Suppliers sharing an address, phone or email
Shared addresses or contacts are review leads, not proof that suppliers are controlled by the same person. Check whether the complete fields match, whether personnel and ownership overlap, and whether the same details appear in quotations and contracts.
Separate exact matches from similar values
An identical room number is different from the same building or industrial park. Normalise the address and preserve the original registry text.
- Exact address, phone and email.
- Nearby floors or units.
- Same registered agent or park.
Check for corroborating links
A contact match is more significant when it combines with shared shareholders, officers or bank information.
- Cross-appointed directors or supervisors.
- Common ownership paths.
- Same quotation contact or payment beneficiary.
Avoid over-reading the result
Accounting firms, registration agents and shared offices can create legitimate duplicates. Document the explanation and keep the lead labelled as unresolved when evidence is incomplete.
Frequently asked questions
Are shared addresses common in China?
Yes, especially in business parks and serviced offices. The address must be interpreted with other evidence.
Should I reject a supplier with a shared phone number?
No. Ask for an explanation and verify the corporate relationship before making a decision.
Supplier Relationship Check Results are due-diligence leads, not findings of wrongdoing. Name-based matches are marked for manual verification and should be checked against source records.
Run a supplier checkSources: Chinese business-registration public fields · Supplier quotations, contracts and correspondence
Results are due-diligence leads, not findings of wrongdoing. Name-based matches are marked for manual verification and should be checked against source records.