Why Audit at All If You Cannot Visit
Most buyers cannot travel to Xiamen or Ningbo to inspect a supplier. That does not remove the need for verification; it changes the form verification takes. A video walkthrough, a request for dated production photographs, and a demand for specific process artefacts will separate a manufacturer from a trading company about as reliably as a visit, at a fraction of the cost.
The Nine Things to Ask For
| What to request | What it proves | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Board revision history | Own design evidence | A trading company has none |
| Named production machine | Specific press or SMT line | Cannot be answered by a buyer |
| Live video walkthrough | Unannounced, if possible | The strongest single signal |
| Dated production photographs | Current, with a date visible | Old photographs prove nothing |
| QC test records | A dated record from a recent run | Confirms testing actually happens |
| Mould inventory | Show the toolings | Enables private label |
| Warehouse layout | Cartons labelled by reference | Predicts packing quality |
| Export documentation examples | A previous invoice or packing list | Shows operational maturity |
| Written QC procedure | Not just “we check” | A procedure implies a process |
Questions That Only a Manufacturer Can Answer
- Walk me through the last production run for my reference. A trading company has no last run.
- Which machine presses your housing? A specific machine, named.
- Show me a board revision history. A manufacturer has one. A buyer of somebody else’s board does not.
- What is on the line right now? A live video call is more informative than a photo.
Red Flags That Are Not About Quality
A supplier who cannot give a delivery date. A supplier who quotes in days when everything else in the industry is quoted in weeks. A supplier who refuses a third-party QC inspection on the first order. A supplier whose catalogue contains every brand in the industry but who names no mould of their own.
The most reliable single signal is whether the supplier will let you watch a production run. Anyone who owns a factory will. Anyone who does not will find a reason.
Request a Quotation — Factory Audit
Send your target market, product line and annual quantity. We reply with a written EXW quotation, MOQ, lead time and a sample offer within one business day. MOQ 100 pcs per SKU.
Send Inquiry on WhatsAppEmail: Joanna@rfmando.com · MOQ 100 pcs per SKU · 1 free sample per SKU ($30 DHL, buyer pays) · Lead time 7-15 days · T/T 30/70 · EXW Xiamen
Catalogue references for the specification above: locksmith multi-function car key pin removal and fixing tool kit, own tooling for private label and RF Mando compatible DILM32-XTED11-1 (RAC240) contactor, 18A 3P+1NO/1NC for factory audit reference. All are MOQ 100 pcs per SKU, 7-15 day lead time, one free sample per SKU, and are supplied on our own PCBA and housing tooling with AQL 5% inspection available.
Where to Order
- RF Remote Controls — garage, gate and RTS compatible handsets
- Eaton DILM Contactors — frames, aux contacts and coils
- Locksmith Tools — duplicators, shells and blanks
- RF Manda — full product range and technical guides
| Term | Means | Who pays what | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Ex Works, seller’s premises | Everything is the buyer’s cost | Cheapest on paper, most work for the buyer |
| FOB | Free On Board, port of loading | Export clearance and loading on the seller; main freight on the buyer | Useful for consolidating suppliers |
| CIF | Cost, Insurance and Freight to named port | Freight and minimum insurance included; duty and VAT not included | Convenient, still not door-to-door |
| DDP | Delivered Duty Paid | Everything including import duty | Most expensive to quote, often cheapest landed |