Inspection guide
How to verify a supplier before committing funds
Practical buyer guide.
Supplier verification, a supplier audit and a product inspection are related but not interchangeable. The right sequence depends on what you still do not know.
Start with identity and existence
Confirm that the business, facility and contacts behind the commercial documents are genuine and relevant to the goods being offered.
Audit capability when the order depends on it
If capacity, machinery, quality systems, traceability or subcontracting matter to the order, an on-site supplier audit provides more useful evidence than documents alone.
Inspect the product at the right stage
A credible supplier can still produce a nonconforming order. Supplier due diligence does not replace production and shipment inspections.