In today’s time, who doesn’t know about Jack Ma or Ali baba? Even if someone wouldn’t know about Jack Ma, then they would certainly be knowing about Ali baba.com as this e-commerce platform has bridged the gaps between Chinese sellers/manufacturers and global buyers. Today Alibaba as a company has become one of the giants in the business industry, so much so that it is being projected that by 2023, the platform will have over 250 million customer accounts joint with it. Its popularity is impressive which is why in this Ali baba review, we are here to tell you how you can make your shopping experience safe, easy and worthwhile.
Let’s dive into the B2B wonderland, Alibaba.com
Founded in 1999 by Jack Ma along with other 17 co-founders, Alibaba is one of the largest retailers and e-commerce companies that gives a platform to over 240 countries importers and exporters to do business with each other. The business model of Alibaba is unlike other e-commerce platforms, as it allows customers to do bulk purchases through drop shipping partnerships which helps in reducing the issues of storing products. So, if you are someone who is just starting a business selling products, then stick with us till the end to see how Alibaba can help you in your business journey.
If you are looking for B2B online platforms for your business, then AliBaba is an ideal choice. Here you can avail varieties of products in a bulk quantity, get the services of white labeling, and also drop-ship the items directly. Here is a list of products that are available on the Alibaba.com platform.
1. Machinery/ Vehicle & Accessories |
2. Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances |
3. Apparel/ Fashion Accessories |
4. Lights & lighting/ Construction & Real Estate |
5. Home and Garden/ Furniture |
6. Fabric and Textile raw material |
7. Beauty and Personal Care/ Health and Medical |
8. Packaging and printing/ office and school supplies |
9. Electrical equipment and supplies |
10. Tools and hardware |
11. Electronic components / Telecommunication |
12. Sports and Entertainment/ toys and gifts |
13. Luggage and bags/ shoes and accessories |
14. Minerals/ Chemicals/ Rubber/ Plastic |
15. Agriculture/ food and beverages |
16. Energy/ Environment |
To see more of the products, visit the link to find your required product in the most affordable price and quality
Before you begin shopping at Alibaba.com, we would like to tell you that if you are looking to purchase single branded items then we would suggest AliExpress.com, a sister company of Alibaba, but if you are looking for bulk quantities, then Alibaba is an ideal platform to do so.
Look for your product
The website displays the list of products right at the beginning. You can either browse through the categories or search for your product directly. If you want to shortlist the products then you can add them to your list of favorites and then decide which product suits you more after exploring.
Alibaba helps you to explore the list of manufacturers for the required product so that customers can make a well-informed decision when it comes to the manufacturer, their services and experiences. Furthermore, if you want to streamline your exploration, then it would be wise to explore only the Gold Members. Once you have narrowed down 5-6 manufacturers that suit your requirements, you can send them a message regarding the same.
FYI- Alibaba wants you to establish long-term associations with the manufacturers listed on the platform, therefore it encourages you to do background verification? Due-diligence of the chosen supplier/manufacturer before sealing the deal so that your interests are protected. |
Brush up your negotiation skills as once you have sent out your requirements, you would be getting a response from the manufacturers. To check their offers, see the dashboard and check out the offers made by them. You can counter the offer through the messages and once both the parties have a meeting of the minds, then you can proceed with the final confirmation.
After looking through the various offers sent by the supplier/manufacturers, you can finally pin down which one you would like to do business with and then send up an agreement copy to them. Once all the formalities are signed, all you have to do is wait for your order to land at the doorstep.
In case all the above mentioned steps look too time-consuming for you then you can also use the AliSource tool as a way to find the right supplier/ manufacturer for you. The source tools work more like a reversed search where you can type in your interest for a specific product. After this, the tool will notify all the suppliers/manufacturers of your required product and then they shall send in their offer to you.
The only problem you may find with this tool is that you might be cramped with just too many offers. But, if that doesn’t bother you then you can use the AliSource tool and find the best deal and supplier/manufacturer for your business.
Before we tell you how Alibaba‘s dropshipping works, let’s find out what exactly is dropshipping?
Dropshipping
It is a form of retail business where the seller accepts the orders of customers without having the inventory available with them as then the seller would directly tell the manufacturer/ supplier of the product to deliver it to the doorstep of the customer.
Now talking about how Alibaba dropshipping works, here are a few things you must remember before opting for dropshipping with Alibaba-
So now that you have gone through how Alibaba shopping works as well as Alibaba dropshipping, it is time to see in this Alibaba review, whether Alibaba is legit and safe to be used for your business purpose?
Pros |
Cons |
If you are buying in bulk from the wholesale sellers then you would be getting relatively very low prices which means you can have larger profit margins |
Alibaba is a B2B marketplace. Therefore, every order has a minimum requirement limit |
You’ll never find the scarcity of options as there are over million products verified with Alibaba reviews that would help you to make an informed decision |
Legal actions can be faced if your products are the replica of another company or if you do not have the license for selling the original product |
To verify the supplier/manufacturers, Alibaba helps you with Alibaba trade assurance that shows every manufacturer’s status |
Photos of the products are subjected to variation therefore, it is required that you do the due diligence beforehand about the aesthetics and other functionalities of the products before ordering the bulk and dispatching it to your customers |
The control of packaging and shipping practices is under your control than the supplier/manufacturer |
Keep in mind that clothing sizes may differ from country to country therefore, be vigilant about the sizes you are placing |
Clear and easy transactions can be done through Alipay and Western Union Bank which helps you as well as the seller/manufacturer to have a track of records |
Refunds and returns can get tricky sometimes, therefore, it is suggested that while finalizing the deal with the supplier/manufacturer, make sure you both are clear on the terms of the returns and refunds |
The quality of products can be monitored by you before they reach the final destination |
The arrival and restocking of the products may take time therefore, keep the timeline in such a way that your customers do not have to deal with issues of delays |
You can also avail features like tracking your order, though this may vary from seller to seller |
Final TakeAway
If you are planning to start a business and you don’t want to or you can’t invest in having large warehouses or inventories, then Alibaba is going to solve a lot of problems for you. This ideal B2B marketplace is for everyone who desires to start a business venture without worrying about going completely bankrupt just to settle and kickstart the business.
Alibaba.com has opened the gates of China’s industries to the global business world so that someone sitting in the remotest corners of the USA too can start a business and deliver their items to global customers through Alibaba.com. Furthermore, to save people from getting scammed (there are some chances of encountering scammers too) the platform, Alibaba ensures safe business transactions through features like AliSource tools and Gold Members, which shall help you to narrow down genuine sellers and manufacturers. Furthermore, its dropshipping feature also enables many small-scale businesses as well as newbie business ventures to start their business without worrying about extra expenditures of large warehouses and inventory stock-ups.
Considering all the safety features and checks provided by Alibaba.com, this Alibaba.com review concludes with the suggestion that if you are planning to kickstart your business and are looking for B2B marketplace, then do not look further and simply visit the the link where you shall encounter the best of suppliers and manufacturers of China with whom you can start and sustain long term fruitful business associations.
So without wasting more time, kickstart your entrepreneurial journey with Alibaba.com today.
ALSO READ :
Top 15 Must Have Decor Products : Maison Du Monde Furniture Review