How do I know if my supplier is a real factory or just a trader?

You have to check where they actually make it. Ask who does the molding, who runs the production. Sometimes the company you are talking to is a third party, and your product is made somewhere else, not in that factory. A real maker can show you the line. A trader gets uncomfortable when you ask to see it.

✍️ Answered directly by Cengiz · Shanghai · Non-AI, 25 years in trade · July 26, 2026

If this is where you are right now, the 7-Factor Supplier Vetting System is the deeper version of this same check.