Supplier due diligence
A supplier scorecard is useful only when it records evidence instead of confidence. Review the business, exact product, commercial scope, sample, delivery controls and repeat-order process separately, then keep unresolved items visible before approval.
Direct answer
Evaluate a wholesale supplier across six areas: business identity, exact product evidence, quote completeness, sample and quality controls, delivery responsibility, and repeat-order consistency. Mark each item verified, unresolved or not applicable. Do not convert missing evidence into a passing score, and use a controlled first order before expanding volume.
Use this before requesting a quotation
Record the legal business name, trading name, address, website, business email, invoicing entity and payment recipient. Investigate unexplained differences before payment. A document is useful only when its issuer, scope, date and connection to the transaction are clear.
Tie photographs, specifications, test reports, certificates, packaging and sample results to one product reference and variation. Note model, material, color, dimensions or configuration only when the evidence supports them. Similar-looking products are not interchangeable evidence.
Check product reference, quantity, unit basis, packaging, setup, sample, inspection, payment, preparation time, quote validity and shipping scope. Separate included, excluded and unknown costs. A clean comparison requires the same commercial question for every supplier.
Write the sample version, date, reviewer and intended retail use. Record observable results and any failed acceptance point. Keep reference images or measurements where appropriate. Do not replace category-specific testing or professional review with a visual inspection.
Ask how the approved reference is carried into the order, how substitutions are handled and which inspection or packing records will exist before dispatch. Require written approval for changes to product, materials, components, color, branding, packaging or quantity mix.
Separate preparation, packing, dispatch, freight, customs and final delivery. Record which party owns each stage and which dates are estimates. Confirm the event that starts preparation and the update process when a date or route changes.
Review whether answers are complete, consistent and linked to the written reference. Ask how shortages, defects, transit damage or document corrections are reported. A clear escalation path matters more than a promise that problems never happen.
Confirm how product versions, prior approvals, pricing and packaging are revalidated for a reorder. Record which performance facts will be reviewed after the first purchase. Keep an alternative plan when the product, evidence, cost or timing no longer meets the business need.
Reusable buyer brief
Supplier legal and trading names: Quotation and exact product reference: Reviewer and review date: Business and payment identity — verified / unresolved / failed: Product identity and evidence — verified / unresolved / failed: Quote scope and total-cost inputs — verified / unresolved / failed: Sample and acceptance checks — verified / unresolved / failed: Quality and change control — verified / unresolved / failed: Lead time and delivery ownership — verified / unresolved / failed: Communication and issue process — verified / unresolved / failed: Repeat-order controls — verified / unresolved / failed: Essential requirement failures: Open actions, owner and due date: Decision — approve / conditional / stop:
Fill only the details relevant to your request
Before you send the request
Use criteria tied to the exact order: identity, product evidence, quote completeness, sample results, quality controls, timing, delivery ownership, communication and repeat-order fit. Add category-specific compliance or testing criteria when relevant.
No. Essential requirements should be explicit gates rather than diluted by a total score. Optional commercial preferences can be weighted, but a critical identity, safety, legal or product mismatch should remain visible.
Review after a material product, entity, payment, packaging, route or document change; after the first order; and before relying on an old approval for a new reorder. Recheck evidence whose scope or validity has changed.
A sample can support product review, but it does not prove every unit, delivery or future order will match. Supplier approval should also cover the order reference, production or sourcing controls, inspection plan, documents and commercial responsibilities.
Keep the request specific
Use verified, unresolved, not applicable and failed as separate states. A conditionally approved supplier should have named actions, owners and deadlines. A total score must never hide a failed requirement that is essential for the product, destination or retail use.
Send this checklist on WhatsAppEditorial method
MINJI's scorecard separates evidence status from commercial preference. It treats essential product, identity and transaction requirements as visible gates, then uses sample and first-order outcomes as new evidence. The checklist stays generic because required documents and compliance checks vary by product and destination.
Ready with the key details
Send the product reference, estimated quantity and destination so the conversation starts with useful context.
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