How do I vet an online wholesale supplier in India before placing my first order?

Online wholesale has made sourcing easy — but it has also made fraudulent supplier claims easier to make. Here is a step-by-step vetting checklist:

Step 1 — Verify basic credentials:

• GST number: check on gst.gov.in — must match business name and address
• Physical address: verify on Google Maps — must be a real commercial location
• Phone: call and speak to someone — voice conversation reveals a lot

Step 2 — Verify online presence:

• Website domain age: use whois.domaintools.com — very new domains (under 6 months) are a red flag
• Google the business name + "review" or "complaint" — check for negative patterns
• Instagram/Facebook: look for consistent posting history, real customer comments

Step 3 — Test before trusting:

• First order: 1 catalog set only — minimum exposure while testing quality
• Request pre-dispatch photo/video before paying balance
• Pay 50% advance maximum on first order