A wide range of products available
Alibaba.com offers a variety of products, including popular and trending consumer goods.
Shipping fast and reliably
Alibaba.com offers ePacket sea, air, and landing shipping solutions with fair pricing, tracking information, on-time delivery, and fair pricing.
Just a few clicks to sync
In just a few clicks, add products to your shop and access supplier’s photos.
Alibaba B2B is the largest B2B marketplace in the world. The dropshipping app was created for global dropshippers. It’s now easier to import products from the Alibaba B2B marketplace to your store!
Easy sourcing
You can browse millions of products in many categories, including beauty, fashion and home, electronics, toys, and other household items.
Promotions & Discounts
Get the best factory deals with discounts and promotional offers.
Shipping Fast
Alibaba partners with major freight forwarders in order to offer ePacket sea, air, and landing shipping solutions with on-time delivery, tracking information, fair pricing, and fair pricing.
No hassle
In just a few mouse clicks, you can modify product descriptions and get product photos directly from suppliers. You can also manage pricing and logistics.
Shop & Pay with Confidence
Alibaba Trade Assurance covers all purchases if suppliers fail to meet the product quality or delivery schedule stated in the contract.
Keep in touch
Alibaba.com users can follow their favourite suppliers to keep up-to-date on new products and promotions.
Languages & currencies supported
Alibaba.com offers support for 16 languages as well as 140 additional local currencies.
You need to be able to partner with trustworthy, reliable suppliers if you want to establish a successful ecommerce company. Many businesses now look to China for the best deals, especially since international product sourcing is easier than ever.
It can be difficult to source products from other parts of the world. To succeed, you will need to be able to navigate time zones, language barriers, as well as unreliable suppliers.
How can you find the best dropshipping supplier for Alibaba?
This guide will teach you everything you need to start dropshipping with Alibaba.
- AliExpress and Alibaba: What is the difference?
- How do you vet Alibaba dropshipping suppliers?
- How do you find the best dropshipping suppliers for Alibaba?
Let’s start with the basics.
What is Alibaba?
Alibaba Group is the largest online ecommerce company worldwide and owns several Chinese online marketplaces including Alibaba.com and AliExpress.
Alibaba.com, which we will refer to as Alibaba’ here, is a great place to source products from overseas. Why? The platform is huge, so it’s possible to source almost any product through the service.
What is the difference between AliExpress and Alibaba?
Research dropshipping will likely lead you to a lot of information about AliExpress dropshipping. But what about Alibaba?
It is important to know that AliExpress and Alibaba are two different platforms with different approaches to ecommerce. Here’s what the difference is:
- Alibaba is a B2B marketplace.
- AliExpress is an online marketplace for retail.
Alibaba is used primarily by businesses who need to source large quantities from wholesalers, manufacturers, and traders. Alibaba is a great place to find a manufacturer that can produce bespoke designs or source private label products (which is where you add your branding to existing items).
AliExpress can be used by small businesses and consumers to buy existing products in small quantities. Many sellers also offer expedited international shipping. Dropshippers have made it their preferred platform.
The image to the right shows some of the key differences in AliExpress and Alibaba.
You can begin dropshipping with AliExpress by using an app such as Modalyst. Modalyst makes dropshipping easy by allowing you to quickly find the best products and then add them to your Shopify store.
Alibaba Dropships?
What do you mean? Dropshipping can be done with Alibaba
It is a bit more difficult to find dropshipping partners on Alibaba than AliExpress. Because most Alibaba suppliers are set up to sell large quantities to wholesalers or retailers, many are not able to sell individual items to customers abroad.
Dropshipping from Alibaba is more labor intensive than using dropshipping tools for finding and sourcing products.
Alibaba can help you find products and suppliers that aren’t already on AliExpress. Dropshipping on Alibaba can help you stand out from your competitors.
Is Alibaba Dropshipping safe? Five Ways to Vet Suppliers
There are many quality suppliers, but there are also some unscrupulous ones. Before you hand over your hard-earned money, do your research.
These Dropshipping Tips will help you to vet suppliers before placing your order.
- Select Verified sellers that offer Trade Assurance (Alibaba’s built-in payment protection which protects your orders).
- Ask for legal documentation such as a business licence, compliance certificates and photos of the factory/warehouse.
- To verify that it is a legitimate address, ask for the phone number and business address.
- Ask for references from customers who have used the supplier’s services and check out their reviews
- Do not fall for any deals that sound too good to be true. If you don’t like something, walk away.
Step-by-Step Guide to Dropshipping with Alibaba
Dropshipping on Alibaba is something you might be interested in. Here’s a step by step guide on how to safely source products with Alibaba.
Step 1.
Start by going to Alibaba to search for the product that you are looking to sell. You can then use the left sidebar of the site to find a suitable supplier.
Trade Assurance is a great way to filter suppliers, even if the service is not used by you. You can also check “Ready to Ship”, and “Fast Dispatch” as these are good options to look at, since suppliers who meet these criteria are more likely to dropship your products.
Step 2.
After you have found a possible listing, go to the product page and take note of the minimum order quantity (also known as MOQ).
The supplier allows buyers to buy 1 unit at once in the following example:
Sometimes, the MOQ of a product is clearly visible. Other times, it will be hidden behind the fold. In these cases, you will need to scroll down the page to locate it. You can speed up the process by hitting “Control” and then “F” on the keyboard. Next, type “MOQ”, “minimum”, or “order” into your browser.
The unit price is another important consideration. As you can see, the unit price is $25 for 1-18 units. This price drops dramatically as you place more products. This price does not include shipping costs, which are “To be Negotiated.”
Step 3.
Most suppliers you contact won’t work out for any reason. They might, for example:
- You will not be able to fulfill your verification requirements
- Insufficient stock or ability to take on additional work
- Refuse to negotiate if you offer unacceptable terms of payment
It’s a good idea to make a list of possible suppliers, and then to reach out to as many people as possible. This will make it easier to find a supplier quickly.
A promising supplier will be able to:
- You can sell the product that you desire
- You can offer a minimum order quantity of 1.
- List reasonable prices
- Trade Assurance: Be authenticated
- Get great reviews
Once you have a list with at least 5-10 suppliers, it is time to start connecting with them.
Step 4.
Each product page may not list unit prices or MOQs. You will need to get in touch with many suppliers in order to determine if they are open to dropshipping products in any country you intend to sell.
The messaging service on Alibaba is perhaps the best way to reach suppliers. Some suppliers prefer to be contacted by phone, email or WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app.
Keep in mind that Alibaba’s majority of suppliers are located in China so it’s possible you may be in a different time zone.
Communication can be difficult if you don’t speak Mandarin fluently.
To translate your messages and receive their responses, many suppliers will use tools like Google Translate. Avoid misunderstandings by using short sentences and simple words. Also, make sure to check for spelling mistakes. To make it easier for suppliers to respond to each question individually, bullet points are a great idea.
This template can be used to inquire about dropshipping.
Hi,
My name’s Jane and I work for ABC Company.
Dropshipping Product XYZ is what we are looking for. Customers are located in the United States.
Could you please answer some questions about?
- What’s your minimum order quantity (MOQ),
- What’s the unit cost?
- How long does it take for orders to arrive in the United States of America?
- What payment terms do you offer new customers?
Also, I’d like to request a sample. Please let me know the cost for a sample to be sent to:
Jane Smith
100 Beverly Hills
Los Angeles
California
90210
United States
We are grateful.
Jane
ABC Company
www.abc.com
+1-213-111-1111
Step 5.
It is worth learning about the most popular payment methods on Alibaba so that you can find a supplier who will accept your preferred method.
Here are four common terms for payment:
1. Bank Transfer
Transfers to Chinese suppliers can be made by Telegraphic Transfer (or ‘T/T’ payments). This payment method will usually require the supplier to pay the entire amount before they can start production. Dropshipping is not possible with a bank transfer. It’s slow and cumbersome to send money by bank transfer. It comes with high risks, especially when dealing to unknown suppliers.
2. Alibaba Trade Assurance (ESCROW).
Escrow services, third-parties, hold money from buyers and pay it to suppliers only after the buyer has confirmed that they have received their order.
It’s therefore a safe way to send money. It is not, however, the fastest way of sending money. Dropshipping is not possible with this method of sending money.
3. Credit and debit card payments
Alibaba accepts debit and credit card payments from all major processors including American Express, MasterCard, Visa and Visa. The transaction fees can be costly for buyers and affect your margins.
3. PayPal
Alibaba sellers also offer PayPal as a payment option. It’s simple to use and provides good buyer protection. Suppliers will avoid it because of the fees and difficulties of withdrawing funds. There is also the risk of being charged back by unscrupulous buyers.
PayPal is the best choice for new buyers.
Step 6.
Now it’s time to sort the wheat from the chaff, and choose a few Alibaba dropshipping suppliers who seem to be a good match. You may have to go through the above process several times until you find suitable suppliers.
Consider these things when shortlisting suppliers
- The unit cost
- Payment terms
- How well each supplier communicates
- What time it will take for the supplier’s orders to be fulfilled
After you have a list of reliable suppliers, it is time to order samples. Compare the samples of each supplier and make sure you test them thoroughly.
Select an Alibaba dropshipping provider!
Look for other opportunities to capitalize on suppliers who are great matches.
Perhaps one of your suppliers offers private labeling. This supplier may be the best option for you because it will allow you to develop and expand your brand.
Next, you will need to create your online store and optimize your product pages. Finally, you will need to drive sales.
Get Products from Alibaba Dropshipping Today
It can be difficult and time-consuming to source products from Alibaba, especially when you consider dropshipping. Although Alibaba is known for its bulk B2B sales, dropshipping can be a profitable option.
Before placing an order with any dropshipping supplier from Alibaba, verify their legitimacy. If you don’t like something, find another supplier.
