| 1 | Factory and production control | Factory address, production-line photos or video, process flow, and recent audit report | Confirm the actual manufacturing site and identify any outsourced processes | Cross-check the business details and audit scope; a trading company may not own a factory |
| 2 | OEM and product customization | Customization scope for appearance, sound, movement, packaging, and user instructions | Obtain a written specification and sample approval process before tooling or mass production | Ask which changes require new tooling, added cost, or additional compliance testing |
| 3 | Engineering and electronics capability | Product drawings, bill of materials, circuit or module details, and engineering change records | Confirm the supplier can document revisions and reproduce the approved sample | Check that the final bill of materials matches the tested product configuration |
| 4 | Product safety and market compliance | Applicable test reports, declarations, labeling details, and product traceability records | Match requirements to the destination market, product design, age grading, and power source | Verify report issuer, model coverage, dates, and whether the tested sample matches the order |
| 5 | Quality assurance and inspections | Incoming, in-process, and final inspection procedures; defect records; corrective-action samples | Agree inspection criteria and acceptance limits in writing before production | Consider an independent pre-shipment inspection for initial or high-value orders |
| 6 | Production capacity and lead time | Production schedule, capacity assumptions, material lead times, and peak-season planning | Request a dated schedule covering sample approval, production, inspection, and dispatch | Treat stated capacity as unverified until supported by a production plan or audit |
| 7 | Export and shipping experience | Redacted shipping records, commercial invoice and packing-list samples, and destination-market experience | Confirm the supplier can prepare documents and ship under the agreed Incoterms® rule | Check document consistency and clarify who is responsible for export clearance and freight |
| 8 | Packaging and transit protection | Carton specifications, product protection details, shipping marks, and packaging test information if available | Approve a packed sample and confirm carton dimensions and gross weight before booking | Assess packaging against the selected transport mode and handling conditions |
| 9 | Warranty and after-sales support | Written warranty terms, defect-claim process, spare-parts policy, and support contact details | Agree response times, evidence required for claims, remedies, and responsibility for replacement costs | Compare written contract terms rather than relying on verbal assurances |
| 10 | Commercial and payment reliability | Quotation validity, MOQ, tooling charges, payment schedule, and signed order specifications | Compare total landed-cost inputs and document all agreed specifications in the purchase order | Verify the beneficiary account independently before transferring funds |