What to Ask on a China Factory Visit: A Buyer’s Question List for the Floor and the Meeting Room
- Start with the entity, not the showroom
- Production flow and real capacity
- Quality control and the evidence behind it
- Materials, tooling and lead time
- Commercial questions worth asking on site
- Close the meeting with a written record
- A short list you can carry on the floor
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Guides
A china factory visit is not a tour. It is a short, high-stakes inspection where the questions you ask decide whether you leave with a real supplier or an expensive lesson. Most buyers get one shot at the floor, usually two to four hours, and the answers you collect in that window shape your PO, your QC plan and your payment terms.
The short answer: ask about the legal entity first, then the production flow, then quality evidence, then materials and tooling, then commercial terms. Write everything down, and send a summary within 24 hours. That summary is the document you will argue from later.
Below is the working list COME uses when we prepare international buyers for supplier meetings, plus the follow-up wording that keeps the conversation useful.
Start with the entity, not the showroom
The first question is not about your product. It is: who exactly am I contracting with? Many Chinese factories sell through a trading company, and the name on the business card may not be the name on the invoice. That is not automatically a problem, but you need to know which one you are dealing with.
- What is the full legal name of the entity that will issue the invoice and sign the contract?
- Is this building owned or leased by that entity, and can I see the business license?
- If a trading company is involved, which factory actually makes my product, and can I visit it?
- Who is my single point of contact for orders, and who signs off on quality claims?
Ask for the business license and match the company name to the bank account. Payment to a personal account is a red flag worth pausing on. Details of registration and invoicing can change, so confirm current requirements with the supplier's finance contact and your own bank before you transfer anything.
Production flow and real capacity
Walk the line in the order the product moves. Ask what happens at each station, how long each step takes, and where the bottlenecks sit. A factory that cannot explain its own flow in sequence usually cannot explain a delay either.
- How many units per shift, and how many shifts per day?
- Which steps are done in-house and which are outsourced?
- What is the current lead time for a repeat order of my size?
- What is your peak season, and how does it affect my delivery window?
If the answer is 'no problem' for everything, ask for a recent production schedule or a photo of the line running your product type. Concrete numbers beat confident smiles.
Quality control and the evidence behind it
Every factory says quality is good. Your job is to find out what they measure, how often, and what happens when a batch fails. Ask to see the QC station, not just hear about it.
- What is your AQL standard, and who performs the final inspection?
- Can I see a recent inspection report for a similar product?
- What is your defect rate for the last three months, and how is it recorded?
- If a shipment fails, what is the rework or replacement process and timeline?
Third-party inspection is common for export orders. Ask whether the factory accepts an inspector of your choosing, and confirm the notice period they need. Inspection rules and costs vary by product and region, so verify the current arrangement with your QC provider before booking.
Materials, tooling and lead time
Material questions expose how much control the factory really has. If key components come from a single supplier, a shortage there becomes your delay.
- Which materials are standard stock, and which are custom-ordered?
- Who owns the tooling or molds, and can I take them if we stop working together?
- What is the minimum order quantity for a custom color or material?
- How long does a sample take, and is the sample cost credited against the first order?
Tooling ownership is the question buyers forget. Get it in writing. If the factory holds the mold, moving to another supplier later becomes a negotiation rather than a decision.
Commercial questions worth asking on site
Price talk in the meeting room is fine, but keep it structured. Ask what drives the price, not just what the price is. That tells you where to negotiate and what will change if your volume changes.
- What is included in the quoted price: packaging, labeling, inland freight, export documents?
- What payment terms do you normally work with for a first order?
- How do you handle currency and exchange-rate movement on a long order?
- What is your policy on late delivery, and will it be written into the contract?
Payment methods, deposit percentages and contract terms differ by supplier and product. Treat any number you hear as a starting point and confirm the final terms in the signed contract and with your bank before sending funds.
Close the meeting with a written record
The visit is not finished when you leave the building. Within a day, send a short summary: what you saw, what was promised, what is still open. This protects both sides and gives you a paper trail if the next quote looks different.
- Confirm the legal entity, contact person and bank details in writing.
- List the agreed specifications, quantities and target dates.
- Note every open question with a named owner and a deadline.
- Ask for the sample or inspection report to be sent by a specific date.
- Set the next call before you leave the room.
If language is a barrier, bring an interpreter who understands manufacturing terms, not just general conversation. COME arranges factory visit interpretation and meeting support for international buyers, so the questions you prepared actually get asked and the answers get recorded accurately.
A short list you can carry on the floor
If you only remember five things, remember these: the legal entity, the production flow, the QC evidence, the tooling owner, and the written follow-up. Everything else is detail you can chase by email.
One more practical note: factory addresses in industrial parks can be hard to find, and gate security often needs your name in advance. Send your passport details and visit time to your contact the day before. Rules on visitor access and site photography vary by factory, so ask before you take photos.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a first China factory visit take?
Plan for two to four hours on site: about an hour walking the line, an hour in the meeting room, and buffer for gate registration and travel between buildings. If the factory is in a remote industrial park, add travel time from your hotel.
Should I ask for the business license during the visit?
Yes, ask to see it and match the legal name to the contract and bank account. If a trading company is involved, ask which factory produces your item and whether you can visit that site too.
What if the factory cannot answer my quality questions?
Treat it as useful information. Ask to see a recent inspection report or the QC station instead. If neither exists, factor that into your risk plan and consider third-party inspection before shipment.
Do I need an interpreter for a factory visit?
If your Mandarin is not strong enough for technical terms, yes. A manufacturing-focused interpreter helps with specifications, tolerances and delivery commitments. General conversational Chinese often misses the details that matter in a contract.
Can I take photos inside a Chinese factory?
Ask first. Some factories allow photos of your product only, others restrict the whole floor. Get permission in writing if you plan to share images with your team or an inspector.
Related Guides
- What information should I send before asking for a China sourcing quote
- How many days do I need for a China business trip
- Plan a China sourcing trip with the right number of days
- What is the best city in China for electronics sourcing
- Where can I find practical China sourcing and business guides
Planning a supplier trip and want the meeting to run in English with accurate notes? COME can arrange factory visit interpretation, meeting support and a written follow-up summary so your questions get answered and your next steps are clear.
Based on COME's work supporting international buyers and business visitors during supplier meetings and factory visits in China, including interpreting, meeting notes and follow-up coordination.
