Factory or trader: how to tell in one video call
Factory or trader: five questions in one call so you do not buy someone else's machine with a warranty that does not exist. Everyone writes 'we are factory'.
The rule is simple: a factory lives in the physical world — it has a floor, engineers and a warehouse that can be shown in a minute. A middleman lives in a catalogue. All five questions strike exactly at that difference.
“Show the floor now, from your phone”
Not a recorded tour — a live camera: here is the line, here is today's shift. A factory does it slightly puzzled; a trader starts negotiating “next week”.
“Bring an engineer in for five minutes”
One technical question about your task — and the person who builds the machine answers instantly. A middleman has no engineer; he has “I'll forward it to colleagues”.
“The serial of that machine in your warehouse”
Ask to see one specific unit with its nameplate in frame. A manufacturer's stock is in the next building; a trader has a photo from someone else's WeChat.
“Who receives the money on the invoice?”
Compare the invoice name with the factory name. A mismatch is not a verdict, but it must come with a clear written explanation.
“Can we send third-party inspection at our cost?”
Agreement is the norm. Refusing an inspection that you are paying for answers all the previous questions at once.
“OEM/ODM factory” in an account name means exactly nothing. A camera into the workshop means everything.
Takeaway
A trader is not evil. A trader without service is a risk
For consumables and simple items a middleman can be convenient. But a machine with a battery, firmware and a warranty needs someone who will answer a year later — either a factory with an export department, or an integrator with its own service infrastructure. Which one is in front of you now takes a single call to find out.
The full market map is in the buyer's guide
Four types of players, how each makes money, and which questions to ask whom. For the short path — the two-minute audit suggests the right format for your task.
Want to map this onto your site?
The two-minute audit suggests the right format — catalog, package or custom project. Or write to us directly: the conversation starts with your numbers, not a slide deck.