Before an Amazon FBA order becomes a purchase commitment, the seller needs more than a quote and a reassuring message. Supplier due diligence checks whether the business, product, production promise, packing data and exception contact are credible enough for the next decision. It is not an audit certificate, customs ruling or guarantee of Amazon acceptance.

This guide is for North American sellers buying from a manufacturer, trading company or exporter in China. It covers pre-order review, not factory pickup. For the later shipment handoff, use the supplier pickup readiness checklist.

Key takeaways

  • Identify the contracting supplier and the actual factory, exporter and payment recipient.
  • Verify product identity, approved sample, production plan, carton data and exception ownership separately.
  • Reconcile supplier records with the purchase order and the inbound plan before production or dispatch.
  • Stop on material identity mismatches, altered records, unexplained payment changes or requests to misstate shipment facts.
  • Use a scorecard to organize questions, not to replace independent checks or specialist review.

What supplier due diligence does—and does not—decide

The buyer’s question is practical: who is promising what, what supports that promise, and who will correct a mismatch? A “supplier” may be the factory, trading company, brand owner, export agent or several parties. Record the roles rather than treating them as interchangeable.

The seller, legal importer, customs broker, carrier, Amazon and receiving warehouse have different responsibilities. A supplier can provide product and packing facts, but it cannot decide the importer, classification, customs value, admissibility, duty treatment or Amazon acceptance for you. CBP advises importers to learn its procedures and check commodity-specific requirements, including those of other agencies. Canada has its own commercial-import process.

A delivered quote, test report or claim that “we ship this every week” is a lead to verify, not proof that the report matches your model or that shipment data is correct. For role allocation, connect this review to the US importer-of-record handoff, the Amazon FBA receiving path and the North America 3PL receiving path.

Request a dated evidence packet before production approval

A useful request names the decision, evidence owner, due date and closure test. Ask for source files or records tied to the exact order; do not treat a presentation, edited screenshot or generic certificate as conclusive. The buyer should preserve the original submission and record later corrections as new versions.

Decision Evidence to request Closure test
Counterparty and factory Contracting name, payment beneficiary, production site and the relationship among them. Names reconcile to the contract and are independently checked through a known channel.
Capacity and subcontracting Dated production plan, critical process owner, subcontracted steps and constraints behind the ready date. The supplier explains who performs each material step and how a delay will be reported.
Product and sample Approved sample ID, SKU/model revision, materials, dimensions and authorized deviations. Production records point to the same revision the buyer approved.
Quality and correction Inspection scope, defect definitions, result files, rework owner and reinspection rule. Open defects have a named action, evidence requirement and due date.
Packing and handoff Final units, cartons, measured dimensions/weights, labels and packing-list owner. Totals reconcile to the purchase order and current inbound plan.

This guide is for North American sellers deciding whether an order is ready for production approval. It separates supplier evidence from importer, broker, carrier and receiver decisions, so each open question reaches the party responsible for closing it.

Control sample-to-production changes

Freeze the approved sample or specification with a version, approval date and owner. When the supplier proposes a material, component, packaging, process or subcontractor change, log the reason, affected SKUs, evidence required and person authorized to accept it. Recheck any linked test report, label, carton measurement or inbound-plan field before release.

Keep exceptions open until the agreed evidence is attached. A message saying “fixed” is not closure when the original mismatch involved product identity, quantity, inspection result or packing data. If the change may affect import or product requirements, route it to the legal importer, broker or qualified product adviser rather than letting the supplier make that determination.

Build a versioned evidence packet

For U.S.-bound goods, start with CBP’s current importing guide and tips for new importers. U.S. import recordkeeping is separately governed by 19 CFR Part 163. This article sets no retention period or record scope; confirm both with the legal importer and its broker.

For Canada, consult the CBSA’s commercial import guidance. The Canadian importer and broker should confirm the current registration, accounting, release and product requirements. CARM status, tariff treatment, taxes, valuation and admissibility are outside this checklist.

For Amazon, compare product, unit, carton and shipment details with the seller’s active inbound plan. Amazon’s public Fulfillment Inbound API reference describes its API for creating and updating inbound inventory; account-specific steps remain in the current Seller Central workflow. Before dispatch, compare receiving references with the appointment planning after release checklist.

Run the review in eight controlled steps

  1. Define the order. Record destination country, buyer, supplier role, product family, quantity and required usable-stock date. Do not ask the supplier to choose the importer.
  2. Map the parties. List contracting seller, factory, exporter, payment recipient, importer, broker and receiver; explain differences between names.
  3. Freeze product identity. Attach the approved sample and versioned SKU sheet to the order. Require approval before product or packaging changes.
  4. Test the promise. Ask for dated production milestones and evidence that goods are finished. Keep estimates labeled as estimates.
  5. Reconcile the pack. Compare units, cartons, labels, dimensions and weights across the order, measured sample, packing list and inbound plan.
  6. Agree corrections. Name who reports defects, shortages, missed dates and changed data, and what evidence closes each issue.
  7. Verify independently. Contact the business through a known channel; route import and product questions to the importer, broker or qualified adviser.
  8. Release by evidence. Record the score, hard-stop status and open issues. Reopen approval if a material fact changes.

The shipment readiness tool can organize importer, product and receiving inputs. It does not verify a supplier or replace broker review.

Limitations and shipment-specific review

This checklist does not certify a factory, validate a license, authenticate a report, determine admissibility, select an importer, classify goods, set customs value, calculate duties/taxes, establish an Amazon plan, guarantee an appointment or promise check-in. Supplier declarations are not independent verification; obligations vary by product, destination, transaction and party role.

Before production or dispatch, the buyer should confirm the contract and supplier evidence; the importer and broker should confirm entry and record responsibilities; a qualified reviewer should check product claims; and the seller should confirm the current Amazon workflow. For a shipment-specific review, send the product family, supplier role, destination, ready date, purchase order and carton data through the North America inbound plan request.

Frequently asked questions

What should I verify before approving a supplier for FBA?

Check the contracting entity and role, product and SKU identity, approved sample, production evidence, final carton data, and exception owner. Reconcile them with the purchase order and live inbound plan. Documents are evidence to verify, not proof of compliance or guaranteed warehouse acceptance.

Does a supplier certificate prove that a product is compliant?

No. Match issuer, model, revision, sample and scope to the actual product, then confirm applicable requirements with the responsible agency or qualified adviser. A supplier certificate is not universal approval.

Can the supplier act as the importer of record?

Do not infer importer status from export capability or a delivered quote. Name the legal importer and have that party and its broker confirm authority, entry data, duties, taxes and record responsibilities.

How many supplier scorecard points are enough?

The six-group 0–2 score is an internal screening aid, not an industry standard or validated risk model. A high total cannot offset false identity, contradictory product records or a request to misstate origin or value.

What if a supplier will not identify the factory or exporter?

Pause approval until you know which entity contracts, produces, exports and receives payment. A trader may be legitimate, but its relationship to those parties should be documented and independently checked.

Should I release cargo based only on a promised ready date?

No. Confirm production completion, approved specifications, carton counts, shipment references, importer readiness and receiving path. An estimate is not proof of customs release, appointment or sellable inventory.

Official sources and review notes

Reviewed: 18 October 2026. Change log: Material refresh added a dated evidence-request matrix, capacity and subcontracting checks, sample-to-production change control and evidence-based exception closure; five primary sources were reopened on the review date. Review again when the product, importer, destination, supplier role or Amazon workflow changes.