Guide to using alibaba.com
Alibaba.com is one of the world’s largest B2B e-commerce platforms, bringing together a large number of Chinese manufacturers and suppliers. Purchasing goods on Alibaba.com can be an efficient and convenient process, but in order to ensure a successful transaction and satisfactory goods, it is important to know some basic steps and tips.
1 Register an account
Visit Alibaba.com. Click the “Join Free” or “Sign Up” button in the upper right corner of the page. Fill in the registration information, including email, password, company name, country/region, etc. After completing the registration, log in to the email to activate the account. Use the registration
2. Search for products and suppliers
Keyword search:Enter the product keywords you need in the search bar on the homepage and click the search button.
How to search keywords on Alibaba.com more accurately?
- Use specific descriptions that include the key features of the product instead of general category names. For example, search for “interior WPC wall panel” instead of “wall panel”
- Try different combinations to enrich the search results. Combining multiple related keywords for searching can improve the relevance of the search results. For example, “Interior decorative wall panels” and “decorative Interior wall panels” have different word orders and different search results.
- Use synonyms and different expressions, or different names for the same product to expand your search. For example, “fluted wall panel” and “shutter wall panel”
- If you can use other languages, try searching with keywords in other languages. For example, “Grooved wall panels”, “paneles de pared estriados”, “لوحات الحائط مخدد”.
- You can use category filters to filter search results. You can filter search results by supplier type. For example, Verified Supplier, Verified PRO Supplier, ≤1h response time
Note: In recent years, not all suppliers on Alibaba.com have chosen to use the platform’s certified membership service for a variety of reasons, but this does not mean that suppliers who do not choose the certified service will not provide better quality products, so please choose carefully to avoid missing out on high-quality suppliers.
- You can use the platform’s collection and comparison functions to save and compare multiple products and suppliers to make better purchasing decisions
3. View product details and supplier information
Product details page
Click the product name in the search results to enter the product details page.
Check product descriptions, specifications, images, and prices.
Check the minimum order quantity (MOQ), delivery time, and packaging details of the product.
Suppliers
Check the supplier’s company profile, certification information, and transaction history.
Check the supplier’s Verified Supplier, Verified PRO Supplier certification, and user reviews.
Related Reading：
Guide to using Made-in-China.com–how to filter suppliers online?
4. Contact Suppliers
Chat Online
Use the instant chat tool provided by Alibaba.com to communicate with suppliers in real time and ask questions such as product details, prices, and minimum order quantities.
Send Inquiry
Click the “Contact Supplier” or “Send Inquiry” button. Fill out the inquiry form and describe your requirements in detail, including quantity, specifications, delivery time, etc. The supplier will respond to your inquiry quickly.
Compare
You can use the compare function of alibaba.com to contact multiple suppliers at the same time for better comparison.
5.Ask for samples
Before purchasing in large quantities, ask the supplier for samples to confirm whether the product quality meets your requirements. Sample testing can help you avoid quality problems in large-volume purchases.
6. Negotiate and confirm orders
Discuss details such as price, payment method, and delivery time with suppliers through chat tools or inquiries. Carefully check all order information and confirm the order after ensuring that it is correct.
7. Safe Payment
Use the “Trade Assurance” service to ensure the safety of transaction funds and protect the rights of buyers.
Alibaba can process in as quickly as 2 hours.Pay with credit/debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Afterpay/ Clearpay and more through online checkout.
You can also make bank-to-bank wire transfers with escrow protection using the official bank information provided by Alibaba.com.
8. Negotiate trade terms and confirm logistics services
Choose the appropriate logistics method according to the order volume and delivery location. Sample orders usually choose express delivery, which can arrive at your home in about 7 days. WPC wall panels are usually shipped by sea, which requires you to determine the trade terms with the seller in advance.
What are international trade terms?
International trade terms (Incoterms) are standardized trade terms established by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) to clarify the responsibilities, risks and cost sharing between buyers and sellers in international trade. They help buyers and sellers understand and fulfill contracts and avoid misunderstandings caused by cultural and language differences. These terms cover all aspects involved in the transportation and delivery process. The following are some commonly used international trade terms, including EXW/FCA/FAS/FOB/CFR/CIF/CPT/CIP/DAT/DAP/DDP. Our default shipping terms are FOB or CIF, which are also the most commonly used trade terms in the international trade of panels.
Tracking orders
After the supplier ships the goods, it will provide a logistics order number. You can track the order status on the logistics company’s official website or through the Alibaba.com platform.
9. Receiving, inspecting and evaluating goods
After receiving the goods, check the quality and quantity of the products and sign for them after confirming that they are correct. If there is a problem with the product, you can contact the supplier for return, exchange or repair service. Or resolve transaction disputes through the platform’s dispute resolution mechanism.
You can evaluate the supplier’s services and products on the Alibaba platform to help other buyers with reference.