Your store's reputation depends on your supplier sending the right product on time. Checking suppliers before publishing their catalog costs less than dealing with returns and lost trust.
1. Verify business details
Compare the business name, registration number, VAT ID, address, bank details and contact person. The contract and invoice should refer to the same organization.
- Check the country's official business register.
- Validate the VAT ID.
- Avoid unexplained payments to a private individual.
2. Request product documentation
For regulated products, check declarations of conformity, labeling, instructions, the manufacturer and the responsible person in the EU.
- Match the product model to the documentation.
- Check the validity period and scope of certificates.
- Do not treat a CE logo alone as evidence.
3. Review stock and commercial terms
Ask how often prices and availability are updated, whether stock can be reserved and what happens when stock figures differ. For automation, request API access or a sample data export.
- Minimum order value.
- Dispatch times and country of origin.
- Return conditions for faulty products.
- Rules for price changes.
4. Place a test order
Order as a customer and assess packaging, documents, tracking, delivery time, quality and support. For dropshipping, ensure the parcel contains no supplier advertising.
- Record the unboxing.
- Compare the product with the feed data.
- Test the returns process.