Did not pass
Original supplier
Passed review
Alternate supplier
10 days
Verification turnaround
7 days
Alternate introduction
Six-figure
PO exposure avoided
Buyer profile
A US industrial importer received attractive quotes from an unknown Asian supplier for metal fabrication and assembly components. Program value: six-figure annual PO with tooling transfer. Buyer needed independent verification before releasing deposit and shipping existing molds overseas.
Challenge
Supplier marketing materials showed modern facility photos but could not provide verifiable export license or ISO certificate numbers. Remote video tour revealed different address than business license. Buyer had previously lost $40K deposit to a middleman posing as a factory on a smaller program.
- Quote 25% below market — classic trading company margin compression signal
- Business license address did not match factory location on video call
- ISO 9001 certificate number returned no result on accreditation body lookup
- Buyer needed pass/fail decision within 2 weeks to meet internal sourcing deadline
Vantage Fortune approach
- 1
Document review
Verified business license, export license, ISO certificate numbers against accreditation databases, and cross-checked company name on shipping records.
- 2
Virtual audit execution
Live video walkthrough of production lines, QC station, raw material storage, and shipping dock. Compared against license address and claimed capacity.
- 3
Screening review
Reviewed legal entity validity, production capacity, QC process documentation, export readiness, and English communication. Original supplier did not pass internal review.
- 4
Report delivery
Delivered written report with timestamped photos, fail flags, and corrective action list. Original supplier failed screening — not recommended for introduction.
- 5
Alternate factory introduction
Introduced qualified alternate in Jiangsu within 1 week. New supplier passed screening review with on-site visit option for buyer's next trip.
Results
- Trading company misrepresentation identified before PO or deposit
- Original supplier failed on 4 of 6 screening criteria — buyer avoided six-figure exposure
- Qualified alternate supplier introduced within 1 week — passed screening review
- Buyer proceeded with screened supplier only — tooling transfer completed safely
- Verification report archived for buyer's internal compliance and insurance documentation