With all the talk of the evil china supplier there is out there, I'd like to put some reality and reason behind these stereotypes. In my 7 years of China experience, having first lived in Beijing, now Shenzhen, I've found that there are more amazing and trustworthy people here than scammers. The problem is that many of those scammers figure out how to speak a bit of English and impose their will on people who would rather trust them then question them. Then those trustworthy people are taken advantage of and tell everyone about evil Chinese suppliers...fair enough.
The fact is if you look hard enough you will find fairly honest suppliers. But then there's another problem, that's communication. The nuances of our languages and cultures are different. Sometimes things we take for granted need to be spelled out in meticulous detail here. Our idea of common sense isn't exactly the same as what you find (or don't find) here. One of the keys to a successful working relationship with a decent Chinese supplier is being overly (to the point of sarcasm) detailed. The more detailed the better. Never forget that.
If you need help finding a 'decent' Chinese supplier there are a few companies who offer these verification services. The costs range from a few hundred dollars to several hundred dollars depending on the level of sophistication you require. When I search for China Supplier Verification in Google this is the
first result, but there are others out there with similar service you can find online.
In the first instance use one of these verification services then be sure to use detailed communication when placing your order. It's more than likely that at some point you'll feel like you're dealing with little children, but stick it out because when your order is delivered successfully you'll be happy.
Lastly, you need to consider the value of your shipment or long term business with a particular supplier before investing in verificiation services. If you're only placing a $200 order it's probably not worth it for you to hire a company to verify your supplier.
Regards,
Ben