How a Quick Supplier Check Saved Our Client From a $150K Sourcing Pitfall in China
A €20M‑revenue family business was ready to place a $150K order in China after finding a “factory” on Facebook. We discovered it was actually an agent working with a minor manufacturer — and sourcing other products from the cheapest unknown suppliers, while adding a hefty commission. By connecting them directly to vetted, reliable factories, we cut costs instantly, eliminated risk, and delivered an immediate ROI on our service.
Emmanuel Carcassonne
8/19/20251 min read
A well-established, family-owned company generating around €20 million in annual revenue came to us with a clear objective: source high‑quality pre‑fabricated container houses from China. They had found what looked like the perfect supplier via a Facebook ad for a “factory” and were preparing to place an order worth $150,000.
Before making any commitments, they engaged us to verify the supplier. That one decision changed everything.
Our investigation revealed that the advertised “factory” was, in fact, an agent. While the agent had a partnership with a smaller‑scale container house manufacturer, they were far from specialised. For other products the client was interested in, the agent had sourced the cheapest possible suppliers thousands of kilometers away from their base — factories they had never even met — with no quality assurances and no long‑term relationship in place.
To make matters worse, the agent stood to pocket a hefty commission, inflating the overall cost without adding genuine value.
By acting before the deal was signed, we gave our client a clear, fact‑based assessment of the situation. We connected them directly to reputable, experienced manufacturers, guaranteeing better product quality and more competitive pricing.
The result? Instant savings, an immediate return on the cost of our mission, and the peace of mind that comes from dealing only with trusted, professional suppliers. On a $150K order, these savings were far from insignificant — and the operational risk avoided was even greater.
In international sourcing, appearances can be deceiving. The right local expertise can mean the difference between a costly misstep and a strategic, profitable deal.