From our sourcing work, the same failures recur on China orders. Each one has a control that closes it.
1. The hidden margin in an "all-in" price
A single bundled number hides where the money goes. **Control:** demand a decomposed quotation — ex-works price, inland freight, ocean freight, duty, clearing — itemised.
2. The sample that isn't the shipment
The golden sample is perfect; the container is not. **Control:** independent pre-shipment inspection with photo and video before the balance is paid.
3. Payment before verification
Full payment up front removes every incentive to perform. **Control:** staged release against inspection milestones, not a lump sum on proforma.
4. The unverified supplier
A slick website is not a factory. **Control:** verify the supplier — registration, capacity, references — before the first naira moves.
5. Landed cost discovered at the port
Duty and clearing surprises turn a good price into a loss. **Control:** get landed cost in writing before you order, not after the vessel arrives.
The pattern
Every one of these is a control that a disciplined counterparty builds in by default. On the Melius model the risk sits on our book, not yours — so these controls are not optional extras we sell you, they are how we protect our own position.