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Newest scam on Alibaba?

by Importexport
8 replies
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A warrior wrote to me asking about sourcing Mattel dolls. I warned him against what he was thinking of doing because of the massive risks involved.

What he told me was so important that I thought that although this subject has often been canvassed on this forum I should alert all warriors to this new scam.

First, I must state emphatically that I have never thought Alibaba to be responsible for any misconduct.

The problem lies with some of the suppliers listed on Alibaba.

The warrior informed me that he found Mattel monster dolls for sale on Alibaba at extremely low prices, but the names of the suppliers changed every time he went back to the site, and their joining dates were always 1 to 2 days prior. Alarm bells ringing?

The message is clear. Never buy big brand names for resale from overseas suppliers. I would also avoid using any web portal that allows suppliers to list fakes for sale.

I only know of a handful of sourcing portals that I regard as completely safe, and they never get a mention on this forum. Instead, everyone says "try #e%gwi.com because they have thousands of suppliers listed." Well the safe sites do too.
#alibaba #newest #scam #sourcing
  • Profile picture of the author Trevorjc
    After just paying £35 on Amazon for a Monster High doll my daughter just had to have for her birthday i had a quick look for possible suppliers, all i found were obvious fakes.
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  • Profile picture of the author WeavingThoughts
    Who buys branded stuff off alibaba expecting them to be authentic?
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  • Profile picture of the author Entrecon
    I know MANY years ago I manged to get hooked up with a supplier of some anime characters that I was selling on eBay. A lot of people were buying and I didn't think anything of it. eBay eventually shut my auctions down, not because what I was selling was fake, but rather because the items were not licensed in the US! Seemed odd at the time and still does. We are a global economy, but the company was limiting their items from being sold in the US. I am sure they had their reasons.
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    Visit My website http://kipferguson.com

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    • Profile picture of the author Silas Hart
      This scam isn't new. People take manufacturers and distributors photos of everything that is "hot" that newbies would be looking for a supplier for so that they can resell that would allow them to buy in "bulk" of just maybe a couple pcs. Just about any name brand. People think they are beating the system or something by talking to the companies that manufacturer it but get scammed more so than not.
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  • Profile picture of the author malia
    Who buys branded stuff off alibaba expecting them to be authentic?
    You'd be surprised!
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  • Profile picture of the author malia
    I only know of a handful of sourcing portals that I regard as completely safe, and they never get a mention on this forum.
    Are they covered in your eBook?
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by malia View Post

      Are they covered in your eBook?
      Yes the safe sites are covered in my book, including details of how thoroughly one of them examines and confirms manufacturers' actual production capability.

      I would like to add that I am currently reviewing Alibaba's new vetting processes.

      They seem to have taken notice of the frequent criticisms being posted on forums and review sites, and are trying to provide some improved security. Unfortunately, as far as I can see so far, they will still be allowing dubious suppliers to list.
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      Use emotions and perceptions to build a great brand. Ask me about my book LabelsThatExploit. For safe sourcing and easy importing from 41 countries globally, see https://provenglobalsourcing.com
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  • Profile picture of the author AJMontoya
    Another red flag is not only when sellers on Alibaba have brand new accounts, but on top of that they have nothing but hot selling items from every niche imaginable. Many of the top legitimate suppliers/manufacturers on Alibaba focus on specific niches, not everything that's a hot seller at the moment.
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