Documents
What documents should a Chinese supplier provide before an order?
Review documents a Chinese supplier may provide before samples or orders: business license, invoice details, product specs, certificates, packing information, and sample terms.
Not a formal factory audit. Not legal due diligence. Not quality inspection. Not a supplier reliability guarantee.
Choose the document you need
Ask only for documents that let you test the supplier’s claims and assumptions.
Why the document list is not enough
Buyers sometimes collect PDFs without knowing what they are checking. A better approach is to ask which document clarifies which risk. For example, a business license lets you compare entity names. A product spec sheet defines what is being quoted. A sample term summary shows what the sample is meant to prove. The point is clarity, not paperwork volume.
Checklist before you rely on a document
1. Ask for the business license to compare legal entity names.
2. Ask for invoice or quotation details tied to the actual product version.
3. Ask for product specs, dimensions, materials, and packaging details.
4. Ask for certificate copies only when they are relevant to the product.
5. Ask for written sample terms and what still may change before bulk.
Common red flags
Watch for company names that shift across documents, certificates that do not match the product model, and quotations that still leave packaging or material scope unclear. Another red flag is when the supplier can send files quickly but cannot explain how those files relate to your actual order.
Example supplier questions
Can you send the business license for the invoicing company?
Can you confirm which product model this document refers to?
Can you send the current packaging and labeling specification?
Can you summarize the sample terms and what still changes before bulk?
What this cannot prove
Documents alone cannot prove product quality, factory reliability, or shipment outcome. They put the order context in writing.
This guide covers practical documents. It is not a formal audit, legal due diligence, quality inspection, or supplier reliability guarantee.
Have documents but an unclear supplier reply?
Send the document context with the supplier reply. A focused review can show what the files clarify and what still needs a written answer.
GEWUJI reviews visible supplier information and communication signals. This is not a formal factory audit, legal due diligence, quality inspection, or supplier reliability guarantee.