Ask these ten questions before you approve the order
Before a first auto-parts order, ask questions that connect the supplier’s quote to the exact parts, quality evidence, production plan and payment destination. The ten questions below are a practical minimum:
1. Which OEM references and vehicle applications have you confirmed? 2. Which lines remain conditional or unresolved? 3. Who manufactures each product, and who is the contracting company? 4. What certification or test evidence applies to each relevant SKU? 5. What is the MOQ and carton multiple for every line? 6. Can I inspect a paid sample, and is its cost credited to the bulk order? 7. What are the production lead time and the milestones that start it? 8. What packaging, markings, carton dimensions and gross weights will be used? 9. What exactly do the Incoterm, price and payment terms include? 10. How will production be inspected and discrepancies handled before shipment?
A supplier should answer these in the quotation or linked documents. Verbal assurances are difficult to reconcile when the order contains many SKUs.
Questions 1–2: Is the fitment actually confirmed?
Send OEM numbers, model, year, engine, transmission, market, VIN or EPC context and photos where available. Ask the supplier to return your original reference beside its proposed part number and application. A clean response distinguishes confirmed, conditional and unresolved lines.
“Fits Chery” or “same as Jetour” is not enough. One public model can have different generations, axles, engines, connectors or market configurations. Ask what evidence supports the match and what information is still missing. Remove unresolved lines from the purchase order or keep them clearly blocked until the VIN, number, dimension or sample resolves the question.
Preserve the answer in a master sheet. That sheet becomes the basis for inspection, repeat ordering and any later wrong-part investigation.
Questions 3–4: Who supplies it, and what evidence applies?
The contract entity, payment beneficiary, exporter and manufacturer may not always be the same company. Ask for the legal names and relationships. Trading companies can provide useful consolidation and catalogue work, but the buyer should know which entity is responsible for the transaction and where the goods originate.
PartSail lists IATF 16949:2016, ECE R90, ISO 9001:2015 and CE among available certifications. Do not treat that list as proof that every item has every certificate. Request documents relevant to the exact product and target market. Check holder name, issuing body, number, scope, validity, site and any application annex.
A management-system certificate is different from a product approval. Ask the importer or compliance adviser to confirm current destination requirements rather than relying on a supplier brochure.
Questions 5–7: What quantity and schedule are realistic?
PartSail states an MOQ negotiable from 100–200 sets per SKU and support for mixed containers. Ask for the exact MOQ and carton multiple by line. “Mixed container supported” means SKUs can be consolidated; it does not guarantee identical minimums or readiness dates.
Paid samples are available according to PartSail, with sample cost refundable against bulk orders. Confirm the sample price, freight, refund condition and which later invoice receives the credit. Use the sample to check identity, dimensions, connectors, visible workmanship, marking and packaging. It cannot prove every production unit, so retain it as an inspection reference.
PartSail’s stated lead time is 15–35 days depending on quantity and customization. Ask what event starts the agreed schedule: deposit, final list confirmation, sample approval or artwork approval. Then request milestones for production completion, inspection and cargo handover. International transit and destination clearance are separate.
Questions 8–9: What will be packed, charged and delivered?
Request packaging type, units per carton, carton dimensions, gross and net weight, barcode, product marking and outer-carton mark. For custom branding, approve artwork before mass printing. Packaging data affects freight and container planning, while labels connect the shipment to your SKU records.
Read the quotation line by line. It should state currency, unit basis, quantities, price, Incoterm, named place, validity, payment schedule, tooling or packaging charges and whether freight is included. An Incoterm allocates defined tasks and costs, but it does not replace a complete commercial description. Ask your forwarder to identify origin, freight and destination charges outside the supplier’s price.
Verify that the beneficiary matches the contracting arrangement. Confirm any bank-detail change through a previously verified channel before sending money.
Question 10: How will the batch be controlled?
Agree on an inspection plan before production. Typical checks include SKU, OEM reference, quantity, carton count, marking, packaging, visible workmanship and critical dimensions. For mixed orders, reconcile every line with the final packing list. For certification-sensitive products, compare required product markings and references with the approval record.
Ask what happens if inspection finds shortages, substitutions, wrong labeling or failed measurements. The answer should state how findings are documented, who authorizes rework or replacement and whether cargo release waits for resolution. Avoid vague promises that every future claim will simply be refunded.
After approval, combine the final answers into one order file: fitment sheet, quotation, samples, certificates, artwork, production schedule, inspection criteria, invoice and packing list. These ten questions do not make a first order risk-free. They ensure that identity, capability, compliance, MOQ, schedule, packaging, cost, payment and inspection are explicit before the buyer commits.