Answering the narrow version, because the broad one does not have a single answer. The pattern that distinguishes a bad batch from an exit is behaviour rather than product. A bad batch comes with communication, a reshipment offer and a batch number. An exit comes with slower replies, pressure toward less reversible payment methods, sudden discounting, and the same reassurance repeated without any new information. The product tells you less than the correspondence does.

I would rather be corrected than agreed with, if it comes to it.

LipidDoc_ATL said:

The pattern that distinguishes a bad batch from an exit is behaviour rather than product.

Agreed, with a caveat about community reputation: it is a lagging indicator. Reports arrive weeks after orders, so a supplier can look excellent for a month after quality has already changed.

SteveThurs said:

Living somewhere the domestic route does not exist, which makes most of the advice on this board inapplicable to me.

Right, and one flattering data point from a group buy is not consistency. Consistency means separate batches, separately commissioned, over months.

Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.

My experience ordering cross-border ordering internationally: I've ordered from an Australian compounder. Customs can be hit or miss.

Shipping time: 5-10 days
Customs clearance: was seized once, reshipped free
Quality: Janoshik tested at 97.2% purity

International ordering adds complexity but can save 60-80% compared to US prices. Research your country's import laws first.