How to check a Yiwu supplier yourself

Anyone can call themselves a factory in Yiwu. These five checks take an hour and catch most problems. They are the same checks we run for every supplier on a SourceCompass shortlist.

1. The registration code

Every Chinese company has an 18-digit Unified Social Credit Code. Ask for it, then look it up on the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn) or a commercial registry such as Tianyancha or Qichacha. Check that the status is active, that the business scope mentions production (生产 / 制造) if they say they are a factory, and how many staff are insured — a “factory” with two insured staff is a trader.

2. The market booth

Booths in Yiwu International Trade City have an address made of district, gate, floor, street and booth number. Yiwugo, the market’s own platform, shows each shop’s booth address and how long it has been listed. Ask for a video call from the booth, or visit.

3. The listing record

On 1688 (China’s domestic wholesale site) a seller’s page shows years on the platform, price tiers by quantity, and often monthly sales and return rates. Paid badges such as “strength merchant” require some verification but are bought by the seller — use them as a hint, not proof.

4. The export record

US customs bill-of-lading data (searchable on sites such as ImportYeti) shows which suppliers ship to US importers. A match is good evidence of export experience; no match proves nothing, because many shipments are filed under a trading company or forwarder.

5. The test report

For lights, electrical goods, toys and food-contact items, ask for the test report for that exact item in the supplier’s name, then confirm the report number with the lab (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, TÜV and others offer online verification). Borrowed or altered reports are common.

Our database tracks these signals for 3,734 Yiwu-area suppliers; 316 have been checked against the business registry so far. Your shortlist shows what we found for each supplier.

Sources: China’s Unified Social Credit Code system (gsxt.gov.cn); Yiwugo.com shop pages; 1688.com seller pages; ImportYeti (US CBP bills of lading). Checked 2026-10-28.