When you think of sourcing from China, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Hopping on a plane and flying to Guangzhou to find a factory? No, you go on Alibaba!
Alibaba is very popular and accessible, but that doesn’t mean it’s always the best option. Why not? Well, it attracts a lot of middlemen and trading companies, and some of them aren’t upfront about that.
But what if there are Alibaba alternatives that are better for your business? Alternatives with more high-quality suppliers? Or alternatives with more local suppliers?
What is Alibaba?
Alibaba is a Chinese-based Business-to-Business (B2B) eCommerce store that sells wholesale products from suppliers in China to businesses in the U.S. It is China’s largest eCommerce network, and one of the largest B2B eCommerce stores in the entire world. It is used by hundreds of millions of business owners and suppliers, so it’s no surprise that it’s usually a person’s first choice when looking for wholesale pricing on products, parts, or supplies.
GlobalSources
Global Sources has over 45 years’ experience in international trade. They offer an online directory of suppliers similar to Alibaba, and organize trade shows in Asia.
GlobalSources is probably Alibaba's biggest competitor and works quite similarly. The platform is completely in English and you can find manufacturers from all over the world.
However, there's a difference between Alibaba and Global Sources. On GlobalSources, you will find more real manufacturers, instead of so-called “Trading Companies” because the admission procedure is stricter.
2. DHgate
DHgate is an online directory of suppliers that targets small-volume buyers. The main advantage as an Alibaba alternative is lower MOQs (minimum order quantities) – as low as one piece.
There are a large variety of products on DHgate, so it can be a good resource for certain niche items. They also include an escrow service to protect you.
3. IndiaMart
IndiaMart is an important player on this list, since it’s only focus is on suppliers in India. Events in the past few years have been encouraging business owners to move manufacturing out of China and diversify their supply chains. In an interesting turn of events, India has become a major player in the manufacturing industry.
IndiaMart makes it easy to get into contact with suppliers in India. Most users use the popular app WhatsApp to communicate between suppliers and buyers, making it easy. The site is mostly in English, but the translations can seem a bit off in places. Still, it is easy to navigate and understand.
4. all.biz
all.biz is an online B2B marketplace with lots of suppliers from Europe. The company provides different subdomains for most countries, which makes it easier to navigate through the marketplace. You can also choose between several different currencies.
4. 1688
1688 is only available in Chinese and is aimed at the Asian market. However, this should not stop you from contacting one of the manufacturers on 1688.com. Since Asian resellers are much more price-sensitive than European ones, the manufacturers are more price-flexible.
Alibaba may not have the best suppliers for your needs so it makes sense to look at alternative sourcing platforms as well as trade shows, factory visits, referrals and other tactics.
Find the right alternative which works for your business, and start your own alibaba clone for b2b eCommerce business and forget about the rest.
