Contacting Alibaba suppliers

[messiah]

Hello

I am seeking advise on buying from Chinese suppliers on Alibaba.

A lot of the listings seem pretty ambiguous (multiple designs/sizes all listed under the same price) and i always want to have some form of correspondance with the supplier before i buy.

My problem is, i am getting very few responses from the suppliers, and it seems as though im not the only one, as 'response rates' are listed as a percentage, and it seems very common that this is bellow 50%

Can anyone advise me?

 

[GraemeL]

Read any of these threads:-
http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/search/1496265/?q=alibaba&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=121

G

 

[nRazvan]

If you don't get replies to emails in less than 12-24 hours, don't buy from them. And also, ask for photos with products according to your requirements, so they don't send you generic pictures so you know that they have the products, they produce them etc.

 

[Bruno Domingues]

I find Chinese suppliers to be very unreliable and they also sell lots of counterfeit and defective items so be very careful.

As for response rates, I'd go for the ones with high response rates as the most reliable, the others are unlikely to be a serious business and are probably just fishing for ducks.

 

[MOIC]

The problem with Alibaba and China suppliers is that virtually every business has an Alibaba account, whether they are a factory, wholesaler, or a one man band working from the garage.

Some see the Chat Now option as a tool to engage with potential customers and invariably you will get an English speaking person at the end of the line that has little knowledge of the product as well as not understanding fully your requirements.

Many use Google translate in order to understand and answer your questions.

Many who you will contact will not even reply.

In short, some Alibaba suppliers are pro active in getting foreign business and have suitable people responding to Chat Now enquiries.

The majority do not.

Always do your due diligence when ordering from Alibaba suppliers and remember, IF ITS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

What are you trying to buy?

 

[paulears]

Whilst my success has been very positive, it infuriates me so many do not understand anything about the products they sell. Pictures that clearly don't match descriptions are the worst. As an example, you ask for a price for 500 chassis blue connectors and 100 chassis grey connectors, which are in the picture - a generic catalogue image. They respond by asking if you want power in, or out versions. Great, except the colour denotes the function! Blue is always power in, grey power out!

 

[Karimbo]

Whilst my success has been very positive, it infuriates me so many do not understand anything about the products they sell. Pictures that clearly don't match descriptions are the worst. As an example, you ask for a price for 500 chassis blue connectors and 100 chassis grey connectors, which are in the picture - a generic catalogue image. They respond by asking if you want power in, or out versions. Great, except the colour denotes the function! Blue is always power in, grey power out!

a lot of the pictures aren't of their own products. These images can be ripped off other websites. I found out that a lot of stuff they list on the site are yet to be manufactured. I think they build stuff for the first time after you place an order.

Always ask for product photos if the photos on their listing appear to be taken off another website or flat out computer generated models (which can happen a lot).

I'm guessing there is A LOT of subcontracting going on. Some of the companies are purely agents who then pass on the work to a factory. So the team you're talking to sells a lot of different stuff from various factories and they know nothing of the product.

 

[paulears]

Very true. I asked one of my suppliers - this one on Aliexpress not alibaba - they have a workshop area and a small office in a very big complex. Almost everything they need is in the building. In the case of moving lights, which I buy, the plastic housings are made by one enterprise, and sold to lots of different micro businesses. They buy the common chassis and add in modules from a big selection. Power supplies come from another source, glass from another, and the pcbs are very common, and they just have minor board mods done for their product, burn an eprom and away they go - a similar, but subtly unique product. Packing comes from another sources, and very often the shipping is done by another.

Alibaba is a bit different because the smaller business often, as said above, have no stock at all, and the product has never existed in the finished form. Technical specs come from the components. I wanted a small batch of specialist microphones and found something ideal, but MOQ was 100. I always ignore MOQ and ask - I wanted 25. They explained that with my money, they buy the raw components, and could do it if I ordered 50, which I said I would, but I needed one to try as a sample. This arrived and was clearly rather nice and hand made. I ordered 50 and got a phone call telling me they used a gold grill in the sample, but can not source any more, so would silver be ok?

This kind of manufacturing is long winded, but I have to say, the quality is fine for the things I buy. My weakest area is plastic housings on the lights and lots get damaged and crack in the shipping stage. They always send me replacements without quibble. They're too fragile to chuck about, and that's what happens.

 

[Directimport]

Hello

I am seeking advise on buying from Chinese suppliers on Alibaba.

A lot of the listings seem pretty ambiguous (multiple designs/sizes all listed under the same price) and i always want to have some form of correspondance with the supplier before i buy.

My problem is, i am getting very few responses from the suppliers, and it seems as though im not the only one, as 'response rates' are listed as a percentage, and it seems very common that this is bellow 50%

Can anyone advise me?

Although I strongly advise against using Alibaba as your sourcing platform, I am happy to help you with your problem.

Most newbies struggle to get suppliers on Alibaba or any other B2B site to respond to their enquiries because of failings in their initial approach.

Regarding your question, it is not so much a matter of what to say, as what not to say.

• Don't mention that you are new to the business.
• Don't tell them you are a sole trader.
• Don't offer your business plan like you would to a supplier in the UK.
  
• Don't ask what is their MOQ. They will tell you soon enough. That is when you might start working on them to supply a lot less.
• Don't offer your tax or business registration details.
• Don't ask for samples early in your communications with them, and don't expect them to be free.
• Don't haggle. Most "experts" will tell you to do so, but there are good reasons why you should not and I teach why you don't need to. This issue is even more critical in the early stages. If you try to talk the price down early on you will suddenly find no more emails arrive.

There are a few things you should say:

• Tell them you are an established importer.
• Tell them quality is important to you.
• Ask them for a copy of their catalog, preferably a printed version.
• Give them your business name. Don't have one? Invent one.
• Give yourself a title such as Purchasing Manager

I hope this helps. If suppliers you have tried unsuccessfully to communicate with are very important to you, I suggest you contact them again, using a different name and a different email address.

 

[Import Expert]

The lack of responses is not necessarily down to them being unreliable - in fact, scammers are often very quick off the mark to respond if they think you are going to pay their wages for that month.

Think of it from the other side of the fence. You are a manufacturer or trader trying to earn a decent honest buck. Every day you get hundreds of emails from people who are probably not that serious about importing, don't have a clue what they are doing, don't really know what they specifically want to buy, want to order tiny quantities, and want to haggle over the price - you get the picture. You would probably do what they do and ignore it - it's not worth their time.

As above, if you want to be noticed and taken seriously, show you are serious. Be specific about the products you want to buy, don't expect a sample unless you are willing to pay for it, don't ask for order size less than the MOQ, don't ask for 'best price'.

The more respect you have for them, the more you will get from them.

 

[Stefan R]

I do think all is concerned on your not familiar with Alibaba.com, to be honest, lots of Chinese suppliers from Alibaba are really good, after all, the huge exporting data form China custom is real, and I do not believe in those clients cooperated with them all suffered lost or something.

I am not defending Chinese suppliers, just hope more justice and objective attitude on something.

Well, regarding the suggestion, an accurate keywords for what you want is better than the picking yourself on the homepage, it is simple and effective.

And for response rating, theoretically high rates come better, and currently most suppliers own rates over 70%, after all, jet lag is inevitable.

By the way, there is a sign for suppliers called Trade Assurance from Alibaba, with different assuring amount, choose cooperating with those suppliers will make you guaranteed.

The first time being here, hope the above short suggestion could be helpful.

 

[TMGG]

I think a lot don't respond because they get too many enquiries. But they do themselves no favours as they are losing genuine customers. Also many use a different name on Alibaba to their actual company name and so many sound alike even if you do get a reply you end up confused.

Some of the quotes I've gotten from suppliers have been so stupidly high it's a wonder they get any business.

 

[Directimport]

I think a lot don't respond because they get too many enquiries. But they do themselves no favours as they are losing genuine customers. Also many use a different name on Alibaba to their actual company name and so many sound alike even if you do get a reply you end up confused.

Some of the quotes I've gotten from suppliers have been so stupidly high it's a wonder they get any business.

You are quite right in thinking that the large number of enquiries is a big reason why so many suppliers don't respond. Because of this, it is important to make your enquiry in a form that will produce a response.

I wrote on this subject on 9th June in this thread. You might find it helpful.

 

[Directimport]

I do think all is concerned on your not familiar with Alibaba.com, to be honest, lots of Chinese suppliers from Alibaba are really good, after all, the huge exporting data form China custom is real, and I do not believe in those clients cooperated with them all suffered lost or something.

I am not defending Chinese suppliers, just hope more justice and objective attitude on something.

Well, regarding the suggestion, an accurate keywords for what you want is better than the picking yourself on the homepage, it is simple and effective.

And for response rating, theoretically high rates come better, and currently most suppliers own rates over 70%, after all, jet lag is inevitable.

By the way, there is a sign for suppliers called Trade Assurance from Alibaba, with different assuring amount, choose cooperating with those suppliers will make you guaranteed.

The first time being here, hope the above short suggestion could be helpful.

Yes, lots of suppliers in China are very good, but there are two major problems in dealing with suppliers on Alibaba and other major B2B platforms..
1. It is extremely difficult to be sure that you are dealing with real manufacturers, because the B2B sites don't care if suppliers falsely claim to be manufacturers, when in reality they are traders.
2. Scams are commonplace and the verification systems in place only serve to make buyers feel secure, when all they do is prove that the seller actually exists.

Regarding Trade Assurance, you need to know all the rules before you use that service for safety. See my detailed posts on this subject in answer to the OP's question on the thread
First time Alibaba user and importing qustions

Regarding poor or no response, see my post 9th June in this thread.

 

[Maple Sourcing]

I have learned most of suppliers on Alibaba are small or medium sized, roughly half of them are sole traders or trading companies (some shown as trading companies, some shown as manufacturers, as Alibaba has little control system on this.)

If you need to buy some off-the-shelf products, it's better visit the wholesale markets or their websites, such as Sag Plaza for electronics in Shenzhen, Small commodities in Yiwu, Furnitures in Foshan, and so on.

In the wholesale markets, usually MOQ is small and lead time is short if not in stock, and most of times, the price is good. Buy a sample to test first, before a trial order.

Normally, there're few scammers in wholesale markets, as there are strict verification system done by the government; also, the shop owners are afraid if you complain to market management -- usually, they are government related. The markets try to keep good image, so basically, they will keep buyers in advantage if any arguments.

However, normally the quality is at basic level unless you emphasize the products are for UK or other high-end markets, then the suppliers will slightly add the price to achieve better quality. A quality inspection prior to final payment is essential.

 

[HandSon]

Choosing a supplier at Alibaba I look at it's rating. The higher a rating the more secure a deal.

 

[MOIC]

Choosing a supplier at Alibaba I look at it's rating. The higher a rating the more secure a deal.

choosing a supplier is the very first step of many.

Ensuring all the goods arrive as you expect, in an efficient way and with the best price for your product as well as shipping is the real challenge/deal breaker.

 

[Forly Cao]

In fact, some good suppliers' clients are from their exhibition. To show their products on Alibaba is just a trend in Chinese exporting field.
And also, high rating not represent high service. Especially for the first page you searched on Alibaba, because they spent lots of money on Alibaba to promote their products. And on the other hand, they received every kinds of enquiry, their sales may have no time to deal with some enquiries. So the rating may be not the representative of good service.

I advice that you can cooperate with the supplier whose Ali Trade messenger is online often, and also you can check their own website to see their scale.

 

[Directimport]

Choosing a supplier at Alibaba I look at it's rating. The higher a rating the more secure a deal.

If by "rating" you mean verified or Gold Supplier then you have been fooled by the system that is designed to give the impression that verified is better than unverified and Gold Supplier is even safer to deal with.

 

[JS Sourcing]

Hello

I am seeking advise on buying from Chinese suppliers on Alibaba.

A lot of the listings seem pretty ambiguous (multiple designs/sizes all listed under the same price) and i always want to have some form of correspondence with the supplier before i buy.

My problem is, i am getting very few responses from the suppliers, and it seems as though im not the only one, as 'response rates' are listed as a percentage, and it seems very common that this is bellow 50%

Can anyone advise me?

Hello Messiah,

Indeed Alibaba is quite something. Although our company has little use of Alibaba when sourcing suppliers, I always get to hear some of my colleagues complain about the lack of consistency on Alibaba.
A few tips would be :
1 ) Have you checked the time of the day you usually contact the suppliers on Alibaba. It becomes really difficult to get in touch with suppliers through Alibaba during lunch (11:30A.M to sometimes 1:00P.M) and after 5:00 or 5:30P.M;
2 ) Did you make sure that the messenger icon was "green". When gray, it means that the salesperson is offline;
3 ) Was your request pertinent? Was it understandable for a non native English speaker?

I have a few clients I have been working with for years now and they often come to me with suppliers information asking me to contact them. Most of the time, the supplier could not understand the request, or just backed out because they could not understand what the client really wanted. Misunderstandings often happen, due to different mindsets, a lack of experience coupled with a limited English on the salesperson end.

 

[Chinavasion]

Never trust the product info on Alibaba. Because they might not be their own products, but images just grabbed from somewhere online or competitor sites. Chinese suppliers with an Alibaba account tend to focus on listing as many products as possible.

The basic idea is the more you list, the more exposure you get. So you see suppliers with thousands of products online, of which maybe 20-30 are really their own product. The bottom line, always confirm the price and specifications first, by contacting them.

 

[fantanz]

First check how many years trading, although not to important.
Contact them via alibaba messenger in their morning or if you cant stay up that late, 7am UK time = 3pm their time-ish.
Get price, which can take some time after they ask questions such as "how many you want" Just ask guide prices 10pcs and 500pcs or sample prices.
If you are satisfied with answers to your questions 'that you should have ready', switch over to skype contact and video call them, ask them to show you product, which they should have some samples in stock and be happy to video chat. Check the environment while talking..busy is good
Ask lead time
Get invoice and pay it
wait 1-2 weeks if express delivery

 

[RBS]

I posted buying request on Alibaba and got zero replies so far. I know 100% tablet I need is made there, as its nothing out of NASA space programme, just specific spec. Don`t understand why

 

[paulears]

The trouble is there are thousands of suppliers for these products, so the response rate is very low. Why not just do the search yourself, pick a few likely ones and contact them direct - it's what I certainly do. One product the other day I searched for has over ten thousand suppliers! Any automated service that covers that wide a range won't work, because the suppliers will get thousands of emails each day, so I suspect Alibaba don't send the requests to those kinds of members.

 

[RBS]

I would contact, but I cannot find even a single product which matches my spec, so I posted buying request. Usually when you post something, you get flooded with offers.

 

[MOIC]

I would contact, but I cannot find even a single product which matches my spec, so I posted buying request. Usually when you post something, you get flooded with offers.

It may be time for you to employ someone that knows what to do in China, check the specifications you need, evaluate the supplier, quality control the shipment, verify the certificates . . . . . . .

 

[paulears]

My Office in China has helped quite a few people source the right products from the right companies - I'd suggest if your product is very specific, he's the best source!

 

[RBS]

As far as I understand, they add their profit margin and act as middle man then?

 

[MOIC]

As far as I understand, they add their profit margin and act as middle man then?

You understand wrong.

 

[paulears]

He never likes blowing his own trumpet, but what they do is quite complicated (or can be). From his profile this is the kind of stuff they do.
PRODUCT SOURCING
SUPPLIER EVALUATIONS
SAMPLE APPROVAL
CONTRACTS WITH SUPPLIERS
QUALITY CONTROL INSPECTIONS
LAB TESTING
EXPORT DOCUMENTATION
DOOR TO DOOR CONSOLIDATED SHIPPING


For my own importing, which is rarely above 50 units of one item, I'm happy doing the leg work myself, but if I was going to do it seriously, I would go with somebody on the ground over there. So much of what I buy is tiny two room businesses in one of the big units. I get what I need for a good price, but asking questions and sorting problems can be difficult due to the language barrier, and last week I'm getting a few spare parts to repair some I sold, but it's clear the people who actually sold them to me have no idea at all what is inside them, so waiting for them to talk to the manufacturer is long winded.

 

[RBS]

I also need sub 50 item product sourced(for a start) and delivered to UK. Hence hiring specialist company could be not very cost effective and swallow my profit margin. Hence I`m trying to get off the ground myself.

 

[paulears]

is the spec strange?

 

[MOIC]

I also need sub 50 item product sourced(for a start) and delivered to UK. Hence hiring specialist company could be not very cost effective and swallow my profit margin. Hence I`m trying to get off the ground myself.

One thing comes to mind.

False economy.

A good agent will save you money.

 

[RBS]

is the spec strange?

Not really, parts are available on market. Its just a specific combo of those parts.

 

[trevorwang18]

Hi,a good way is you may download the trademanager,then you can communicate with them on time!

 

[TMGG]

The funniest is when I've bought off a supplier and made my own pictures. The same supplier then contacts me off a marketing list to sell me the same item using pictures stolen from my website!

 

[MOIC]

The funniest is when I've bought off a supplier and made my own pictures. The same supplier then contacts me off a marketing list to sell me the same item using pictures stolen from my website!

Ahhh, that great Chinese trait of copying.

One day they will learn how to do things correctly.

(Sooner, rather than later I suspect)

Get all your photos watermarked!

 

[sivmetavm]

Hello. I recently wanted to import pet accessories from China and started sending mails to websites I found in the internet. One of them contacted with me and wrote me that I can ask for a quotation in their website and indeed i received many (although I changed my mind). This website is called made-in-china.com, you can give it a try if your aim is to import goods from China

 

[brandy11112]

maybe the way you enquire makes them think you have no desire to purchase，so they will not waste time on you