A practical guide to buying abroad
How to check an overseas furniture manufacturer before ordering
A beautiful catalogue shows the furniture. To order, you also need to establish who enters into the transaction, manufactures the pieces and is responsible for the agreed terms.
In this guide
Start with the legal name
Request the company’s full name in its registration language, registration number and address. Check them against the offer, contract and an available official register in the country. The furniture brand and legal entity may have different names — ask how they are connected.
Clarify the company’s role
Ask whether your contact is a manufacturer, trading company or representative. Who will issue the invoice and sign the documents? Where are the chosen pieces made? Working through an intermediary is in itself acceptable; what matters is understanding the parties and their obligations.
Check production details
Request descriptions of materials, available finishes and technology, along with sample and production information. Photographs and a video call help clarify an offer but do not replace an agreed independent inspection. For a complex order, discuss samples and inspection in advance.
Ask for an unambiguous specification
An image alone is not enough. Record the model or drawing, dimensions, quantity, materials, colour, hardware and included components. For natural wood, clarify acceptable variations in grain and how a finish sample is approved.
Check the payment recipient
The recipient’s name should match the agreed documents or have a clear documented basis. If bank details change unexpectedly, pause payment and confirm them with your previously known contact through another agreed channel.
Establish what remains unconfirmed
List the outstanding questions: samples, timing, packaging, handover point, documents and the procedure for dealing with defects. Registry information helps verify a company but does not in itself confirm furniture quality or fulfilment of a future order.
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