How I Found a Real Factory on Alibaba (After Almost Getting Scammed)

The first factory I trusted on Alibaba almost scammed me.

Everything looked legit — gold badge, trade assurance, polished profile. But the sample came from a completely different address. That’s when I realized I wasn’t dealing with a manufacturer at all — it was a middleman.

Here’s the 4-step checklist I use now to make sure a supplier is actually a real factory:

✅ Ask specific product questions — only a manufacturer can answer confidently
✅ Request a video call and ask them to walk you through the production floor
✅ Ask for a 5-second video with your name and today’s date on paper — no excuses
✅ Place a small test order and send it to someone you trust in the U.S.

These steps are simple — and they’ve saved me thousands.

💬 Drop “factory” in the comments if you want the exact message I send when I contact new suppliers.

📦 Follow for real-world importing tips — no fluff, no theory. Just what actually works from someone who’s doing it right now.

📘 Grab my full guide to importing: https://borysrasin.com/built-from-scratch