Frequently Asked Questions

Combinate is a platform that connects brands and product creators with manufacturing partners. We provide the tools for you to post quote requests, receive and compare bids, communicate securely, and manage projects — all in one place.

We provide the infrastructure for brands and factories to find each other and work together. Specifically:

• Discovery — Brands can search for factories by capability, location, and category. Factories can browse available quote requests.
• Quoting & Bidding — Brands post quote requests, and factories submit structured bids with pricing and timelines.
• Communication — Secure messaging, file sharing, and audio/video calls (plan-dependent) between matched users.
• Project Management — Once a bid is accepted, a project hub is created for collaboration, milestones, and file sharing.

Combinate is a facilitator, not a participant in your business arrangements. We do not:

• Vet, verify, or certify any user, factory, or brand
• Guarantee the quality, delivery, or outcome of any project
• Handle payments between brands and factories
• Act as a party to any contract or agreement between users
• Provide mediation or dispute resolution between users
• Inspect, test, or certify any manufactured goods
• Provide legal, financial, or professional advice

All agreements, payments, and quality decisions are made directly between you and the other party.

No. Profile information, certifications, and insurance details are self-reported by all users — both factories and brands. Combinate does not independently verify any claims made on user profiles.

We strongly recommend that you conduct your own due diligence before entering into any arrangement. This might include requesting references, verifying certifications independently, starting with a small trial order, or arranging a site visit.

1. Create your profile and choose a plan that suits your needs.
2. Post a Quote Request describing what you need manufactured, with specifications, files, and a deadline.
3. Receive and compare bids from factories. You can message factories to ask questions and compare bids side by side.
4. Accept a bid to create a project. This creates a shared workspace where you and the factory can collaborate.
5. Work together through the project hub — share files, track progress, and communicate securely.

No. Brand accounts cannot browse or search other creators' quote requests on Combinate. Brands only ever see their own quote requests.

Drafts are visible to you alone until you publish. After that, public visibility means eligible manufacturers on the platform can discover and respond to your brief — not other brands. Private or invite-only requests are limited to the manufacturers you choose.

1. Create your profile showcasing your capabilities, certifications, and capacity.
2. Browse quote requests from brands, or wait for invitations to private quotes.
3. Submit a bid with your pricing, lead time, and a description of how you'd approach the project.
4. If accepted, a project is created and you can start collaborating with the brand through the project hub.

When a brand accepts a bid:

• A project is created, linking the brand and factory together.
• Both parties get access to a project hub with messaging, file sharing, and milestone tracking.
• Other bids on the same quote request are automatically rejected and those factories are notified.
• The quote request is moved to "Bid Accepted" status.

From there, all further arrangements (contracts, payments, delivery schedules) are made directly between the brand and factory.

No. Combinate does not process, hold, or facilitate payments between brands and factories. Payment terms, methods, and schedules are agreed directly between you and the other party.

The only payments Combinate processes are for platform subscription plans, which give you access to Combinate's features.

Combinate does not provide contracts between users. We strongly recommend establishing your own written agreements covering scope, pricing, payment terms, delivery schedules, quality standards, and dispute resolution before starting work.

You can use Combinate's secure file sharing to exchange contracts, NDAs, and other documents.

Combinate is not a party to any agreement between users and does not mediate or resolve disputes between brands and factories. Any disagreements about quality, delivery, payments, or other matters need to be resolved directly between the parties involved.

We recommend including clear dispute resolution provisions in any written agreement you make.

Yes. While we don't mediate business disputes, we do take platform misuse seriously. If you believe a user is acting fraudulently, posting misleading information, or violating our Terms of Service, please contact us and we will investigate.

Yes. We offer a free plan that lets you create a profile, browse the platform, and get started. Paid plans unlock additional features like more active projects, advanced search, messaging, and file sharing. Visit our Pricing page for details.

We take data protection seriously. All communication is protected with TLS encryption in transit, and files are stored securely with access controls. We comply with UK GDPR.

Other brands and creators cannot browse or view your quote requests — each brand account only sees its own. Your visibility setting (public or private) controls which manufacturers can discover or access a published request, not other brands.

See our Privacy Policy for full details.