Every rating on SupplyRank comes from the same documented process. No supplier can buy a score, improve a score with money, or pay to remove a review. This page explains exactly how a number ends up on a profile — so you can decide how much weight to give it.
What a rating is based on
A supplier’s overall score is a weighted blend of five dimensions. We publish the weights so you can see what moves the number:
- Legitimacy & verifiability (30%) — company registration, physical address that exists, working phone line, domain history, and whether the supplier asks for a resale certificate (legitimate wholesalers must).
- Terms transparency (25%) — are MOQs, payment methods, shipping terms and returns published or at least stated clearly on request? Hidden terms cost points.
- Documentation quality (20%) — whether invoices identify the buyer’s legal entity and itemize products by UPC/model: the standard that survives marketplace verification.
- Fulfillment & communication (15%) — response speed, order accuracy and dispute handling, drawn from verified buyer reviews and our own test contacts.
- Track record (10%) — years in operation, consistency of the catalogue, and complaint patterns found in public sources.
Where the data comes from
Three sources feed every profile: primary-source research (we open every dealer portal, price list and policy page ourselves — the method described in How we verify), verified buyer reviews that pass our review rules, and direct supplier input when a company claims its profile and documents its terms.
What ratings are NOT
- Not advertising. Suppliers cannot pay for placement, a better score, or removal of criticism — see our editorial policy.
- Not a guarantee. A high score means the channel checked out at the time of research; terms and stock change, so always confirm current conditions in writing before wiring money.
- Not permanent. Profiles are re-verified on a rolling basis, and any documented fact correction from a supplier is applied same-day with a “last verified” date update.
Rating scale
- 4.5–5.0 — verified legitimate channel with transparent terms and clean documentation.
- 3.5–4.4 — legitimate, with gaps: unpublished terms, slow communication, or limited documentation.
- 2.5–3.4 — usable with caution; significant transparency or fulfillment concerns.
- Below 2.5 — we found serious problems: unverifiable identity, bait pricing, or documentation that fails marketplace checks.
Questions about a specific score, or facts we got wrong? Write to [email protected] — documented corrections are processed the same day.