China factory visit checklist: what to check before, during and after

Why a factory visit is different from a trade-fair booth

At a trade fair you meet a salesperson, a sample table and a catalogue. At a factory you can see machines, storage, packing and the people who do the work. That difference is the whole point of going. A visit lets you test whether the claims made by email match what is physically in the building.

It is also a short visit. Most buyers see a meeting room, a walk-through of the production floor and perhaps lunch. So the preparation matters more than the hours you spend there. Decide in advance what you must leave knowing, and write it down.

Before you book: confirm who and where

Many listings online belong to trading companies rather than the factory itself. That is not automatically a problem, but you should know which one you are dealing with, because it changes who controls quality, lead time and changes to the order. Ask directly: do you own the production line, or do you subcontract part of it?

• Ask for the full legal company name in Chinese and English, and the registered address.
• Check that name on an official company registry or through a verification service you trust, and compare the address with the one on your invitation.
• Confirm the factory address as a separate item from the office address; they are often in different districts or even different cities.
• Get the name and mobile contact of the person who will meet you, and a back-up contact.
• Send a short written agenda and ask them to confirm it: who you will meet, which lines you will see, and whether you may take photos.

What to carry

Keep this short and practical. You will be walking, standing and sometimes climbing stairs, and you will be handed things to look at.

• Passport, plus a photo of it saved offline, and the invitation or address details in Chinese characters for taxi drivers.
• Business cards, ideally with Chinese on the reverse, and a small supply of printed spec sheets for your product.
• A notebook and pen, because a dead phone battery should not end your record of the visit.
• A tape measure, a small scale or any simple gauge relevant to your product, if you are allowed to use it.
• Comfortable closed shoes, and a power bank. Some floors require closed footwear and there may be no sockets for visitors.
• Any company-issued entry letter, and your own sample or reference product if you want to compare.

Questions to ask on the production floor

Use the table as a prompt, not a script. Keep your tone curious, not accusing. People answer more openly when they feel you want to understand the process, and you can learn a lot from what they hesitate over.

Samples, photos and notes

Memory fades quickly after a day of meetings, so record while you are still in the room. Ask before photographing: some factories restrict cameras for customer confidentiality, and ignoring that request can end the visit early.

1. 1Write down the date and placeStart each page with the date, the factory name and the people present.
2. 2Ask before photographingAsk which areas you may photograph, and do not include other customers' products or papers in a frame.
3. 3Label every sampleAsk the factory to mark each sample with a reference and sign or stamp the tag, so it can be compared with the later bulk order.
4. 4Summarise in the carSpend ten minutes after leaving to note what you saw, what was promised and what remains unclear.

Etiquette, safety and communication

Follow the safety instructions you are given on the floor: stay on marked walkways, wear any protective equipment offered and do not touch moving machinery. If you need an interpreter, arrange one yourself or confirm in writing who provides one, since the supplier's own interpreter will naturally speak for the supplier.

• Arrive on time; being late is noticed and sets the tone.
• Accept tea or a meal politely, but keep serious business questions for the meeting room.
• Do not promise an order during the visit. Say you will confirm after reviewing your notes.
• Keep a copy of the visitor registration or badge, if one is issued.

Getting there and staying connected

Factories are often in industrial districts outside the city centre, so plan the journey. Save the address in Chinese characters, share your location with someone you trust, and agree a pick-up or return arrangement with your host. Ride-hailing and map apps depend on a working data connection, and foreign apps may be blocked on local mobile networks unless your plan routes data abroad. Whether a given app opens depends on the plan, so test it before you leave Thailand rather than at the factory gate.

An eSIM installed before departure gives you data on arrival without hunting for a SIM shop, and it lets you keep your Thai SIM for SMS and bank codes. Treat it as one practical option, and keep an offline map and a screenshot of the address as a backup.

After the visit: follow up in writing

Within a day or two, send a short email that restates what you saw and what was agreed. Include the factory name, date, people present, sample references, open questions and the next step. If something you were told on site does not appear in writing from the supplier, ask for it to be confirmed in writing before you take any decision.

See eSIM options for China