Verify the business
Match the legal business name to registration records.
Confirm that the domain, business email, phone, and payment beneficiary are consistent.
Check the address and ask whether it is an office, warehouse, registered agent, or mailing address.
Look for a credible history of customer, supplier, trade, or industry activity outside the company’s own website.
Verify the offer
Request exact product identifiers, pack configuration, minimum order, lead time, condition, and availability.
Ask what the quote includes and excludes: freight, preparation, insurance, duties, or other fees.
Do not treat a spreadsheet as proof of inventory or authorization.
Control payment risk
Use a payment method appropriate for the order size and relationship.
Confirm beneficiary details using a second communication channel before a first large payment.
Start with a smaller order when the relationship and supply chain are untested.
Keep the quote, purchase order, invoice, payment confirmation, and delivery records together.
Red flags
Pressure to pay immediately, unexplained account changes, prices far below the market, refusal to identify the contracting entity, vague product identifiers, and guaranteed marketplace approval are serious warnings.
Questions buyers ask
Is a U.S. registration enough?
No. Registration proves an entity exists; it does not prove inventory, authorization, solvency, or good fulfillment.
Should I ask for references?
For a material order, references or other independent evidence are reasonable.
Is the cheapest quote usually best?
No. Landed cost, authenticity, documentation, lead time, and fulfillment reliability matter more than unit price alone.