Service 05 · Stage 2 · Verify & protect

See the factory before the deposit, with a report you can act on.

We visit the factory in person before you commit. A capability audit confirms the production lines, staff, equipment and capacity really exist and match your order; quality-system and social-compliance audits (ISO 9001, BSCI, SMETA/Sedex) confirm it can meet your market’s standards. A pre-order audit costs $400–800 and the report lands in 5–10 business days.

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  • $400–800typical pre-order audit
  • 5–10 daysfrom booking to report
  • <1%of most orders over $20k
  • ISO · BSCI · SMETAstandards we audit against
At a glance
Turnaround5–10 business days from booking
Required from youFactory address, business licence, audit scope (capability, ISO, BSCI, SMETA)
Ideal clientBuyers placing a large first order or entering a regulated market
Typical fee$400–800 depending on location and depth; social-compliance audits quoted separately

Paid work starts only after you approve the scope and fee. Factory quotes are shown to you unmarked.

What's included

What our factory audits & compliance service covers.

Capability audit

Production lines, machinery, staff count, monthly capacity, current clients and whether the address on the licence is the factory you are shown.

Quality-system audit

Incoming material control, in-process checks, final inspection, calibration, traceability and corrective-action records, scored against ISO 9001 principles.

Social compliance

Working hours, wages, health and safety, fire exits, dormitories and child-labour controls, aligned with BSCI and SMETA (Sedex) expectations.

Certificate verification

ISO, BSCI, CE, FDA or test reports checked with the issuing body. Forged certificates are common; we have a guide on it.

Photo-documented report

Scored sections, photos of every finding, risk rating and a plain recommendation: proceed, proceed with conditions, or walk away.

Certification support

If you need the factory certified for a retailer or regulated market, we manage the gap and the certification body.

How it works

Four steps, no surprises.

  1. 01

    Scope

    Tell us the order size, your market and which standards matter. We recommend the audit depth.

  2. 02

    Visit

    An auditor spends a day on site, unannounced where appropriate, with licence and records checked against what is seen.

  3. 03

    Report

    Scored report with photos, risk rating and a clear recommendation in 5–10 business days.

  4. 04

    Decide

    Proceed with milestone payments, impose conditions, or take the shortlist’s next factory.

Pricing

What it costs.

A pre-order factory audit is $400–800 depending on location and depth, which is under 1% of most orders above $20,000. Formal social-compliance audits to BSCI or SMETA protocols are quoted separately, as they require accredited auditors and more man-days. Certificate verification alone is a small flat fee. Our rule of thumb from the blog: book an audit if the order is above $20,000.

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Who it's for

When you need this.

When it fits

Placing a first order above $20,000

The deposit alone is several times the audit fee. See the factory first.

When it fits

Selling into a regulated market

EU, UK and US retailers increasingly require BSCI or SMETA. Find the gaps before the buyer does.

When it fits

The supplier’s story does not add up

Showroom in Shenzhen, factory in another province, certificates that look fresh. An audit settles it.

From the blog

Guides that go with this service.

All sourcing guides →
GuideVerify Chinese suppliers before you send paymentRead the guide GuideIs your Chinese supplier’s CE or FDA certificate real?Read the guide GuideApproved sample, different production: China’s quality fadeRead the guide GuideHow to find a manufacturer in China: 4 routes comparedRead the guide
Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, ask on WhatsApp. A human answers, in English, in Guangzhou time.

An audit evaluates the factory itself, its capability, systems and compliance, before you order. An inspection checks a specific batch of goods against your spec before it ships. Large first orders usually need both.
A capability or quality-system audit by our team is typically $400–800 depending on province and depth. Accredited BSCI or SMETA audits cost more and are quoted individually.
Yes. The audit cross-checks the business licence scope and address, the lease, the equipment and the staff against what you are shown. Trading companies posing as factories are one of the most common findings.
We check the certificate number with the issuing body or platform rather than relying on the PDF. Read our guide on spotting fake CE and FDA certificates.
More from one team
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Free assessment

Tell us what you're sourcing.

Send the product, target quantity and destination country. Within one business day we'll confirm feasibility, recommend the right service scope and quote the fee and timeline.

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Paid sourcing work starts only after you approve the scope and fee.