How to identify one supplier is trading company or manufacture in 2 min on ALIBABA?

There will be two parts in the post title:

1.How to identify one supplier is trading company or manufacture; 
2. Quickly search and find treasure from million search answers.

Unlike the tradeshow you could touch real product and communicate with suppliers face to face, Web is one virtual world full of uncertain noise where hard to make decision.

Alibaba is the largest marketplace where you could find out the product you want to; sometimes you might buy crap by accident, but don’t lost confident, you just need to improve some skills.

The bellowing ways just based my on sourcing experience in past 6 years and knowledge as local Chinese, plus some searching technique ( if you are very professional on it, you could close the tab )

Will use the keyword “ as "UL LED Power adapter" example:

How to identify one supplier? (3 steps and 6 tips)

Step A: Input the keywords:

Tips 1: membership time, the longer one deserve more trust score;

Tips2: Check picture to see if it has UL number on pictures or products;

Step B: check product detail 

Tip 3: See if there is any info you need. Like UL number or certification files, both did not show on page which means not real.

Step 3: Browse company profile and contact
Tip4: Check the company profile of the manufacture video(if they had), company pictures( not blurred one);

Tip 5: Go to the official web to get additional info( if they did not have, normally do not need to go further);

Tip 6: Use Google Map, enter the company address and get StreeView.

 3 ways improve your search efficiency

1． More specific on keywords. When we use “UL LED Power adapter”, it comes out 45,544 results; but after specifying” UL LED Power adapter 12v 3a”, only 3782 results left;

2． Use filter, like “location” and “online”, the number will decreased to be 3038;
3． Use option, switch from “products” to “suppliers”, the number finally narrow down to 60 suppliers 

These skills also works in other online Marketplace Platforms; However, If there is one local person helping you audit the factory, will be much more awesome.

5ways to help you staying away from these pitfalls when you place a rush order in China

We all experienced some customer who make decision in the last min and want to get the product in next few days!

If you have stock, congratulation, then you could get higher profit than normal order;

If not, then you have to turn your eyes to your supplier, like China; but there are some unexpected problem happens like quality or time delay, then you might lost money; even worse, the desperate customer will come back.

The below questions and coming answers will help you manage and control your risk when place rush order to China:

1.Ask factory the current production status? Extreme busy, little busy, not busy; if the production line is super busy, then you should really think about the risk of your order;

2.Ask about the scale of the ongoing production, like how many percentage or large / medium /small order;
If large order occupy 80% and just start, that means they will not stop and make your rush order as priority; in contrast, if ongoing small order is about 80%, that means your order could rank better than some that is not urgent;

3.Never Never ignore emphasizing the detail; you need to go over the detail from one single screw treatment to final product, not once, but continuous during the production;
As sometimes sales just focus on delivery time but less attention on quality, but you know the tiny mistake sometimes will cost more if customer would not like to accept.

4.Ask for production schedule and follow up.  When start cutting, painting, assembling, Aging, QC, Packing, Shipping.. every process delay will increase the risk possibility;
You need to have one production schedule on hand and write down on contract, also follow through conversation, picture, video, every method could prove it is on time.

5.Allow some extra time for yourself, if customer ask for delivery as 25th, remember do not pass the extract date to factory, some extra time benefit you to face some unexpected problems like custom hold and release.

6.Cooperate with your current suppliers instead of new one; the new supplier might commit to finish earlier, but as lack of cooperation record, that might increase your risk on order and quality;
that also means you should have plan B normally, and place testing orders(not urgent) to them; so that you have backup solution if your priority factory cold not make it.