Service 12
Supplier verification, factory audits and inspection in Vietnam
Most problems with a new supplier are visible before the money moves: a company that is not registered under the name on the invoice, a factory that is really a trading office, a certificate the issuing body has never heard of, or goods that do not match the approved sample. We check these things for you on the ground in Vietnam, and report what we found in writing, with photos, so you decide on facts.
- Company registry check
- Factory visit and audit
- Sample and production check
- Pre-shipment inspection
A supplier check starts with the company itself: whether it is registered under the name and tax code it gives you, who its legal representative is, and whether its registered business lines cover what it is selling you. We compare that with the bank account on the invoice and with any certificate the supplier shows, checked with the body that issued it.
A factory visit answers the questions a video call cannot: whether the factory exists at the address, whether the machines and people match the capacity claimed, whether your product is actually made there or subcontracted, and how materials, quality checks and storage are run. We follow a checklist agreed with you, so the report answers your questions rather than ours.
Inspection is about the goods. During production we check early output against the approved sample; before shipment we inspect a sample of the finished lot against your specification and agreed acceptance criteria, and report defects by type, with photos and measurements. You decide whether the goods ship.
These checks work on their own for buyers who already have a supplier, and they are part of our sourcing service for buyers who want us to find one.
What this includes
Company registry check
Registration, tax code, legal representative and business lines checked against what the supplier tells you and the bank account on the invoice.
Certificate check
Certificates the supplier shows checked with the body that issued them, including their scope and validity.
Factory visit and audit
An on-site visit to a checklist agreed with you: existence, capacity, subcontracting, quality checks and storage.
Sample and production check
Samples and early production compared with your specification and the approved sample.
Pre-shipment inspection
A sample of the finished lot inspected against your acceptance criteria, with a written report, photos and measurements.
How it works
- 01 What you need checked The supplier, the product, the address, and the questions you need answered.
- 02 Checklist agreed We agree the checklist, the acceptance criteria and the report format with you before anyone visits.
- 03 Check or visit Registry and certificate checks, and the factory visit or inspection on the agreed date.
- 04 Written report Findings in writing with photos and measurements, and what we recommend you ask the supplier next.
What we do — and the promises we keep
We put both in writing, so you know exactly what to expect from us.
We do
- Check company registration, tax code and legal representative
- Check certificates with the bodies that issued them
- Visit and audit factories to a checklist agreed with you
- Check samples and early production
- Inspect finished goods before shipment and report in writing
What we will not do
- We do not certify a factory or issue certificates of our own
- We do not give a supplier our report before you have read it
- We do not accept payment from the supplier being checked
- We do not decide for you whether the goods ship
Before you write to us
You do not need all of this to start a conversation — but the more of it you have, the faster we can give you a real answer instead of a range.
- The supplier’s name, tax code if you have it, and address
- The product, the specification and the approved sample, if any
- Certificates the supplier has shown you
- The questions you need answered, or the risks you are worried about
- For inspection: quantity, acceptance criteria and the date the goods will be ready
Frequently asked questions
Can you check a supplier we found ourselves?
Yes. The checks work on their own: tell us the supplier, the product and what you need to know, and we check the company, visit the factory or inspect the goods.
What does the report contain?
What we checked, what we found, photos and measurements where they apply, and the questions we recommend you put to the supplier. The format is agreed with you before the check.
Which acceptance criteria do you inspect against?
The ones you agree with your supplier. Where you have none, we help you set them, often using an AQL sampling plan, before the goods are made.
Do you work outside Ho Chi Minh City?
Yes. We visit factories across Vietnam; the date and travel are arranged when the check is agreed.
How is the work quoted?
By the checks you need, the location and the number of visits or lots. Tell us what you need checked and we send a quotation before anything starts.
Our reports describe what we observed on the day of the check. They are not a certification of the supplier or a guarantee of future production.
Guides for this service
Practical, step-by-step notes written from Ho Chi Minh City, with sources and the date we checked them.
Contact
Tell us what you want to buy or sell — in Vietnam or Japan
Selling into Vietnam or Japan, sourcing from either, or a product made under your own brand. One Japanese-managed team in Ho Chi Minh City, working in English, Japanese and Vietnamese.