Most Bad First Orders Are Not Bad Factories
They are factories that were never asked the right questions. A supplier will answer whatever you ask and stay silent about everything else, and the silence is where the money goes. Twelve questions, sent in one email before any deposit, will tell you more about a supplier than a catalogue, a certificate, or a video tour.
These are grouped by what they expose: capability, consistency, commercial terms, and risk handling. Ask all twelve in a single message and read the pattern, not just the answers.
If you have not yet narrowed your list, start with how to tell a factory from a trading company. These questions assume you know which one you are dealing with.
Group 1: Capability (Questions 1–3)
1. What is your monthly capacity, in bundles, at my specification?
A factory answers with a number tied to a product mix, for example "3,000 bundles of 100g weft at single drawn, less at double drawn". Anything that starts with "large" or "depends" means they have not calculated it. Capacity matters because it tells you whether your reorder will be prioritised or squeezed behind a bigger client.
2. Which production steps happen in your building?
Washing, hackling, drawing, wefting, dyeing, packaging. Most factories do four of six and outsource dyeing. That is normal and fine, but it explains longer lead times on colour orders and inconsistent dye lots. A supplier who claims all six in-house when they run two sewing lines is overstating.
3. Can I see a live video of the line, and can I choose what to look at?
Offer to schedule a call and ask to see a specific process, such as the draw station or the weft reinforcement. A factory agrees and asks what you want to inspect. A trader sends a prepared video, which is unverifiable.
Group 2: Consistency (Questions 4–6)
4. What is your tolerance on bundle weight?
A 100g bundle should weigh 100g including the tie, with a stated tolerance. Ask for the tolerance in grams. A factory that says "exactly 100g" is either measuring loosely or hoping you will not check. Reasonable answers specify something like ±2g.
5. How do you ensure the second order matches the first?
This is the question that separates a supplier you can build a brand on from one you can only run promotions with. Good answers mention lot retention, dye-lot records, or holding back raw material from the same batch. Bad answers mention "strict quality control", which is not an answer.
6. What was your defect rate on my product category last quarter, and what caused it?
Factories track this because they fix processes. Traders usually cannot answer because the number belongs to someone else. Either a percentage with a cause, or an honest "we do not track it by category" — the second is acceptable if they say it plainly.
Group 3: Commercial Terms (Questions 7–9)
7. What is the real MOQ, and what happens at half of it?
Every factory has a production minimum that has nothing to do with the price list. Ask what happens if you order half: a small surcharge, a longer lead time, or a refusal. The answer tells you how the factory actually schedules work. Our pricing and MOQ guide explains why the floor exists.
8. What are your payment terms, and what changes at higher volume?
Standard is 30% deposit, 70% before shipment, usually by T/T. Ask specifically what triggers better terms: a larger order, a repeat order, or a payment history. A supplier who offers flexibility only after you have ordered three times is being sensible, not difficult.
9. Who pays if the goods fail inspection, and where does inspection happen?
The answer you want is that inspection happens at their warehouse before shipment, with photos and a written report, and that a failed inspection means no shipment and no final payment. If inspection is only at your end, you own the freight cost of the return.
Group 4: Risk Handling (Questions 10–12)
10. Describe the last defect claim you had and how you resolved it.
The single most revealing question in the list. A supplier with real experience describes a specific case: what went wrong, how it was traced, what was credited. A supplier who says "we never have claims" is either very new or not being honest, and both are risks.
11. What documentation do you provide for customs?
Commercial invoice, packing list, and a correctly classified HS code. Ask which code they use for your product. If they hesitate, your shipment may be classified wrongly and you will pay the difference in duty or delay. We cover this in our importing guide.
12. If the sample and the bulk order differ, what is the remedy?
Get this in writing before ordering. The answer should reference the sample you approved, not a general quality standard. Suppliers who resist putting this in writing are telling you the sample is a marketing cost rather than a production commitment.
How to Score the Answers
Do not score each answer in isolation. Score the shape of the response.
| Pattern | What it usually means | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers, causes, and one admitted weakness | Real operating knowledge | Order a sample |
| Fast, fluent, all positive | Sales script, possibly a trader | Ask for the licence and a live video |
| Answers three of twelve, ignores the rest | Small operation or low priority for them | Send again once, then move on |
| Deflects every question to "our quality is guaranteed" | No production knowledge | Drop from the list |
What to Do With the Answers
Two suppliers will emerge as plausible. Order a paid sample from both, at your exact specification, and test it using the six checks in our hair grades guide. Pay for the samples. Free samples are selected, and selected samples are not evidence.
Then place a first order at the smallest volume that makes commercial sense, and treat it as a paid audit rather than a purchase. The defects you find in order one are the defects you would have found in order ten, only at ten times the cost.
We answer all twelve questions on every quotation, including the one about our last defect claim. Send your specification and you will get the answers in writing before any commitment.