Can I verify your company legally before paying?
Yes, you can and should verify Apex Home Export before paying anything. We are a registered trading company based in Guangzhou, China, working B2B only across 8 appliance categories, and we expect buyers in Lagos, Tema, Mombasa, Umm Qasr, and Manila to check our paperwork, our bank account name, and our factory network before any deposit moves. A supplier who resists verification is the real risk, not the verification itself.
Why this concern is real
Import fraud in the used and OEM appliance trade usually follows the same pattern: a "supplier" sends attractive photos of twin tub washers or portable AC units, quotes FOB prices close to market rate, then asks for 100% payment upfront to a personal account or a company name that does not match the contract. The buyer pays, the container never loads, and there is no legal entity to chase. Nigerian and Ghanaian importers report this most often on used refrigeration and used AC equipment - categories we do not even trade, precisely because grading and title on those units is hardest to verify from overseas.
How it actually works
Legitimate Chinese export trading companies carry a business license, a customs export registration, and a corporate bank account that matches the entity name on every contract. A serious buyer checks three things before wiring money: 1) does the company name on the Proforma Invoice (PI) match the company name on the bank account, 2) does the company have a traceable factory or sourcing network behind it, not just a WeChat catalog, and 3) does the payment structure protect the buyer if the goods are wrong or the container is under-loaded. Full prepayment with no video or inspection step is the single biggest red flag in this trade lane, whether you are importing to Umm Qasr on the UAE payment corridor or to Manila.
How we handle it at Apex Home Export
We built our process so you never have to trust us blindly. Here is what happens, in order:
- We work with 184 pre-scanned Chinese factories, one verified A-list supplier per category, covering twin tubs, microwaves, blenders, water heaters, solar fans, and portable AC among our 8 categories - we can name the supplier and factory city relevant to your order.
- Every used unit passes a 27-point bench test with the serial number logged before it is offered to you, graded A (up to 3 years, 90-day warranty), B (up to 5 years, 30-day warranty), or C (tested working, as-is).
- Payment is split: 30% USD T/T deposit to open production, 70% only after you receive the Bill of Lading copy plus a loading and run-test video - balance is never released blind.
- Bank details are confirmed on a signed PI and on a recorded video call, and the account name must match the exact contract entity name - if it does not match, do not pay.
- You are free to hire SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek for third-party inspection at your own cost before the 70% balance goes out.
What you should do before you pay
- Ask for our business license and export registration number and cross-check the name against the bank account you are wiring to.
- Confirm the PI lists the exact FOB price band for your item - for example twin tub grade B used units run $48-68 FOB, portable AC new units run $105-140 FOB - and matches your freight lane cost estimate.
- Request the 27-point test report and serial number log for any used units before shipment, not after.
- Insist on the loading and run-test video before releasing the 70% balance - never pay the remainder on promises alone.
- If the order value justifies it, book SGS, Bureau Veritas, or Intertek inspection and pay their fee directly, not through the supplier.
Bottom line: a supplier that shows you factory names, serial numbers, and a video before balance has nothing to hide, and neither do we. Message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/8619905922526 and ask for our registration documents before you send a single dollar.