I agree, online reviews are fickle. All in all verifying a new business it is
a slow, arduos procss but well worth it in the long run.

Your States website.

Google. I start off by searching on Google the company name. If the first few pages of Google results has unflattering comments about the company, that is a warning sign. If the search by comany name passes the test, i then search for 'company name review'. You can tell if the comments you see online is from a few customers that you should take with a grain of salt, or a consistent feedback for the company. Website. I then study the company website. The company website has become a necessary part of business today. Just like meeting someone for the first time, seeing a company website for the first time gives a lasting first impression. Beyond the visual, I also read the website contents. Some companies have very simple looking websites but very powerful content. I then check the site's Google PageRank, which basically is a rating for a website by Google. A zero is a warning sign. I also check the website on Web of Trust (WOT) to make sure it's a trustworthy. Referrals. I then talk to the company on the phone. I trust my instincts and if something is off, then I don't go ahead. I prefer someone who tries to understand my needs and does not use a lot of jargons or cliches. If they pass my gut feeling test, I then ask for other past and current customers that I can talk to. Visit. For important and long term relationships, I go visit the company's office. Just like you getting an idea how someone works by seeing their desk, seeing their physical location will give you an idea how the company works. Don't expect a law office style environment with expensive furniture. Just get a feeling if the office environment is positive were people can work effectively. Avoid. Avoid companies whos code of conduct conflicts with yours. Avoid companies who are litigation happy. Avoid companies with cash flow problems. Avoid companies who consistenly complain, even about companies and people who you consider reliable.

one standard practice is to make part of your terms of business that they agree to a credit check being carried out. no point working with someone who can't (or won't) pay their bills.

I Google the business, then I check the web site of the Better Business Bureau in the city in which the business is located. The chamber of commerce in the city where the business is located can also provide information. This provides general background information and can raise red flags before I continue discussions with a business. I turned down a business I was considering working with when I learned that the company had 19 complaints filed with the BBB. They had an explanation (slow turnaround time on some orders), but that was enough for me to refuse to do business with them.

I'd do a small project with the vendor, and look at the lessons learned afterwards. I am not sure other sources than trusted peers or your own expereince can help determining a good vendor.

One major drag on verifying a new online business is that many of the online reports are probably business generated by either a competitor trying to do harm, or a legitimate business trying to artificially increase ratings. Here is a great discussion on online reviews of local businesses blumenthals.com/blog/2010/03/16/responding-to-negative-reviews-the-real-audience-is-your-prospects/. ---This post was edited to remove a commercial link. Read our discussion policies for more Community best practices.

Choosing who to work with is a pretty crucial issue. Look for businesses that have been established for some time - at least a few years - and see if you can get trade references or testimonials from other customers.

In addition to what everyone else said, I start off slow. I keep orders or services to a minimum. Someone mentioned a credit check and that is a very good place to start too. Reviews online tend to be pretty fickle so I take them with a grain of salt unless it is with the BBB or some other industry organization.