How much does it cost to verify an Indian supplier?
From US$600 per supplier for a verification that includes an in-person visit. Travel and third-party costs are agreed in writing before they are incurred.
Supplier verification and quality control
Supplier verification and factory audits in India
Know the supplier and the product before you commit your money.
Supplier identity, factory identity, exporting entity, bank beneficiary, product specification, production capacity, inspection evidence and corrective-action follow-up, recorded in writing. A verification records evidence at a defined place and time. It does not certify every future shipment.
Who this service is for
For importers and buyers who are about to place an order with an Indian supplier they do not know, or who have already had a quality problem and need control before the next shipment. It covers textiles as well as industrial and mining inputs such as components, consumables and equipment, checked against the specification rather than certified as engineering. It works as a standalone service or within a sourcing project.
The problem it solves
From a distance it is hard to tell a manufacturer from a middleman, a plant with real capacity from a borrowed photograph, or a conforming lot from one that was checked superficially. Verifying before paying and controlling before shipping is cheaper than claiming afterwards.
What we coordinate
- Verification of supplier identity and track record
- Review of available documents and records
- Factory visits against an agreed checklist
- Pre-production inspection
- Monitoring during production
- Pre-shipment quality control
- Reports with photo and video evidence
- Follow-up on corrective actions
What you receive
What you receive
- Scope and acceptance criteria agreed in writing
- Site observations and verified supplier identity
- Production capacity actually observed
- Checklist applied and sampling criteria
- Findings, nonconformities and supporting evidence
- Recommended next steps and corrective action status
What we need from you
- Supplier details and the factory contact
- Technical specification and acceptance criteria
- Approved sample or reference for comparison
- Expected production and shipment dates
- A definition of which findings are critical to your decision
Usual timelines
A documentary verification takes three to five working days. An in-person visit is normally coordinated within one to two weeks depending on the location of the factory, and the report is delivered within three working days of the visit.
How this is charged
From US$600 per supplier. The scope determines whether the work is documentary, an in-person visit, factory verification or production inspection. Travel and third-party costs are agreed in writing before they are incurred. A verification is not a certification, warranty, financial guarantee or proof of future performance.
What this does not include
- Accredited certifications and management system audits
- Laboratory testing and specialised technical trials
- Verification of the financial or credit standing of the supplier
- Certified social or environmental audits
We agree the scope and the acceptance criteria before the visit, so you know exactly what will be checked and against what. A visit is not an accredited certification; where you need one, we coordinate an accredited body.
Common questions about supplier verification
How long does a factory verification take?
A documentary verification takes three to five working days. An in-person visit is normally coordinated within one to two weeks depending on where the factory is, and the report is delivered within three working days of the visit.
How do I check whether an Indian supplier is a real manufacturer?
Company registration, GST status and import-export code can each be checked against Indian government records, and together they establish that the business exists and is active. They do not prove the company manufactures rather than trades; that requires seeing the site. A visit is what separates a factory from an office with a website.
What does the verification report contain?
Company and registration checks, what was observed on site, photographs and video, identified risks, and recommendations. A sample factory visit report is available on this site.
Can you verify a supplier we have already been working with?
Yes, and it is a common request after a quality problem or before increasing order volume with an existing supplier. The scope is the same; what changes is that we are usually also looking at specific issues you have already encountered.
Further reading
Do you need to check a supplier or a production run in India?
Share the product, market, supplier, or commercial objective. We will help define a practical scope.