A systematic 20-point framework for auditing Chinese factories, covering quality systems, production capacity, compliance, financial health, and working conditions. Built from 8,000+ real factory audits across 30+ manufacturing regions.
A factory audit is the most effective way to verify a supplier's capabilities before placing a significant order. Unlike a simple video tour, a structured audit produces a documented, scorecard-based evaluation you can compare across suppliers.
A professional China factory audit follows a repeatable process, so you know exactly what you are paying for and what you will get back.
Share your shortlisted suppliers. Auditors pre-review business licenses, certifications, and export history the day before the visit.
A 2-4 hour visit covers the production floor, equipment, QC checkpoints, warehouse, and worker conditions, with photo evidence at every stage.
Capacity utilization, equipment condition, in-line QC points, and AQL practices are verified against the 20-point checklist.
You receive a scored report (20-100) with photos, findings, and red flags, comparable across all your suppliers.
Typical pricing is $150-$400 per auditor man-day, with most audits taking 1-2 auditor days. For the main manufacturing clusters - Shenzhen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou - travel is usually bundled into packaged rates. A full audit with report typically lands at $300-$800 per factory.
Rate each item 1-5 (1=non-compliant, 3=adequate, 5=excellent). Calculate total across all 20 items for a 20-100 score. Use our Factory Comparison Matrix to compare suppliers side by side.
A factory audit is a structured, on-site evaluation of a Chinese supplier's capabilities: legal status, production capacity, quality management system, workforce, and social compliance. Auditors check documents, walk the production floor, and produce a scored report you can compare across suppliers.
A typical China factory audit costs $150-$400 per auditor man-day, depending on region and complexity. Most audits take 1-2 auditor days. For the main manufacturing clusters (Shenzhen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou), travel is usually included in packaged pricing - a full audit with report typically lands at $300-$800 per factory.
The on-site visit usually takes 2-4 hours, covering document review, production line walkthrough, and QC system checks. A scored report with photo evidence is delivered within 48 hours of the visit.
A factory audit evaluates the supplier's overall capability - quality systems, capacity, compliance, financial health. A product inspection (such as pre-shipment AQL sampling) checks whether a specific batch of goods meets your specification. Serious importers use both: audit the factory before ordering, inspect the goods before shipping.
Yes, and it is strongly recommended. Auditing before ordering lets you verify the factory is real, has the equipment and capacity for your order, and can meet compliance requirements - before you commit deposits or tooling costs.
For small first orders, a full audit may be overkill, but a checklist-based verification (business license, video tour, client references, export license) is still worthwhile. The 20-point checklist on this page works for both a full on-site audit and a desktop pre-check.