How to verify a company before buying a wholesale lot?
Practical checks of company registration, EU VAT, authorised representatives and bank accounts before the first B2B payment.
Checking a business partner cannot fully guarantee a successful transaction, but it helps identify inconsistencies quickly. Compare several independent sources rather than relying solely on a website or a document you have received.
Start with the official register
Check a Polish sole trader in CEIDG and companies or other registered entities in KRS. Compare the full name, tax number (NIP), address, business status and authorised representatives.
A register entry confirms that an entity exists, but does not confirm the quality of its goods or the integrity of a particular transaction.
- full company name and legal form
- tax, statistical or registration number (NIP, REGON)
- address and business status
- authorised representatives
Verify domestic and EU VAT status
For a domestic Polish transaction, check the taxpayer’s status and account on the VAT whitelist. For trade within the EU, use VIES. The European Commission explains that VIES obtains information from national databases and may return a valid or invalid result.
Keep dated proof of verification. If VIES does not confirm the number, ask the business partner for clarification and avoid premature conclusions: registration for EU transactions may not yet be active.
- VAT status on the payment date
- matching name and address
- active EU VAT number
- proof of verification
Compare the bank account and sales document
The details on the invoice, contract, bank account and register should be consistent. Pay particular attention to requests to transfer money to a private account, another company’s account or an account sent only in a message without explanation.
Confirm any account change through a second contact channel, preferably with an authorised company representative.
- the same seller on the invoice and bank account
- matching currency and payment reference
- clear deposit or advance-payment terms
- confirmed changes to details
Check actual business activity
Website history, official profiles, regular activity, a warehouse and the option of a video call help assess whether a company actually conducts its declared business. A single social media profile should not be the only evidence.
Request a call from the warehouse showing the offered lot together with a previously agreed identifier, such as a lot number or the current date.
- official domain and company email
- consistent contact details
- actual photographs or a live warehouse stream
- business and delivery history
Document the arrangements
Before paying, record the lot specification, quantity, grade, price, collection location, transport terms and manifest information. Summarise telephone agreements by email.
If the transaction value is high or the terms are unusual, consult an accountant or lawyer familiar with B2B trade about the contract.
- lot specification and photographs
- payment and collection terms
- responsibility for transport
- B2B complaint rules
Compare available lots
Check the parameters of a specific lot.