Supplier vetting
How to Vet a Car Sunshade Supplier
Edited by LesomTech
A low unit price does not show whether a supplier can repeat the same shade, in the same material, to the same fit, on every order. Before comparing quotations, establish what the supplier actually makes and which evidence it can provide.
Send the same brief to every candidate: vehicle or dimensions, product style, quantity per style, branding, packaging, destination and required date. Written answers make differences visible, especially when one quote covers a single panel and another covers a vehicle set.
The questions below are a starting point, not a scorecard. Ask for documents and samples that support each answer, and keep the approved sample and quotation revision together.
1. Confirm what the factory actually makes
Ask which processes are performed in-house and which are subcontracted: cutting, sewing, frame forming, assembly, printing, packing and inspection. A supplier that sells sunshades but subcontracts the main operations has a different quality-control boundary from a factory that controls them.
Request a current factory tour video or a live video call at the production line, not only a catalogue or a showroom photo. If a visit is possible, ask to see the material store, cutting, assembly, inspection and packed-goods areas. LesomTech manufactures automotive sunshades in its own factory; the stated MOQ is 100 pieces per style, with sample quantities and costs agreed separately.
2. Ask for material, tooling and sample evidence
Ask for the proposed material grade, thickness or weight, colour reference and the test method behind any performance claim. “UV resistant”, “heat blocking” or “premium mesh” are not specifications. A test report is only relevant when it names the material, construction and test standard, and when the production material matches the approved sample.
Clarify who owns the tooling or pattern, how design changes are recorded, and how a revised vehicle or fitting becomes a new SKU. For a private-label project, ask how artwork, label text, packaging and instructions are approved. A sample photo is useful, but it does not replace checking the packed product, fittings and reverse side.
3. Agree inspection, packaging and shipping before the first order
Ask which inspection points apply: incoming material, in-process checks, final inspection and pre-shipment inspection. Agree the acceptance criteria, sample size and who signs the inspection record. If a third-party inspection is required, confirm who books it, when it happens and how the result affects shipment.
Confirm the quotation scope: product contents, sample cost, branding or development charges, packaging, Incoterms, lead time and destination. Ask what is excluded. A supplier that can explain the boundary of its quotation is easier to compare than one that gives a single landed-looking price.
10 questions to send before a quotation
- Which processes are in-house, and which are subcontracted?
- Can you share a current factory tour video or arrange a live line review?
- What material grade, thickness or weight do you propose, and what test method supports the claim?
- Who owns the tooling or pattern, and how are design changes controlled?
- What is the MOQ per style, and how are sample quantities and costs handled?
- What does the sample approval record include, and how is it linked to production?
- Which inspection points and acceptance criteria apply, and who signs the record?
- How will logo, labels, packaging and instructions be approved?
- What are the lead time, Incoterms and shipping scope, and what is excluded?
- Which certificates or test reports apply to this material and market, and what do they not cover?
Reference sources
100 pieces / style
What would you like to make?
Send a vehicle model, product reference or drawing. A clear brief is enough to start the conversation.