Bob,
The trustworthy supplier In Alibaba is Gold member with trust pass verified member,
If Non member, you may have to get some information to verify it by asking the supplier:
1. To whom or which companies that they ever supplied, ask the reference letter from
    the supplier's customer, ask its contact person and address to get some info.
2. Cross checking,
    Ask the permission from supplier that you will contact the companies that been given,
    to get their opinion and impression about the performance of this Supplier.
3. Re-Checking their address, phone number, website, license (if any) etc via Search Engine
    (Google, Yahoo, AOL, Who is, Ask, Answer, etc ) then the Yellow page & white
    page for their phone number(fix station) not the cell or mobile phone.
    The Zip or code post for the address. etc
    It also must do the same to the references source that been given for.
    It may happen that those several contacts are from the same group/team.
4. If you or any from your resource are good enough in IT (web mail).
    You will and can check the web, domain, email, from the IP, hosting, server, etc
    If it is unknown zone, unidentified, not trustworthy source or not authenticated etc
    than be aware of it, chose and select the most save, clear and authenticated one.
    If you unable to do this verification, consult with some IT expert or Web master to
    checking the e-mail, domain, website and the company statistic & historical.
    You may try use Alexa and few SE. too.
5. After the above Preliminary or sorting the nomination of few contacts/suppliers,
    Next step is to email them each, and asking them by several correspondences
    of : - their company profile, organization, experiences, comparative advantages.
         - their achieving,best products, high demand items etc
         - How long been in export business in the items or similar with ? etc
    So ask them strait but with polite and diplomatic way. to know them more.
 
Those are the very early stage points that you need to do to verify the supplier.

Oneuni  
the 2nd step is:
http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/636569/_Activity_Stage_2_Advise_Bob_Miller_and_win_.htm

Safe Trading Admin wrote:

Stage 1 Deadline: 1 Nov 2009

  

 

 

"Bob Miller opened a wholesale business specializing in novelty gifts. Looking for reliable suppliers of electronic gadgets, he sent out inquires and soon received many quotations. However, since Bob is new to trade, he has a hard time telling which supplier is trustworthy."

 Tell truth from false is not easy,especially for the new.We have talked much about trust on Alibaba,and I don't want to discuss it any more.Generally,we talk to a stranger and try to make friend with him/her,after a period of time,we know whether he/she is trustworth.Sometimes,we can get this useful imfomation from our partner's eyes.It's said that we can get a person's basic personality at first glance.So,take care of the details of sb. and soon you will find he/she is trustworth or not...

 

 

Bob, firstly congratulations on your new venture.

lets phrase this right for you " if anything is too good to be true, then its exactly that, too good to be true "

Step rules:

You have alibaba who offers GOLD VERIFIED members, go with that gut instinct FIRST.

You ask and negotiate on pricing, packing and every thing under the sun and AN IMMEDIATE response from the factory comes " YES WE CAN MATCH THAT. WE CAN DO THAT " . Get on a horse and run. Because thats exactly what they will do . Too easy to agree and too understanding to misunderstand loyalty :)

INSPECTION AGENCIES is the best way to go. locate one. pay your desired 2 - 3 percent and sleep easy.

MAKE AN LC, and put the inspection agency clauses there, pending which no payment to be made unless you dont receive the inspection agencies go ahead on BOTH INSPECTION AND LOADING. So you dont get deceived anywhere.

ANOTHER good way. GO TO HONG KONG. Find a good trader there. Pay your 2 - 5 percent and let them take up the headaches.
Hong kong laws will prevent anyone to deceive or dupe importers. They can get their hides peeleed off for that.

Well, most importantly, NO MATTER YOUR TRIP TO CHINA SHOWS YOU THE FACTORY, THE BUSINESS AND THE HUGE NATURE OF OPERATION.  DO NOT BELIEVE IN IT.. Remember that and dont ever forget that.

Cheers on your new venture and best of luck

Pikou

1. Contact your supplier through correspondences or emails, or call them directly if you can speak Chinese. If not, it doesn’t matter, most of the suppliers have their staffs to deal with the language problem.

A reliable supplier would ask you more detail about product before offering the price including description, specification, packing condition, payment method, delivery time, etc. Because all these factors would affect the price, the price offering is the most serious process and also the final transaction process. Go through this procedure you can feel and touch the suppliers and know how good they are. If the seller promise whatever you want, or the price they offered is too low than average, this is most likely fraudsters. Just ignore and go to next.

2. Face to face meet with your suppliers and establish personal relationships with them.

After you find some of satisfied suppliers, invest a few thousands to make a trip to China, visit China Suppliers factories, face to face to discuss further detail about your products including price, payment term, quality inspection, delivery time etc.

Yes, the above sayings are right. high quality is important, after sale service is also important. sample can prove the quality, the coomunication can show you their after sale service.

First,you could do something to confirm the suppliers' credit insurance,then to the next stage.

Hi

Thanks.He must first good and attention read each quotations.then see how supplier offer goods.many supplier automatic  sending quotations.He must rejected all quotations where is not clearly info abour his requirement. The professional and clearly info on quotations it's means supplier is trustable.Fruad people can't clearly and full info about goods.

Important:

1. Clearly info for his inquires.He must need to get quality answer for his any question.

2.transparence on cooperation. Trustabble supplier don't hide real business face,because want sell ,sell,and sell his/her goods. Real supplier don't want any delay,bacuase real supplier want sell products and He/She work and agree with buyer requirement.

3.Supplier full contact detail info

4.How offer or how shows supplier His/Her goods.Bob need to see How supplier talks about His/Her goods

5.Sample

6.Trustable filling with seller.Filling tells all.

7.check supplier via any questions

8.Payment method

9.Trustable supplier Work with buyers requirement.

Thanks

 

 

VERY EASY, I ASK FOR A PROFORMA INVOICE WITH BANK DETAILS FROM THE BEST QUOTING SUPPLIER,

AND THEN I ASK MY BANK TO CHECK WITH SUPPLIER'S BANK DIRECTLY FOR VERIFICATION OF SUPPLIER BY ASKING

FO CORRECT ADDRESS OF SUPPLIER OR FOR A SLIGHT INTELLIGENCE ABOUT HIM.  THE SUPPLIER'S BANK'S REPLY

WILL DETERÖINE IF SUPPLIER IS REAL OR NO, IF YES THEN I WILL ASK THE BANK TO EFFECT TRANSFER.

Dear Bob,

 

Pls follow below procedure for your safety very simple and reliable technic obtained through experience

1- Ask for a free sample never pay for sample except for cargo at your point. It is a simple proof of existence of the supplier as well as

    you have a chance to check the quality.

2- Block your payment at your bank and confirm through your bank to supplier's bank so which means a simple bank guaranntee

    and advise the supplier that his payment will automatically be released upon receipt of the order.

3- If the amount is big then visit the supplier and observe the shipment to your vessel and then instruct your bank to effect transfer.

 

Regards

 

hi, this is my opinion. If you have qualified products, I suggest you set up your own company and do your own business. It is a good way, isn't it If you have any interest, please contact me via Please don't post any contact details - Edited by Admin