TVG Editorial Team 
Hiring the wrong vendor costs more than money. It costs time, reputation, and the opportunity to have worked with someone who could have delivered. The challenge is that unqualified vendors have gotten remarkably good at looking qualified. Here are five warning signs to watch for.
1. No Verifiable Third-Party Recognition
If a vendor’s only proof of quality is their own website copy, that’s a problem. Look for independent credentials, third-party evaluations, or recognition from organizations that don’t profit from promoting the vendor. Self-awarded badges and internally generated “awards” carry zero weight.
2. Vague or Absent Case Studies
Professional vendors document their wins. If a vendor can’t provide specific examples of past work, measurable outcomes, or references from verifiable clients, they’re either too new to have a track record or actively avoiding scrutiny.
3. Inconsistent Online Presence
Check whether the vendor’s stated policies match their observable practices. Do they claim “24/7 support” but take days to respond to inquiries? Do they list qualifications that can’t be verified? Inconsistency between what’s promised and what’s observable is a reliable indicator of future problems.
4. Aggressive Discounting Without Explanation
Vendors who immediately undercut competitors without explaining how they’ll deliver the same quality at a lower price are often cutting corners you can’t see until it’s too late. Professional vendors price their work based on the value they deliver, not the desperation they feel.
5. Resistance to Transparency
Ask about their process, their team, their methodology. Vendors who deflect, generalize, or become defensive when asked straightforward questions are telling you something. Trustworthy vendors welcome scrutiny because they know they’ll pass it.
What to Look for Instead
The strongest signal of a trustworthy vendor is independent, third-party recognition earned through structured evaluation. Not popularity. Not advertising spend. Not business size. Look for vendors who’ve been willing to submit themselves to an objective review and come out with a credential that means something.
