14 supplier-vetting questions that actually discriminate (and 4 that don't)
Useful supplier-vetting questions force a verifiable answer about product scope, capacity, quality control, export experience and decision ownership; generic questions usually produce generic reassurance.
What to check before you decide
- Ask which line makes your product, what current loading it has and how it records quality issues.
- Ask for the process when a material changes, a sample fails or a customer raises a warranty claim.
- Ask who can approve price, production changes and technical answers, then compare the response with documents and a visit.
Keep the buying decision controlled
Start with one written brief: the product or service required, the buyer's target market, the commercial decision to make and the person who can approve the next step. Compare supplier answers against that same brief, keep versions of specifications and quotations together, and record each open point with an owner and date. This approach makes remote work, a China visit and a later inspection part of one evidence trail rather than separate conversations.
The mistake to avoid
A long questionnaire is not automatically good due diligence. Use questions that change your decision, then verify the few answers that matter most.
Need help turning a sourcing question into a practical China route, supplier brief or comparison process? Ask goChina Events for a focused planning conversation.