Before you start selling on Alibaba, there are a few things you should know. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of product listing, communication with suppliers, Minimum order quantity, and Trade assurance. There are a number of other important considerations you’ll want to make, too. Hopefully, these tips will help you to sell on Alibaba without making too many mistakes. Good luck! If you’re serious about selling on Alibaba, these tips will make the entire process much easier for you.
Product listing
A good way to ensure your products are seen by more people on Alibaba is to add a keyword to each listing. A keyword is a term that your visitors will type in to search for a particular product. However, you should only use as many keywords as they will make sense for the product and its description. There are a few exceptions to this rule. It is highly recommended to list your products in categories related to the products that they sell.
Alibaba’s AI platform can also help you in the real world. For example, if you sell dog collars, you can use your phone to take a photo of the collar and then link it to your product listing. Alibaba also uses AI to help in research. It can help scientists sequence genes more quickly and track weather patterns. If you’re looking for a new dog collar, you can use Alibaba’s AI platform to find the perfect one for you.
Communication with suppliers
One of the most crucial aspects of successful Alibaba business is communication with your suppliers. Most Chinese suppliers aren’t willing to provide samples, so the best way to establish trust is to contact them directly. To do this, contact your potential suppliers through the Alibaba Contact Supplier button. The process is very similar to emailing, and you can even attach a file to your message. In the beginning, stick to low minimum order quantities (MOQs) to test your products and build your trust with the manufacturer. Once you’ve built trust, you can increase your quantity or even reduce per unit prices to reduce your costs.
When communicating with your suppliers through email, make sure your questions are simple, clear, and formatted in bullet points. Remember that certain countries attract more suppliers than others, so make sure you choose the right country before writing your message. On Alibaba, you can see the country of your emailer, which is an advantage if you’re communicating with a large buyer. If you have a brick-and-mortar store in the same city as your supplier, you can always visit the local Alibaba store to buy your product.
Minimum order quantity
One of the most important things to remember about minimum order quantities is that they can be quite high. Although most Chinese wholesalers are not required to keep inventory, there are some that are. This is because the vast majority of Alibaba suppliers source products on demand. For example, companies that carry hundreds of products from multiple categories are generally bound by MOQs. However, there are some ways you can work around this, such as sourcing products from specialized niches.
It is very important to remember that not all suppliers are qualified to take your order. If you are importing custom products, it is imperative to research the manufacturing capabilities of potential suppliers. If you do not know the exact specifications of your products, you increase the chances of quality problems. To avoid these issues, be sure to know the exact product specifications before submitting an inquiry. Once you know the details of the product, you can start communicating with the supplier.
Trade assurance
Trade assurance, or TA, is a system that Alibaba uses to guarantee that products will arrive on time and in good quality. The system assigns coverage limits to qualified suppliers. If a supplier fails to comply with these limits, Alibaba will pay out the excess amount first. Otherwise, the supplier must return the money to the buyer. This system protects both buyers and sellers. Here are some benefits of using trade assurance:
Pay Later is a financial service offered by a 3rd party, and works with Alibaba to finance trade assurance orders for up to 6 months. Pay Later is offered by Kabbage, an online financial technology platform based in Atlanta, Georgia. The service costs nothing to use and payment is typically received one to three business days after the loan agreement is completed. However, it is important to note that the process is not available in all countries.