Sep 17, 2026Sourcing Guide
Questions to Ask a Manufacturer Before Paying Any Deposit
About to pay a deposit to a factory you found online? These 20 questions about identity, samples, payments and quality protect your money — from a manufacturer that answers all of them.
Paying a deposit to a factory you have only chatted with on WhatsApp is the scariest moment of starting a brand. Send money to the wrong people and you lose everything; ask too few questions and you spend months fixing bad production.
Good manufacturers know this — and welcome hard questions. Bad ones go quiet. Here are the 20 questions we think every first-time buyer should ask before any money changes hands. Ask us these; we answer all of them, and we respect buyers who ask.
About identity (is this a real factory?)
- Can we do a live video call walking through your workshop? A real factory says yes within 24 hours.
- What is your registered company name and business license number? You should be able to verify it in China's public records.
- Do payments go to a company bank account — never a personal one? No exceptions. If someone asks for a personal account, walk away.
- Which brands have you produced for? A real factory shows real products, not only logos.
About samples (can I judge quality before committing?)
- What does a sample cost, and is it deducted from the bulk order? (Ours is US$50 per style, deducted from your first bulk order — if you proceed. If you don't, it isn't refunded, because the sample is real work made for you.)
- How long does sampling take? (Ours: 7–10 days.)
- Can you produce my design, or only adapt existing styles? A real custom manufacturer works from your sketches or reference photos with in-stock fabrics.
About money (where does my deposit go?)
- What are your payment terms? (Ours: T/T — 30% deposit, 70% balance before shipment. Sample fee up front.)
- What exactly does the deposit cover? You deserve a breakdown: fabric, cutting, sewing, finishing.
- Are there fees that appear later? There shouldn't be. Ask directly.
About production and quality (what if it goes wrong?)
- Who checks quality, and at which stages? Ask about inline inspection and final inspection.
- Will you send me photos of the bulk production before shipping? (We do — before any shipment leaves.)
- What happens if the bulk quality doesn't match the approved sample? A confident factory has a written answer — ask for it before you order.
- What is your defect rate, honestly? Numbers matter more than "very good quality".
About quantities and timing
- What is your minimum order, per style and per color? (With our in-stock fabrics: 50 pieces per style. Newly sourced fabrics need more — that's why some product pages show MOQ 300.)
- Can I split the MOQ across colors? (With in-stock fabrics it depends on fabric stock — send your plan and we confirm within a day.)
- What is the bulk lead time after sample approval? (Ours: 20–30 days.)
About shipping (how does it reach me?)
- Which shipping terms do you offer — EXW, FOB or DDP? First-time buyers: ask for DDP. With us it is the courier cost plus duties for your country, quoted together.
- Can you estimate the freight for my quantity and country before I pay? A real quote includes shipping, not just goods.
- What documents will I receive? Invoice, packing list, and tracking — before you ask.
Red flags: when NOT to pay
- Refuses a video call or only sends stock photos
- Prices far below every other quote you received
- Pushes you to pay quickly "to lock the price"
- Personal bank account, or a different company name than the contract
- Cannot explain fabric GSM, composition, or MOQ logic
A factory that answers these 20 questions clearly has nothing to hide. One that dodges even two or three has just saved you your deposit.
Ready to test us? Send your questions and design sketches via Request a Quote or WhatsApp — we answer within 24 hours.
