Terms of Service

Last updated 8 November 2026 · Shenzhen Ruide Technology Co., Ltd. (深圳市锐德科技有限公司)

1. Who we are

MABABA (the “Service”, available at this domain and at sourcing-guide.com) is operated by Shenzhen Ruide Technology Co., Ltd. (深圳市锐德科技有限公司), a company registered in the People's Republic of China with its registered address at Unit 25A, Building 1-1, Zhonghai Kangcheng International, Qinghui Road, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518172, China (中文地址：广东省深圳市龙岗区清辉路中海康城国际1-1-25A).

Contact: [email protected].

2. What the Service is — and what it is not

The Service is an introduction and matchmaking service. In the terms of the PRC Civil Code (Article 961) it is an intermediary service: we report opportunities to conclude a contract, or provide the medium through which the parties conclude it, and we are remunerated for that. In EU terminology we are an online intermediation service within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2019/1150 and an information society service under Directive (EU) 2015/1535; for user-generated content (reviews, photographs, messages) we act as a hosting service.

Accordingly, and to be explicit:

• We are not a party to any sales contract, purchase order, letter of credit or agency agreement between a buyer and a manufacturer, and we have no authority to conclude, vary or terminate one on anyone's behalf.
• We are not a trading company or sourcing agent. We do not buy, own, take title to, store, insure, consolidate or ship goods. We do not handle payment for goods.
• We are not the employer, agent or principal of any inspector. Inspectors are independent professionals. They quote their own fees, contract directly with the buyer, and are paid directly by the buyer.
• We do not act as an employment agency, and we do not provide legal, tax, customs or product-certification advice.

3. Who may use the Service

The Service is for businesses acting in the course of trade (B2B): importers, brands, retailers, distributors, trading companies and manufacturers, and individual professionals offering inspection services. It is not intended for consumers, and the consumer-protection rules that apply to consumer contracts do not apply here.

You confirm that you have authority to bind the company you represent, and that the information you give us is accurate and current.

4. Buyers

• You are responsible for the accuracy of what you submit: quantities, specifications, target prices, delivery windows, and the factory or supplier you want us to approach.
• Before placing a production order you should satisfy yourself on the supplier's identity, capacity and certifications, and approve samples in writing. An inspection reduces risk; it does not remove it.
• You contract with the factory, and with the inspector, in your own name. Any dispute about goods, price, delivery or payment is between you and them.

5. Manufacturers and suppliers

• Information you ask us to publish (company profile, products, photographs, certificates) must be accurate, your own, and must not infringe third-party rights. You grant us a non-exclusive licence to host and display it for the purpose of promoting your products.
• You will not offer, and will not permit your staff to offer, money or any benefit to an inspector, or to anyone at MABABA, in connection with an inspection result. This is grounds for immediate removal from the Service.
• You will give inspectors safe and lawful access to your premises during agreed inspection windows.

6. Inspectors

• Inspectors are independent contractors. Nothing in these Terms creates employment, partnership or agency between an inspector and MABABA.
• An inspector must hold the experience and identity they claim, must declare any relationship with the factory being inspected (including any prior or current employment, or family relationship), and must decline an assignment where such a relationship exists.
• Inspectors must report what they actually observed. Fabricating a finding, omitting a known defect, or accepting any inducement from a factory is a material breach and results in permanent removal.
• Fees for inspection services are agreed between the inspector and the buyer. We do not set those fees, do not collect them, and do not take a share of them.

7. Inspection reports

7.1 What a report is

A report records what an inspector observed, at the factory and on the dates stated in it, on a sample of the goods. It is not a guarantee of the quality of a production batch, not a certificate of conformity for regulatory purposes, and not a substitute for laboratory testing. Sampling cannot detect every defect; a “pass” means the sample inspected met the stated criteria at that moment.

7.2 Issuing, versioning, re-checks

Every report carries a report number and a version. A re-check of the same assignment is issued as a new version of the same report (v2, v3 …), not as a new document, so that the history stays in one place. A re-check is a separate service: its fee is agreed between the buyer and the inspector, and we are not involved in setting or collecting it.

7.3 Factory copy and acknowledgement

Where we can reach the factory, we deliver a copy of the report to it for acknowledgement. The factory may sign to acknowledge receipt, or may decline and raise an objection. We do not adjudicate that objection — it is for the buyer and the factory to resolve between themselves. We keep a record of delivery, signature or objection, because that record is often what both sides need later.

7.4 Use of reports

The buyer may use a report internally and may share it with its own customers, insurers, carriers and the factory concerned. Reports are personal to the buyer and are delivered through an unlisted link; please do not publish that link publicly. We retain a copy for the period stated in our Privacy Policy so that we can answer questions about it later.

8. Reviews and other user content

• Reviews must reflect a genuine business experience with the party being reviewed. No incentive, no bulk posting, no competitor sabotage.
• Do not post personal data of individuals (home addresses, ID numbers, private phone numbers), obscene material, or content that infringes intellectual property or defames a party.
• We may hide or remove content that breaches this section, and will tell you why. Ratings from buyers about inspectors are shown publicly; feedback from inspectors about buyers is kept internal and is used only to protect other inspectors.
• If you believe content is unlawful, use our complaint channel. We aim to acknowledge within 2 business days and to reach an outcome within 10 business days.

9. Fees

Being introduced through MABABA is currently free for buyers and for manufacturers: we take no commission on goods and no share of inspection fees. If we introduce an optional paid feature — for example report archiving or third-party monitoring — the price and terms will be shown to you before you use it, and you will be asked to accept them then. Each party bears its own taxes and duties.

10. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

The Service is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We do not warrant that a manufacturer will perform, that an inspector's findings are complete, or that goods will meet any particular standard.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, and to the extent that liability may lawfully be limited:

• we are not liable for indirect or consequential loss, loss of profit, loss of business, loss of goodwill, or loss of anticipated savings;
• we are not liable for the acts or omissions of manufacturers, buyers or inspectors;
• our total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Service is limited to the greater of (a) the total fees you paid to us in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) CNY 1,000.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law. If you are established in a jurisdiction whose mandatory law gives you stronger rights than this section, that law prevails to the extent of the conflict.

11. Suspension and termination

You may stop using the Service at any time. We may suspend or terminate access — of a supplier, an inspector, or a buyer — if these Terms are breached, if we are required to by law, or if continuing would expose another user to a real risk. We will explain the reason unless we are legally prevented from doing so.

12. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be posted on this page with a new “last updated” date, and where we hold your email address we will notify you at least 30 days before they take effect. Continuing to use the Service after that date means you accept the updated Terms.

13. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the People's Republic of China (excluding its conflict-of-laws rules). The courts of Shenzhen, Guangdong, have exclusive jurisdiction, and either party may also bring a claim before a competent PRC arbitration institution. If you are established in the EU or the UK, this does not deprive you of the protection of mandatory provisions of the law of your country of establishment, as far as those provisions cannot be derogated from by agreement.

14. Miscellaneous

If any provision is held unenforceable, the rest remains in force. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, are the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service, and replace any prior understanding. Neither party is liable for delay caused by events beyond its reasonable control.

Questions about these Terms: [email protected]. Please also read our Privacy Policy and complaint procedure.