australia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Malaysia, Russia, UK, USA, USA-Florida

 FOR AUSTRALIA

The most important data you want from an Australian buyer is their ABN and/or ACN number/s. You need to know these three little things:

1. There are Companies like either XYZ Pty Ltd (usually a small private family company with few shareholders) or XYZ Limited (usually a mid-large company with many shareholders). The company owns the business. The shareholders own the shares in the company. Every Aus company has an ACN number (Australian Company Number). 

2. There are Private Firms where private people directly own the business. These do not have ACN numbers because they are not companies.

3. Both above sorts of business must have an ABN number (Australian Business Number).

How to check a buyer exists:

1. Ask your buyer for his/her Australian ABN and/or ACN number/s (this an ordinary question in Australia and will not upset any genuine buyer as these numbers are public property).

2. Punch the buyer's ABN number into the Australian ABN website (I will post it here when I get a few more spare minutes).  

3. If the buyer is a company, also punch its ACN into the Aus ACN website (I'll also post this).  

That will at least tell you if your buyer has an existing business in Australia (unless the buyer has pinched numbers of another business).

These little things can be important in this cyber-age where  a buyer can easily post fake buying leads and fake country of residence in a "free member" Alibaba profile.  

USA -- Check out this company, this is an affiliate of D&B that can give you business reportsand information about USA business.
www.hoovers.com

And, check this Alibaba topic:

http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/23123/USA_Companies_due_dilligence_steps.htm?va=0

USA - Florida

Replying to [Aussie]:with modern age and internet use anyone can find out if a company (buyer or seller) without spending any money ? e.g. www.sunbiz.org this is the Florida Department of State in the USA (every state has its own website yes its free) you can run any Florida company in real-time and know how long they have been in business, if they got any pending law suits, etc.

Most governments today provide such information for free online do some research don?t ask questions, if this does not work call the country embassy for more information or the BBB or there local Chamber of Trade or Industry, seek certifications like CE, FDA, WHO, etc. or depending on the value of the deal fly and buy. Be real ok.

DENMARK


Business register:   www.cvr.dk   (in danish, but there are also instructions for english speaking.


Through the site it is possible to buy more extensive informations with a credit card (e.g. annual account)


It states if the company is involved in current lawsuits as well.


Hint: find an online dictionary to translate the danish.

For Holland

www.kvk.nl


Handelsnaam - Name of the company as a search criteria.

Can check if the company legally exist.

For UK

With thanks to Wilhelm for this info, check if a party is at its address through the Royal Mail system. Go here  ... 

va=0http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/postcodefinder?catId=400145

For UK and EU

Request an EU party to provide you with their VAT ID (every party doing business over about 50k in  EU must have a VAT ID (sales tax) number.  See more here ...

http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/11973/European_VAT_ID_way_to_identify_a_scammer.htm?

For USA (and general)

Many thanks to Torresinc who posted the below info in this topic ...  http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/23123/USA_Companies_due_dilligence_steps.htm

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USA Companies: due dilligence steps:

 

1. SIMPLEST PUSH BUTTON INVESTIGATION: Look at the supposed Company’s Website. First suspect clue would be no street or city address! Worse yet, only an email address, no phone number. Then look for the pictures + names of the owners/operators of the company. Not having these pictures and names on a company web site is very suspicious.



2. HIGH - HIGH TECH PUSH BUTTONS: Some wise, seasoned traders use “http://earth.google.com/” to look at satellite pictures of the size and location of a supposed Company office.



3. LOW TECH CHECK ON ANY BUSINESS: If the Address is PMB that means it is one of "rent a mailbox" at a commercial mail box place. They do not have the legal protections of a U.S. Post office for you! Get suspicious when you see PMB! Very, very suspicious!



4. PUSH BUTTON INVESTIGATION HOME BUSINESS AFFILIATE OR MLM: Go to the Internet and enter the following into one or two of the major search engines:



A. The Company's name (owners too) and the word "scam". Go through two pages! Look for forum - message comments for legitimate complaints .


B. Then do the same for "complaints, lawsuits, and news articles archived on search engines.


C. Also check the name of who registered the Website domain of any new company claiming: exciting, amazing, incredible, proprietary, never seen before in the universe, revolutionary, products, services or technologies! Check http://www.whois.net/ for the domain lookup. Companies with wonderful offerings would work on a project for more than 3 months. Smart legit executives register domain names first!



5. Go to the Better Business Bureau web site for the city where the Company is located. Some are free, some charge $2! You are looking for the number of complaints the BBB has NOT resolved. If there are over 3-5, hold off joining, it very well could mean problems.



6. FOLLOW UP BUSINESS RESEARCH: Check with the Attorney General in the state where the company is located. Be very brief with your email or phone call and stick with asking, “Company XXX is located in city in your state, do you have complaints against Company XXX?”



Note: This text was adapted from MLM Watchdog

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Russia

A company can carry on busness in Russia without legal registration ...

http://country.alibaba.com/profiles/RU/Russia/doing_business.htm


In Russia most firms - small, middle and large companirs - have OOO  status (Limited Liability Company ).

Please ask me if you would like furthe details.