Is my Alibaba supplier legit? The 10-minute check before you pay a deposit (2026)
Short answer: an Alibaba badge tells you a supplier paid for verification, not that it is safe to pay. Before a deposit, take ten minutes to: get the supplier's 18-character credit code from its business licence and check it on China's official register; confirm the legal name matches the quote, the contract and the bank account; search the court enforcement and dishonest-defaulter lists; and pay through Alibaba with Trade Assurance rather than by bank transfer outside the platform. If any of these fail, stop.
What do Alibaba's badges actually prove?
| Label | What it shows | What it does not show |
|---|---|---|
| Listed supplier | Alibaba says every supplier passes a basic business verification | That the company is honest, solvent or able to make your product |
| Verified Supplier | A paid inspection by a firm such as SGS, TÜV Rheinland or Intertek of the licence and, where relevant, the site and production lines | That the inspected site makes your item, or that you will pay the inspected company |
| "Manufacturer" business type | How the supplier describes itself | That it is a factory; check it (see our factory or trading company guide) |
| Years on Alibaba, ratings | Activity on the platform | Court cases, debts or a change of owner |
Alibaba also states that it does not inspect or guarantee the authenticity of products or certificates. Read the downloadable inspection report: the legal name, the address inspected and the date matter more than the badge.
The ten-minute check before you pay a deposit
- Get the business licence. Ask for a photo of the whole 营业执照. Run the 18-character code through our free code checker: a mistyped or invented code fails at once, and it shows if the "company" is really an individual business.
- Search the official register (gsxt.gov.cn, in Chinese) for the code. The Chinese name, status (存续 or 在业 means active), date set up and business scope should match what you were told. Our guide on reading a Chinese business licence explains each field.
- Match three names: the company on the Alibaba store, on your proforma invoice and on the bank account. All three should be the same legal entity, or you need a written explanation (see paying a Hong Kong or differently named account).
- Search court records: the enforcement information site (zxgk.court.gov.cn) lists companies subject to enforcement and on the dishonest-defaulter list (失信被执行人). A supplier on that list owes money it has been ordered to pay.
- Pay on the platform. Trade Assurance only protects orders placed and paid through Alibaba. A supplier pushing you to pay "directly, to save fees" is removing your protection. Deadlines and limits are in our money-back guide.
Warning signs that should stop a payment
- A price well below every other quote for the same specification
- Pressure to pay outside Alibaba, or to a personal or newly announced account
- A business licence that is cropped, blurred, or in a different name from the store
- A company set up only months ago claiming years of export experience
- No video call, or a video call that never shows production equipment and the gate sign together
- Refusal to sign a written contract or to name who owns any mould you pay for
When is a basic check not enough?
Records show who a company is, not how it behaves. For a large deposit, new tooling or a first order with a new supplier, add a call to the factory in Mandarin, a check that the bank account belongs to the contracting company and a look at mould ownership terms. That is what our Full Supplier Check does, and a site visit can confirm the factory is really there. See a sample report.
Common questions
Is a Verified Supplier on Alibaba safe?
Safer than an unverified one, because a third-party inspector has seen the business. But the badge does not cover your product, your bank details or the supplier's court record. Check those before you pay.
Can I check a Chinese supplier for free?
Partly. The official register gsxt.gov.cn and the court enforcement site are free but in Chinese. Our free code checker spots invalid codes in English. A Thornfield Express Check does the full records search for £175.
The supplier wants payment by bank transfer instead of through Alibaba. Should I agree?
Only if you accept losing Trade Assurance protection, and only after checking that the account belongs to the company you contract with. Many losses start with "pay us directly to save the fees".
Do suppliers pay Thornfield to be recommended?
No. We are paid only by the buyers we work for and take no commissions from factories.
Sources
- Alibaba.com: Introducing Verified Suppliers (accessed October 2026)
- Alibaba.com: How are Alibaba.com suppliers verified (accessed October 2026)
- National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn)
- China Enforcement Information Disclosure (zxgk.court.gov.cn)
- UK Business Forums: Verified suppliers on Alibaba (buyer discussion)