The questions buyers ask us most often — answered here so your first call can start further along.
How is Aarna Roots compensated?+
Commission or service-fee based, built transparently into agreed sourcing terms up front. We don't stack undisclosed margins on top of factory pricing — you see the same cost structure we negotiate on your behalf. See our Master Engagement Outline for the full commercial structure.
What's the difference between Aarna Roots and a trading company or agent?+
A trading company buys from a factory and resells to you, often without disclosing the factory relationship or true margin. We work as your buying office — representing your interests in sourcing, costing, quality and compliance, with the commercial model disclosed upfront.
What's your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?+
It depends entirely on category and factory — this is exactly what our Sourcing Readiness Diagnostic is built to answer. As a general shape: pilot orders under 500 units are workable in several categories, though MOQ realism versus factory capability is one of the things we screen for during vendor qualification.
Can I get samples before committing to a full order?+
Yes — sampling (fit, lab-dip, PP, size-set, TOP) is a standard stage in our development process, before costing is finalized and well before a production commitment.
How do I know your factories are legitimately audited?+
We disclose exact certification status (BSCI, SEDEX/SMETA, WRAP, or buyer-specific equivalents) per factory during vendor mapping, not as a blanket claim. Our Supplier Code of Conduct sets out the baseline standard every factory in our network is qualified against.
What happens if there's a quality issue after shipment?+
Our quality gates (raw material through final inspection) are designed to catch issues before shipment, not after. If something is still missed, escalation runs through named ownership on our team — not a generic support inbox — and corrective action is documented, not just promised.
How do you handle design and IP confidentiality?+
All buyer designs, tech packs and product development information are treated as confidential. We work under a Mutual NDA before detailed brief exchange — a starting template is available in our Resources vault.
Do you only work with large buyers, or can smaller D2C brands work with you too?+
Both. Our engagement models range from single Product Sourcing (lowest commitment) to a full End-to-End Buying Office. Many D2C and boutique brands start with a pilot order specifically to test the relationship before scaling.
Which markets do you currently serve?+
North America, UK & Europe, Middle East, and Australia/NZ, with client-facing presence in the USA, UK, Australia, China and Turkey alongside our India sourcing hubs.
How long does a typical pilot order take?+
It depends on category, volume and urgency — our Readiness Diagnostic gives an indicative lead-time band based on your specific brief in under two minutes.
Can I visit the factories myself?+
Yes — buyer factory visits are a normal part of due diligence, and we can help coordinate them as part of factory validation ahead of a pilot order.
What happens if a factory in your network fails an audit mid-relationship?+
Every category we manage carries at least one alternate qualified factory, not just a primary vendor — this is a deliberate part of how we manage supplier concentration risk, not an afterthought.
Still have a question we haven't covered?
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