Most sourcing decisions are made on unit price and lead time, and most sourcing regrets are about neither. What follows is the list that surfaces the expensive surprises while they are still cheap to discover.
The product
- Rated output and minimum inlet pressure, per model, in writing.
- Ratio of delivered water to concentrate.
- Whether the range needs an electrical supply, and which models are the exceptions.
- Cartridge configuration, and the published service interval for each stage.
The paperwork
- Which certificates exist, for which exact models, valid until when.
- Whether those marks are recognised in your target market.
- Material safety documentation for anything in contact with drinking water.
- Who owns the tooling if the design is adapted for you.
The second year
- How long the cartridges for this generation will be produced.
- Warranty terms across a border, and who pays freight on a replacement.
- Minimum order quantity for spares, not just for units.
- What notice you get before a specification or a cartridge changes.
None of these needs a factory visit to ask. All of them are cheaper to answer before an order than after one, and a supplier who answers them precisely has told you most of what a visit would.
