What foreign buyers check before they reply to an Indian exporter
Is the company real and active?
The first check is identity. The buyer searches your company name and looks for a Google listing that is verified, with an address, opening hours, real photos and a phone number that is answered. An unclaimed listing shows "Own this business?" under the name, which tells them nobody from the company is looking after it.
Google verifies a business before the owner can manage the listing, and decides which verification method applies [1]. The business name on the listing should be the company's real-world name [2], the same one on your invoice and letterhead.
Does the company's own website show what it sells?
Next they look for your own site, not a directory page about you. They want to see the products you actually export, with the grades you sell. A home page that says "leading manufacturer, supplier and exporter of quality products" tells them nothing they can use.
Are the specs they need written down?
For food and agro products, a buyer compares suppliers on specifications. For a dehydrated onion product that might be moisture, cut size and colour; for a spice, purity or a particular lab parameter. They also need packing and minimum order quantity. If these aren't published, they have to write and wait, and they may simply ask the next supplier.
| What they look for | Why it matters to them |
|---|---|
| Grade | Tells them whether you sell what their customer specified |
| Key specs you test for | Lets them compare you line by line with other suppliers |
| Packing | Affects their handling, storage and landed cost |
| MOQ | Tells them whether a trial order is possible |
| Certifications you hold | Some buyers can only purchase from certified suppliers |
Is there a spec sheet they can forward?
The person who receives your quotation is often not the only one who decides. They forward it to quality, purchasing or their own customer. A clean PDF spec sheet with your company details makes that easy. A photo of a page, or a promise to send it later, does not.
Can they reach someone quickly?
Finally, they check how to contact you. A WhatsApp button and an email that gets a complete answer the same day signal an organised exporter. A contact form with a reply "in 2 to 3 days" signals the opposite.
Before a first order: is the company registered, and does the facility exist?
The online check decides whether you get a reply. Before money moves, many buyers go one step further and ask for proof that the company and its facility are what they appear to be. Have these ready to send the same day:
- Your company's registration details, under the same name as your listing, invoice and letterhead.
- The export registrations that apply to your business, such as your IEC.
- A short, recent video of your factory or warehouse, showing products being packed and loaded.
- The name of a reference the buyer can contact, only with that reference's permission.
If you buy from processors rather than manufacture, show your own warehouse, sorting and packing. A buyer is checking that you control what ships, not that you own the fields.
What can you check yourself today?
- Search your company name on Google and Google Maps from a phone. Is the listing claimed, with today's details?
- Open your website. Can a stranger find grade, packing and MOQ for each product in under a minute?
- Ask a colleague to send a spec sheet. How long does it take, and what arrives?
- Message your own WhatsApp number from the website link. Does it work?
- Time how long it takes to send a buyer your registration details and a facility video.
Or take the 2-minute Buyer-Ready Score, which runs the same checks.
Sources
- Verify your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google, Google Business Profile Help
Checked 27 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.