Focus on those factories that can clearly show production experience

I remember one time, I asked the supplier who told me they were the factory to give me some samples, and it took two weeks.  The reason it took two weeks is they had their friend in America go to Wal-Mart, buy a similar product, ship it back to China—American Wal-Mart—then ship it to me, and said “This is a sample of what we make at our factory.”  They’re trying to convince me to place an order with them based on this rough sample that wasn’t a sample from their factory.  It was just a prototype of what they “could make”.

I like to deal with factories that say “We make this.  Let us give you a sample.  We’ll pull a part from the line today, and send it to you tomorrow.”  That shows me that they have actual production going at a real factory.  Maybe that factory that sent me the sample they bought off the shelves in Wal-Mart, perhaps if I gave them my deposit that would be enough for them to set up a factory.  And dreams can come true, they’ll build the factory on my order.  Maybe.  It has happened.  But I don't want to be the guinea pig that they’re building a factory around my order.  Too many things can go wrong.  So don't be a guinea pig.  Confirm the factory actually makes this.