Look for the green “Verified Supplier” badge on the supplier’s profile. Verified suppliers have passed WholesaleUp™’s pre-listing checks which confirm a valid company registration and a professional business presence. While verification is a strong positive signal, it’s one factor among many — always do your own due diligence too.

A trustworthy supplier will have a complete profile with their company registration number, physical address, years in business, and product categories. Check how long they’ve been on WholesaleUp™ — suppliers with a longer track record have more history for you to evaluate.

Look at the number of active deal listings. Suppliers who regularly update their inventory tend to be more active and responsive.

Search for the company outside of WholesaleUp™. Check their website, look up their company registration number with the relevant national registry, and search for third-party reviews or mentions. A legitimate supplier should have an active web presence beyond their WholesaleUp™ listing.

Each supplier profile has a Review tab that surfaces a reputation summary compiled from external review sites, forums, and public feedback. It shows an overall score, the number of sources aggregated, a plain-English summary, per-dimension scores (e.g. communication, product quality, delivery reliability), and short highlights and cautions pulled from the sources. The Review tab is visible to Premium+ buyers and Supplier Pro members. Pay attention to patterns — one caution might be an outlier, but repeated complaints on the same dimension are a clear warning. Member-submitted reviews are a planned feature and not live yet.

Send an enquiry before committing to an order. A good supplier responds promptly (within 24–48 hours), answers your questions directly, and provides clear terms. Watch for these positive signals: professional language, willingness to provide references, transparency about product conditions, and clear payment/shipping terms.

Before placing a large order, negotiate a smaller test order to verify product quality, packaging, delivery time, and accuracy. Many suppliers are willing to accept a smaller initial order when they understand it’s to establish a long-term relationship.

When the test order arrives, check the product against the listing description, verify the quantity, inspect packaging condition, and note the actual delivery time versus what was promised.

Before finalizing any order, make sure pricing, MOQ, payment terms, delivery timelines, return policies, and warranty details are all confirmed in writing via the messaging system. This protects both parties and creates a reference point if any disputes arise.