What to check before paying a Chinese supplier
Before paying the balance to a Chinese supplier, check four things: that the bank beneficiary matches the business licence and the contract, that the actual goods passed an inspection against your specification, that the documents match the goods, and what the UK end of the shipment will cost. Once the balance is paid, you have little leverage left.
The balance is your last lever with a Chinese supplier. Check the payee, the goods, the documents and the UK-side costs before you send it.
Why the balance matters
A common structure is a deposit when the order is placed and the balance before shipment. The deposit starts production; the balance is the last point at which the supplier still wants something from you. After it is paid, a problem with the goods, the paperwork or the freight becomes a claim you have to pursue from the UK, as our guide to goods that arrive wrong explains.
So treat the balance as a checkpoint, not an invoice. The checks below take days, not weeks, and they are cheaper than any dispute.
“Inspect before shipment when the order is large, the value is high, or it is your first order with that supplier. A good intermediary will usually arrange it; if you deal with the factory directly, you have to go yourself.” — Bono Xu, Cambridge China Bridge
1. The payee
Check that the company named as the bank beneficiary is the same legal entity as the seller on the proforma invoice, the contract and the business licence. A different name is not always fraud, since some factories sell through a trading arm, but it needs a written explanation and the current business licence of the company you are paying before any money moves.
Confirm any change of bank details by calling a number you already had, not one given in the message announcing the change. Our guide to avoiding sourcing scams covers the patterns, and how to pay Chinese suppliers covers the payment methods.
2. The goods
Inspect the actual production goods, not a sample, against the written specification before you pay. For consumer goods that means an inspection of a random sample of finished, packed units; for a machine it means a power-on test of the unit that will ship, with the controller, axes, safety stops and a test run checked. Our quality inspection guide covers the stages.
Photos and a video from the factory are useful, but they show what the factory chose to film.
3. The documents
Check the commercial invoice, packing list and any product documents against the goods and against each other: the same seller, the same description, the same quantities and weights. For regulated products, ask for the declaration of conformity for the exact model and configuration you bought, not a generic certificate, and for the English manual. Our certification guide explains what each document proves.
4. The UK end of the shipment
If the price is CIF or CFR, the supplier's forwarder chooses the UK agent, and that agent bills you for the charges after arrival. Ask who the UK agent is and for its charges in writing before you pay the balance. Our guide to cheap CIF quotes explains why a low freight line can cost more at the UK port.
For machine tools, China's customs rules from 30 June 2026 ask exporters for fuller declarations, which can add time on the China side; see China's export rules for machine tools.
Get a second pair of eyes
If you already have a quote or a proforma invoice from a Chinese supplier, we can check it before you pay, with a free preliminary review. On an order placed with us, factory audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged extra, agreed first.
On a DDP quote, also confirm whose EORI goes on the customs entry; see whether you can reclaim VAT on DDP shipments.
Frequently asked questions
Should I pay the balance before or after inspection?
After. Make the balance conditional on a passed pre-shipment inspection of the actual goods, and write that into the contract or purchase order.
The bank account name is different from the supplier's name. Is that a scam?
Not always, since some factories sell through a related trading company, but ask for a written explanation and the business licence of the company you are paying before sending money.
What documents should I see before paying the balance?
The commercial invoice and packing list, the inspection report for the actual goods and, for regulated products, the declaration of conformity for the exact configuration and the English manual.
Can someone check my supplier's quote for me?
Yes. Cambridge China Bridge offers a free preliminary review of a quote or proforma invoice from a Chinese supplier before you pay.