SUPPLIER REVIEW / CHANNELS
Alibaba or a direct pet factory: how to vet a supplier.
Alibaba or a direct pet products factory? Compare sourcing channels and vet any pet supplier the same way before samples, quotations and a deposit.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Alibaba is a marketplace: a listed seller may be a factory, a trading company or both. Vet any supplier the same way: confirm who makes, exports and invoices, send one written brief, compare samples on equal terms, and agree scope, payment and inspection in writing before a deposit.
A marketplace listing is not a role
A storefront, badge or listing photo does not tell you who sews the product, who exports it or who signs the invoice. Ask each supplier to state those roles in writing for your product, whether you found them on a marketplace, a trade show or their own website.
Factory, trading company, or both
A factory controls production; a trading company coordinates export, documents and sometimes several factories. Many buyers deal with both. PRETTY has its own factory and a trading company for export coordination, and states which party handles which step on the quotation.
Vet before the deposit
Check the company documents relevant to your market, review production evidence for your product type, approve a physical sample, and agree inspection before shipment. A video walk-through or a visit can help, but the written specification and sample record are what define the order.
Compare quotations on one brief
Send every supplier the same brief: style references, materials, sizes, quantities, labels, packing, destination and trade terms. Compare like with like, including what is excluded, and how long the quotation is valid. At PRETTY, MOQ, samples and payment are confirmed on the quotation.
Warning signs
A price before any specification, reluctance to provide samples, a change of contracting party late in the process, or a request to pay an account that does not match the contracting company are reasons to pause and verify.
| Check | Ask the supplier | Review question |
|---|---|---|
| Roles | Who manufactures, exports and invoices | Are the roles stated in writing? |
| Production evidence | Work on a comparable product type | Does it match your product, not just the category? |
| Sample | Sample scope, charge and revision record | Which revision defines the bulk order? |
| Quotation | Scope, exclusions, trade terms and validity | Does every quote cover the same brief? |
| Payment | Contracting party and payment account | Do they match? |
| Inspection | How goods are checked before shipment | Is it agreed before the deposit? |
Common gaps in a buying brief.
Treating a marketplace badge as a factory review
Ask for roles and production evidence for your product.
Paying a deposit before scope is written
Confirm specification, packing, trade terms and inspection first.
YOUR NEXT CONVERSATION
Bring these details to the discussion.
Choose the points you want to review. Your selection will be added to the editable specification notes in your enquiry.
Sample approval recordBlank CSV worksheet · opens in a spreadsheetNEXT STEP