Where can I buy low priced, quality wholesale goods?

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Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

Regards
Richard
#buy #goods #low #priced #quality #wholesale
  • Profile picture of the author valmillercorl
    Hi there! Alibaba is supposed to be credible and so is Doba.com. I think both those are worth a shot. Doba just recently revamped their site so they may be a good option to go with.

    Valarie
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by WebspandDigitalAgency View Post

        The hard part here is "low costs" and quality . . . rarely do they occur together.
        When I started my B2B business in 1987, I was buying locally to test the market.

        I very quickly tired of the poor service, late delivery, and indifferent quality, so having 9 years experience of exporting to China, I decided to import the items I needed from China.

        The result was:
        • Excellent service
        • Delivery faster than buying locally
        • Outstanding quality that put the local product in the shade.
        • Prices so low that I was laughing all the way to the bank.
        I continued running that importing and marketing business for 22 years, franchising it in four countries, until my health enforced retirement.

        It was essential for the continuing success of the business that quality had be absolutely the best and buying prices so low that my franchisees could enjoy high profits even after paying royalty to me.

        It was not a case of "rarely" did the quality and low cost come together. My business used numerous suppliers and bought a huge range of products. It all comes down to knowing how to source the products you want, and how to buy at the best price.
        .
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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 gianbizz
          In my opinion, Amazon and eBay is the best place to buy electronics product.
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          • Profile picture of the author Fred Kimberly
            Yeah for buying these are good but nor for sourcing in bulk to resell via eCommerce.
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    • Profile picture of the author timpears
      Originally Posted by valmillercorl View Post

      Hi there! Alibaba is supposed to be credible and so is Doba.com. I think both those are worth a shot. Doba just recently revamped their site so they may be a good option to go with.

      Valarie
      I would not recomend any site such as Doba.com, where you have to buy a membership in order to buy stuff. Not a good idea, as most of the stuff you can find there can be found elsewhere for nothing, And often the prices are too high to make a profit.
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael75065
      they both sucks and sell lot of china garbage and overpriced

      I would not use them
      Michael Ladd
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by Fred Kimberly View Post

        Yes, Alibaba is legit marketplace to source products from China. I also recommend to source from Alibaba and Global Sources. They verify the suppliers and also offer guarantee of the transactions for the verified suppliers to make the platform more credible for the buyers.

        However, you can get scammed on these sites because many trading companies list as manufacturers and they send poor quality products which makes returns very hectic, time taking and costly. So, mainly you have to identify the right supplier who is actually the manufacturer of the product. Just take care of few things before placing your order:
        • Differentiate between a trader and manufacturer to find the right supplier.
        • Negotiate with your supplier, keeping in mind there are more things to negotiate besides the price of the product such as quality, payment terms, delivery time, etc.
        • Keep a check on the quality of products. You can protect yourself from a varying number of problems by making a written agreement and have supplier's acknowledgement.
        Alibaba and Globalsources are legitimate, but many of the vendors on those sites are not.

        The sweeping statement: "They verify the suppliers and also offer guarantee of the transactions for the verified suppliers to make the platform more credible for the buyers." could lead newbies to make costly mistakes.

        Globalsources. The simple verification process conducted by Globalsources does nothing except prove that the business is registered, has a published Paid Up Capital and is permitted to trade. It does not in any way show that the supplier is trustworthy, reliable, or good to do business with.

        Many suppliers are listed as Verified Manufacturers but that has not been verified. The verification of their licence shows that they are permitted to manufacture but no check has been made to see if they really do manufacture.

        Globalsources do not offer any form of guarantee.

        Alibaba. There are a variety of verification grades used on Alibaba. Verification alone is worthless, it simply proves that on the day of inspection the business existed. Who knows if they moved out the next day?

        Gold Supplier status alone is worthless. It only proves what the basic verification process above proves - the business exists, PLUS they have been willing to spend some money to buy a Gold Supplier badge and give the impression that they are trustworthy or reliable.

        SECURE PAYMENT: Alibaba's website says: "Currently, Secure Payment is only directly available for Wholesale orders. If you want to use Secure Payment for orders outside of Wholesale, you need to request the supplier draft a Secure Payment order for you.," so it is not available for buyers wanting commercial quantities. In fact in their latest notification they say: "SECURE Payment now only available for Express Order"

        TRADE ASSURANCE: There are 16 A4 pages of rules, and there are many rules not listed in those 16 pages. To find them you have to search the HELP CENTER. Buyers wanting protection must understand the rules, because there are so many loopholes that it is rare for buyers to get the protection they think they are getting.

        There are ways to identify who is really a manufacturer. I suggest newbies go back to the start of this thread and read my numerous posts. At least that way they will get some help from someone who knows.

        Alternatively, see my AMA Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here.

        Walter Hay
        ProvenChinaSourcing
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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 darren13
    Ive used alibaba.com and aliexpress.com and haven't had a problem yet.
    But some people have on this forum.
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  • Profile picture of the author Importexport
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    Hi Richard,

    First let me suggest that you avoid electronics if you are thinking of buying from China. I imported from China for 22 years prior to retirement and I would never handle electronics from there. Clothing is a different matter, and is easy to source provided you use the right sourcing sites.

    Regarding your general question, you can buy at much lower prices if you buy direct from a manufacturer rather than from a wholesaler. After all, wholesalers buy from manufacturers and if you can too, why not do so and keep all the profit for yourself?

    Don't let anyone tell you that you have to place big orders to buy direct from the factory. That is a myth that feeds the dropshipping and wholesaling industry while depriving resellers of huge amounts of profit.

    If you have been looking on Alibaba and dhGate you will have seen very big Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) quoted, but they are only there to deter newbies and small fry. With the right approach you can buy much smaller quantities.

    You are quite right to express some doubt about whether those sites are good or safe places to buy from. I would never recommend either of them, or any of the other popular sourcing sites for that matter.

    They all list huge numbers of suppliers falsely claiming to be manufacturers so that you will think you are getting good prices. The prices may look good compared to retail at home, but they are not good compared to ex factory prices in China.

    There are only a couple of sites that I recommend where they thoroughly check out suppliers so if they are listed as manufacturers you will know that they really are.

    Do warriors know that Alibaba (also owners of AliExpress) admitted that 2236 Gold Suppliers had defrauded customers? See my posts on the thread: How Trustworthy is Alibaba.com? It quotes from an Economist article headed "Alibaba and the 2236 Thieves." Recently, China's Government Consumer Protection Watchdog published a report on Alibaba's failures to make improvements. You can read about it here: China’s Consumer Protection Watchdog Reports On Alibaba
    .
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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 AffiliateRg
      Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

      There are only a couple of sites that I recommend where they thoroughly check out suppliers so if they are listed as manufacturers you will know that they really are.
      Hi. Thanks so much for your input. Would you mind telling me of the sites that you recommend?

      Regards

      Richard
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

        Hi. Thanks so much for your input. Would you mind telling me of the sites that you recommend?

        Regards

        Richard
        Hi Richard,

        It is not as easy as just naming safe sourcing sites, because finding those sites is only part of the whole process involved in buying safely at the best possible prices and then importing them the easy way.

        For example, before you start sourcing, you need to know not only what to say but also what not to say when you make your first contact with suppliers. You need to know how to negotiate, how to avoid ripoffs when ordering samples, how to ensure that you get the best price, how to get manufacturers to supply small orders regardless of the big MOQs they quote, how to get the supplier to do the hard yards for you when it comes to shipping, etc., etc. This all adds up to make the importing process easy for people who have never done it before.

        There is a lot more to the sourcing and importing process than just searching a site for suppliers. I see too many people on forums like this who jump in at the deep end without doing adequate research.

        If you search for my posts you will find that I provide a lot of helpful information, but I have seen people do some amazing things with the bit of knowledge they have picked up in forum posts, not only mine.

        One good illustration is the case of a woman who found a product at a bargain price and placed an order worth about $1,000 after checking out a sample. The trouble was she did not think about freight until she had paid FOB for the goods.

        When the supplier said the goods were ready for shipment she discovered what FOB meant and then was told by a freight forwarder that freight would cost her $4,000 because of the bulky nature of the goods.

        Complicating the issue was that many suppliers in China misuse the term FOB and they really mean Ex Works (EXW), as this one did. If you buy EXW you will have to pay inland charges including freight, tolls and other fees that you have probably never guessed. They can add up to a huge amount because they take advantage of your ignorance.

        Buying overseas is not like buying from a local supplier, although it is possible to simplify the process and get your supplier to do most of the hard work for you.
        .
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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 yitbarek
      I bought some products from Aliexpress, most of the products on apparel is not as described and some of them are very disappointing.
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    • Profile picture of the author Hydraman
      Very useful post thank you very much. I checked your website.


      Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

      Hi Richard,

      First let me suggest that you avoid electronics if you are thinking of buying from China. I imported from China for 22 years prior to retirement and I would never handle electronics from there. Clothing is a different matter, and is easy to source provided you use the right sourcing sites.

      Regarding your general question, you can buy at much lower prices if you buy direct from a manufacturer rather than from a wholesaler. After all, wholesalers buy from manufacturers and if you can too, why not do so and keep all the profit for yourself?

      Don't let anyone tell you that you have to place big orders to buy direct from the factory. That is a myth that feeds the dropshipping and wholesaling industry while depriving resellers of huge amounts of profit.

      If you have been looking on Alibaba and dhGate you will have seen very big Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) quoted, but they are only there to deter newbies and small fry. With the right approach you can buy much smaller quantities.

      You are quite right to express some doubt about whether those sites are good or safe places to buy from. I would never recommend either of them, or any of the other popular sourcing sites for that matter.

      They all list huge numbers of suppliers falsely claiming to be manufacturers so that you will think you are getting good prices. The prices may look good compared to retail at home, but they are not good compared to ex factory prices in China.

      There are only a couple of sites that I recommend where they thoroughly check out suppliers so if they are listed as manufacturers you will know that they really are.

      Do warriors know that Alibaba (also owners of AliExpress) admitted that 2336 Gold Suppliers had defrauded customers? See my posts on the thread: How Trustworthy is Alibaba.com? It quotes from an Economist article headed "Alibaba and the 2336 Thieves."
      .
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
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    • Profile picture of the author khansaccounts
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      Anyone have experience of Worldwidebrands.com, and if so how do you rate it?
      This is very good place for buying and i have experience with it. 9/10 is my rate for this.
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      Mukhtiar Ali Khan Internet Marketer

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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
    Hi. Thank you so much for all the valuable info.

    If could tell me some safe sourcing sites that would be a start.
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  • Profile picture of the author wilson98
    For chinese websites, alibaba.com and Manufacturers & Suppliers Directory | Global Sources are most useful. There're many manufacturers and professional trading companies there. The rest like aliexpress.com and dhgate.com are full of resellers. Trust me because i'm in the industry :-)
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    • Profile picture of the author amcg
      Originally Posted by wilson98 View Post

      For chinese websites, alibaba.com and Manufacturers & Suppliers Directory | Global Sources are most useful. There're many manufacturers and professional trading companies there. The rest like aliexpress.com and dhgate.com are full of resellers. Trust me because i'm in the industry :-)
      This is true. I think these marketplaces are excellent for market research, though you might find that you physically have to visit the factories/offices of companies on the site to inspect facilities or sign an agreement.
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by amcg View Post

        This is true. I think these marketplaces are excellent for market research, though you might find that you physically have to visit the factories/offices of companies on the site to inspect facilities or sign an agreement.
        While it is always better to visit the factories if you can, it is possible to trade safely from your home country provided you follow good practice. I ran an importing business for 22 years before retirement and franchised it in 4 countries. Only a couple of my franchisees ever visited the factories, instead relying on the safe sourcing practices that I taught them

        The first step is to only use sourcing platforms where you can be sure that suppliers listed as manufacturers really are just that.

        The market research should begin long before you start looking for suppliers. If you know how, finding suppliers is easy and the importing process is even easier, but choosing which products to sell and then marketing them is always a lot harder.

        Your research needs to pinpoint products that you can be confident of selling, with some certainty about the selling price obtainable, and must take into account your selling costs such as eBay, Amazon, PayPal, and postage.

        Once that research is complete it is not difficult to find suppliers that can give you amazingly low prices, but unless you locate real manufacturers you cannot possibly enjoy the maximum possible profits.

        Just like we saw in AffiliateRg's original questions too many people on WF look for wholesalers, when they should be setting their sights much higher.

        Wholesalers buy from manufacturers, obviously at much lower prices than those wholesalers will charge you. If Warriors only knew how much lower those prices are and how much difference there is in profit margins, nobody would be looking for wholesale sources.

        I know from many emails I get and also from numerous posts that people are put off trying to buy direct from manufacturers by the frequently repeated myth about having to buy huge quantities if you buy direct.

        I tell my students to ignore the myth -- ignore the big MOQs quoted by suppliers, and by using the right approach, get the factories to supply small orders direct at factory prices.
        .
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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 techplus
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    just search on google for cheap products in china....
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  • Profile picture of the author BradVert2013
    When I found a product that sold like hot cakes on eBay, I contacted the company that makes the item and they put me in touch with their wholesale distributor. I'm currently getting ready to make my first order.

    Sometimes going directly to the source is best. A manufacturer/distributor for well-known products is much safer than sites like Alibaba. You know the product you're getting is the real deal. The only downside is they might have stricter buying requirements, like higher minimums.
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    • Profile picture of the author desertwander
      Originally Posted by BradVert2013 View Post

      When I found a product that sold like hot cakes on eBay, I contacted the company that makes the item and they put me in touch with their wholesale distributor. I'm currently getting ready to make my first order.
      Exactly. This is how I find almost all my sources.
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      • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
        Originally Posted by desertwander View Post

        Exactly. This is how I find almost all my sources.
        But how did you guys know where to look to find the products that were selling well on eBay, and how did you know you could trust the sources you were buying your wholesale stock from?
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    • Profile picture of the author BKenn01
      Originally Posted by BradVert2013 View Post

      When I found a product that sold like hot cakes on eBay, I contacted the company that makes the item and they put me in touch with their wholesale distributor. I'm currently getting ready to make my first order.

      Sometimes going directly to the source is best. A manufacturer/distributor for well-known products is much safer than sites like Alibaba. You know the product you're getting is the real deal. The only downside is they might have stricter buying requirements, like higher minimums.
      One thing to keep in mind is that often the person you are competing with on ebay is the Distributor. Pricing on ebay is often way less than it should be. This is because many markups are based on Distributor pricing and not Wholesale. Dont go thinking you are going to find a magical source on something like 5-Hour Energy. I am a buyer for a 70 store C-store chain. Our distibutor makes .07 per bottle off us and its obvious many of those selling on ebay are buying direct.
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      • Profile picture of the author maximus242
        Originally Posted by BKenn01 View Post

        One thing to keep in mind is that often the person you are competing with on ebay is the Distributor. Pricing on ebay is often way less than it should be. This is because many markups are based on Distributor pricing and not Wholesale. Dont go thinking you are going to find a magical source on something like 5-Hour Energy. I am a buyer for a 70 store C-store chain. Our distibutor makes .07 per bottle off us and its obvious many of those selling on ebay are buying direct.
        No, its because they are fakes, thats why the price is lower.
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
    I have heard good things about esources, anyone heard anything about them?
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  • Profile picture of the author trader909
    ^^ Yeah...we get it......every post you keep saying this....lol

    I ran an importing business for 22 years before retirement and franchised it in 4 countries.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by trader909 View Post

      ^^ Yeah...we get it......every post you keep saying this....lol
      Yes, for two reasons:
      1. It is obvious that very few warriors read an entire thread, and very few read all threads relevant to a particular topic, but mainly because:
      2. It is relevant to the point I am making as this more complete quote giving the context shows: " I ran an importing business for 22 years before retirement and franchised it in 4 countries. Only a couple of my franchisees ever visited the factories, instead relying on the safe sourcing practices that I taught them."
      That context shows that it is not essential to visit the factories in order to successfully operate an importing business. I taught them how to source and how to import and with those very few exceptions they did so from home.

      That was the point I was making and without the words that you quoted it would not make much sense.
      .
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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 AffiliateRg
    Hi. I've been thinking about buying electronics on Alibaba.com. Do any fellow Warriors have first hand experience of buying from there? I feel if I am careful with whom I buy from I should be pretty safe. I know to buy from Gold Suppliers and use Escrow etc... is there anything else I need to look for to stay safe?
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      Hi. I've been thinking about buying electronics on Alibaba.com. Do any fellow Warriors have first hand experience of buying from there? I feel if I am careful with whom I buy from I should be pretty safe. I know to buy from Gold Suppliers and use Escrow etc... is there anything else I need to look for to stay safe?
      Hi AffiliateRg,

      Gold suppliers are no better than any verified supplier because they are just verified suppliers who have bought gold status. A small number of them have paid extra for some real checking to be done. They may be OK.

      Make sure you read the fine print relating to the rules for using escrow, which is now called Secure Payment. There are procedures to follow within a strict time limit, and I have read a number of reports that some suppliers on Alibaba and AliExpress have worked out how to use that time limit to avoid claims.
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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 onlinemarketer23
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    hi,

    doba.com is a great place to start out...but just grasp any ecommerce related wso that could help a lot to understand this business model.. its very lucrative for sure but you´d better have some prior insightful knowledge!! take care of yourself!!;-)
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  • Profile picture of the author big tymer
    I still love your posts ImportExport
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  • Profile picture of the author gregdavidson727
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    If you can find a local liquidator I would go through them. But liquidators aren't real wholesalers because they can't supply you with the same products. Buying from a real wholesaler will require you to register your business.
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  • Profile picture of the author JordanMetro
    whatever is open to the public is at market rates ,
    if you want to sell high volume with a decent profit it have to be from exclusive vendor .

    pm me for samples
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      If someone is determined to buy from wholesalers at inflated prices instead of buying direct from real manufacturers at the prices that wholesalers pay, they should at least do some research on the sourcing sites.

      For example GlobalSources, like all the popular sourcing sites give status ranking to their suppliers in return for payment.

      DHgate have long list of complaints filed against them on ripoffreport.com.

      Liquidation.com has a huge list of complaints filed against them on ripoffreport.com.

      Just because someone has heard good things about a sourcing site is no reason to just plunge in the deep end and use that site to locate suppliers.
      .
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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 KevMason
    Hey pal,

    When it comes to buying things wholesale, I focus on using Alibaba as they tend to have most things you are looking for, mostly non branded which is good.

    Clothing is not so much problem just ask for samples, and check to see if that is the (Production Sample) you are getting then if happy send it back and tell them that this is the quality you are buying, if anything falls below you will need to send back.

    If you would prefer to get electronics direct from China I would ensure I do thorough research to ensure all the products are safe for your market again samples are required.

    The best way to do this is ask what is their (QC) quality check procedure, for example do they have a QC line manager, check product at each stage of development and do they do random checks of the final units on completion.

    Most guys on Alibaba are agents, so if possible work direct with manufacture but his may not be possible depending on your MOQ if not at least work with an agent that specialises in electronics.


    Any ways hope that helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by KevMason View Post

      Hey pal,

      When it comes to buying things wholesale, I focus on using Alibaba as they tend to have most things you are looking for, mostly non branded which is good.

      Clothing is not so much problem just ask for samples, and check to see if that is the (Production Sample) you are getting then if happy send it back and tell them that this is the quality you are buying, if anything falls below you will need to send back.

      If you would prefer to get electronics direct from China I would ensure I do thorough research to ensure all the products are safe for your market again samples are required.

      The best way to do this is ask what is their (QC) quality check procedure, for example do they have a QC line manager, check product at each stage of development and do they do random checks of the final units on completion.

      Most guys on Alibaba are agents, so if possible work direct with manufacture but his may not be possible depending on your MOQ if not at least work with an agent that specialises in electronics.


      Any ways hope that helps.
      Because so few read right through any thread, let me just remind everyone that it is your money you are spending, so don't take for granted that sourcing sites suggested on the forum are safe.

      Try a search for Alibaba on Ripoff Report | Scams, reviews, complaints, lawsuits and frauds. File a report, post your review. Consumers educating consumers. where you will find a lot of people who have had bad experiences.

      BKenn is right about most guys on Alibaba being agents. Working with agents usually makes it more difficult, not less so, to buy smaller quantities. The reasons are:
      1. Agents or traders must make a big sale on the first occasion with a new buyer because they know that they will rarely get a repeat order.
      2. They often have no formal arrangement (if any) with a manufacturer, they just use the manufacturer's photos, hope to get an order and then hope to get the manufacturer to supply. If the order is a big one, they will probably get the manufacturer to supply but if not, they get nothing and have to refund your money.
      Big MOQs are quoted by manufacturers to avoid being pestered by newbies, wannabees, and small fry. If you take the right approach most can be persuaded to supply small quantities at genuine ex-factory prices.

      Regarding Quality Control; Just asking will usually get you great assurances, but you need cold hard proof in the form of ISO certification. You also need to know that many certificates for whatever purpose, are forged, so you need to know how to get confirmation whether or not they are genuine.

      I would say not just "if possible work with manufacturers", but it is essential that you work with manufacturers if you want profit margins that are probably beyond your wildest dreams. You are going to need a lot of luck to find real manufacturers if you try sourcing on the popular sourcing websites.

      You may think you are getting wonderful bargain prices if you buy from a wholesaler, but imagine how much better you can buy if you go to the wholesaler's supplier - the actual manufacturer.
      Signature
      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 Importexport
          Originally Posted by infinitesuccess168 View Post

          You may want to check out this site: Top 50 China Dropshippers | China dropship & China wholesale rankings
          When I saw that site recommended by infinitesuccess I decided to do some checking. The first two wholesalers that I checked at random were advertising big brand goods.

          Buying such products and trying to import them is a recipe for disaster. The goods will be confiscated, the buyer may be fined, and if the volume warrants it, they may be imprisoned. If a supplier is willing to sell knockoffs and breach intellectual property laws how can you trust them for anything you buy?

          Other names I recognized in the top 50 list are also going to be hazardous to use. I would never recommend using the top 50 list. I was so unimpressed that I did not even bother to do my usual review checking on any of them.

          In any case, the best deal you can get from any wholesaler is going to amount to throwing money away because you can buy much, much cheaper if you buy direct from the manufacturer.
          Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
    Appreciate all the comments guys.

    Would anyone else care to share their experience/s of buying items from Alibaba.com
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      Appreciate all the comments guys.

      Would anyone else care to share their experience/s of buying items from Alibaba.com
      DanielJ's reply is typical of what happens when people use Alibaba for sourcing. There is no doubt that you can make money buying on Alibaba, but as he said "I've also come across a LOT of scammers". He has learned how to spot them,' but why take the risk?

      I teach my students how to use safe sourcing sites, where they can have a lot more confidence that they will not be ripped off.

      Alibaba admitted that 2236 Gold Suppliers had defrauded customers. See my posts on the thread: How Trustworthy is Alibaba.com? It quotes from an Economist article headed "Alibaba and the 2236 Thieves." See a more recent revelation here: China’s Consumer Protection Watchdog Reports On Alibaba

      Don't forget that Gold Suppliers buy that status, they don't earn it, and for a long time during this year Alibaba discounted the fee from $2990 to $299. What does that say about Gold Supplier status? Now every man and his dog is a Gold Supplier.
      Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel J
    Hi AffiliatRg,
    I've used both Alibaba and Worldwide Brands, so I thought I'd give me 2 cents I've had very good experiences with both. Worldwide Brands was where I started. I first consumed all of their free information (really good stuff- they will tell you also to avoid electronics in general) then I bought a membership ($300 one time payment.) You CAN find suppliers on your own (and worldwide brands will tell you this) but it's a lot more work. For me the $300 was worth it for the wealth of information they provide and the fact that all suppliers are screened and verified. The downside is that worldwide brands has a LOT of members. When you buy from their suppliers, chances are, lots and lots of other people are buying from them as well as the same prices and possibly selling the same places you are (if you're looking to sell on Ebay or Amazon- if not, you've got a lot more work ahead of you in terms of promotion, SEO, backlinking, promotion etc). All in all, my experience has been very good and I HAVE been able to find plenty of suppliers at a decent profit.

    Alibaba is really the "next step." For me, buying from overseas was really scary initially. U.S. suppliers that I found in Worldwide Brands seemed much less risky, but the profit was also lower in most cases. Importexport's information in this thread is solid, but it is clear that they have been doing this for quite some time and have learned a thing or two along the way I know when you're starting out, it can be really intimidating. Alibaba has been a great experience, but I've also come across a LOT of scammers (thankfully I learned enough to never buy from them). Once you learn a bit about the process, the scammers are quite easy to spot. With Worldwide Brands, I've never had problems with scammers. It's a safe way to start. Once you get comfortable, learn as much as you possibly can about importing goods and go to the source! Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author jungalous
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  • Profile picture of the author Recon24
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Recon24 View Post

      Hi, well, I would suggest alibaba.com. It's really a great website with fair prices. Although some people say they have some problems with it, but I think it's one of the best sites for low- priced goods
      Well Recon,

      If you are happy with the prices quoted by the traders masquerading as manufacturers, that may be the site for you, but if you want to buy at the prices those traders pay, you need to find the real manufacturers.

      As I have already pointed out on this thread, most of the suppliers listed on Alibaba as manufacturers are not.

      I know that few people read more than the last one or two posts, but you might like to have a look back at my post yesterday in which I provided a link to a news article with the title "Alibaba and the 2336 Thieves"
      Signature
      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 kb11
        Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

        Well Recon,

        If you are happy with the prices quoted by the traders masquerading as manufacturers, that may be the site for you, but if you want to buy at the prices those traders pay, you need to find the real manufacturers.

        As I have already pointed out on this thread, most of the suppliers listed on Alibaba as manufacturers are not.

        I know that few people read more than the last one or two posts, but you might like to have a look back at my post yesterday in which I provided a lnk to a news article with the title "Alibaba and the 2336 Thieves"




        So how do you go about finding the real manufacturers? Is this info included in your course?
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        • Profile picture of the author Importexport
          Originally Posted by kb11 View Post

          So how do you go about finding the real manufacturers? Is this info included in your course?
          Yes kb11,

          It is all there.

          Regards,
          Walter
          Signature
          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 AffiliateRg
    Funny how this was my thread and it's been taken over by others! Guess it was a good topic to bring up, feels good to have provided value on here
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
    @Importexport Please tell me how I can purchase your course
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      @Importexport Please tell me how I can purchase your course
      @AffiliateRg,

      My signature contains a direct link to my website where you can buy the book .

      I have been offline for a little while, but watch this space for my answers to posts by ibas.
      Signature
      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 ibas
    I am wondering how it could work with importing small quantities from China.

    I mean a large part of the cost is in the shipping. Small orders are likely to get shipped via EMS or another courier service. Especially when you insist paying with paypal ( and not many suppliers will even accept that ) they surely want to protect themselves by shipping with a paypal accepted service with tracking. That will eat up most of the potential profits, will it not ?

    And they will overcharge you for the shipping anyways to make up for your persistent negotiations on the goods, won't they ?

    So I really wonder how anyone can import a small qty. and be still profitable considering the fact that just about anything you could import is sold by the same Chinese seller on ebay....??

    Confused....
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by ibas View Post

      I am wondering how it could work with importing small quantities from China.

      I mean a large part of the cost is in the shipping. Small orders are likely to get shipped via EMS or another courier service. Especially when you insist paying with paypal ( and not many suppliers will even accept that ) they surely want to protect themselves by shipping with a paypal accepted service with tracking. That will eat up most of the potential profits, will it not ?

      And they will overcharge you for the shipping anyways to make up for your persistent negotiations on the goods, won't they ?

      So I really wonder how anyone can import a small qty. and be still profitable considering the fact that just about anything you could import is sold by the same Chinese seller on ebay....??

      Confused....
      You are quite right that shipping costs can be a substantial part of total landed cost. The solution is simple:

      Don't buy from the traders and wholesalers that you will find by the thousands listed on the most popular sourcing sites. If you buy direct from genuine manufacturers it is possible to buy small quantities at prices that will allow for door to door air courier charges and still make good profits.

      I know, because I and my franchisees did it for 22 years, and although the business is now owned by someone else, those same franchisees are still doing very nicely.

      You mention Taobao in a later post so I will comment on that also. Maybe all I need to say is that Taobao is owned by Alibaba, but for those who haven't read any posts about Alibaba, let me deal specifically with Taobao.

      The website is in Chinese and is intended for use by Chinese buyers. English translations will make you either laugh or cry, and many Chinese entrepreneurs know that, so they have set up businesses as middle men to buy from Taobao for English speakers.

      Some offer English translations, many of which are no better than Google Translate's near impossible version. All of them charge a fee for their service, but buyers are working partly blindfolded. They can't be sure if their middle man is buying from the lowest price source or the source that pays them the highest commission.

      Taobao allows the sale of big brand goods. That may be OK for buyers in China and HK where intellectual property protection is almost non-existent, but buyers from western countries risk confiscation, fines, and at the least flagging of their name and address by Customs so every shipment ever after will be delayed.

      You will not find manufacturers listed on Taobao, so although the prices may look good compared to what you pay in western countries they are nowhere near as low as you can buy from genuine manufacturers.
      Signature
      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 Importexport
      Originally Posted by ibas View Post

      I am wondering how it could work with importing small quantities from China.

      I mean a large part of the cost is in the shipping. Small orders are likely to get shipped via EMS or another courier service. Especially when you insist paying with paypal ( and not many suppliers will even accept that ) they surely want to protect themselves by shipping with a paypal accepted service with tracking. That will eat up most of the potential profits, will it not ?

      And they will overcharge you for the shipping anyways to make up for your persistent negotiations on the goods, won't they ?

      So I really wonder how anyone can import a small qty. and be still profitable considering the fact that just about anything you could import is sold by the same Chinese seller on ebay....??

      Confused....
      Your confusion seems to come from the comments in your last sentence. Anyone who buys from the kind of suppliers you are describing is not really running a viable business.

      It is possible to import small quantities profitably. To do so resellers must follow this procedure:
      • Do your market research as taught by Auctiondebteliminator
      • Use a safe sourcing site to locate suppliers. Avoid the big popular sites that are always being recommended on WF.
      • Choose only genuine manufacturers to deal with.
      • Ignore MOQs
      • Negotiate a small order
      • Make sure you are getting the best possible price
      • Have the supplier pre-pay door to door freight
      • Sell, sell, sell.
      I know you will still be confused, but that is due to your mindset that seems to think that everyone must buy from wholesalers. Buying direct from manufacturers, even for small quantities can result in buying prices that do allow for costly EMS or air couriers and still leave heaps of profit.
      Signature
      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 AffiliateRg
    Well, I know that some buyers on eBay will only purchase goods from their own country and therefore would be prepared to pay a higher price. Remember, it's not all about the price. Good customer service and great feedback go a long way towards making consistent sales.
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    • Profile picture of the author ibas
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      Well, I know that some buyers on eBay will only purchase goods from their own country and therefore would be prepared to pay a higher price. Remember, it's not all about the price. Good customer service and great feedback go a long way towards making consistent sales.
      True, but how much more are they willing to go ?

      Looking at sellers from China Mainland or HK - damn....lots and lots of sales. Hard to compete if your cost is already higher than their selling price.

      If I do the basic math based on shipping with either FEDEX ( real bad IMO ) , DHL, EMS I won't be able to get much in neither weight or volume for my buck. Unless the items are really small and weigh next to nothing...

      Next step would be considering Ocean Freight. A heck of a lot cheaper but also with surprising cost's no one wants to talk about.

      Example:

      1 cbm ( cubicmeter ) from HK to US, port of Long Beach, CA.

      Cheap with $ 125.00. Sounds good. But there is more, of course.

      $ 40.00 for the ISF filing to start. 2 days in advance to be filed or penalty.

      After it gets to the warehouse the fun starts. 50 bucks for forklift charges.
      50 bucks for the broker you need to have to clear customs. Wharfage, demurraghe. devaining. Some of those are included with shippers but not always.

      First time import ? Get ready for CBP to take a look at your stuff. That will run you anywhere from 400 to 500 bucks , depending on where it needs to go to be checked.

      So, even Ocean Freight is pretty much out of the question for "small" orders. Doesn't matter if you get 1 cbm or 10 cbm - those charges are always the same.
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    • Profile picture of the author yogijoe
      I agree with you. I usually buy Canadian or Usa. The shipping is usually faster too. Last item ive ordered from China on ebay was 1 month and 1/2 ago and i still haven't received it. Will consider NOT buying from China again.

      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      Well, I know that some buyers on eBay will only purchase goods from their own country and therefore would be prepared to pay a higher price. Remember, it's not all about the price. Good customer service and great feedback go a long way towards making consistent sales.
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by yogijoe View Post

        I agree with you. I usually buy Canadian or Usa. The shipping is usually faster too. Last item ive ordered from China on ebay was 1 month and 1/2 ago and i still haven't received it. Will consider NOT buying from China again.
        This is a major reason why it is possible to compete against dropshippers in China, even though they enjoy subsidized shipping.

        Many are now selling on eBay and using proxies to appear as though they are shipping from the US, UK, Australia, or whichever country they are advertising in.

        Quite often it is possible to identify them by the way they advertise. Chinese people struggle with English. The managing director of one of my first suppliers that I visited in China in 1987 loved the English language so much that he taught it as a hobby at night school. His English was appalling! He thought it was brilliant.

        A very big factor that must not be neglected if sellers in western countries are to compete with Chinese suppliers selling direct is that you must get the best price when buying. Wholesale is not good enough. You must buy direct from the manufacturers, not the wholesalers and traders listed on the popular sourcing sites in their thousands as manufacturers.
        Signature
        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 AffiliateRg
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    • Profile picture of the author funkdoctor
      I would not recommend using Doba, as you want to stay far, far away from recurring costs. Plus, many of the items you find on here will be offered cheaper on Amazon.

      Worldwide Brands is the only reliable source I've found, though it is quite expensive. You're not going to find THAT many name brands, but you will definitely find a lot of products. The companies on here also list light bulk, bulk, etc. beyond just drop shipping.

      Alibaba is interesting, but I have no direct experience with that website.

      Best of luck,
      Funk Doctor
      Signature
      If you have a problem you can't solve, feel free to contact me.
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    • Profile picture of the author jhill247
      Like many have said, alibaba is a great source for (sometimes) quality, wholesale goods.
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by jhill247 View Post

        Like many have said, alibaba is a great source for (sometimes) quality, wholesale goods.
        "Many" are not always right. Thousands of buyers have been scammed by sellers on Alibaba. Many people have been scammed by Gold Suppliers. Want proof? Just ask and I will provide details.

        Why take the risk when there are safe sourcing sites where proper verification processes are used?

        Walter Hay
        "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
        Signature
        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 ibas
    In your case it may be different - UK does things a bit different I suppose but still, check with a freight forwarder for all cost of seafreight. FOB doesn't mean its all paid for.

    As for DHL - best option to get small order from HK to US or Europe. They have a flat rate parcel that may contain up to 25kg of goods - as long as it fits into the provided box.

    The size of the box is roughly 44 x 44 x 40 cm.

    If your supplier tells you that it may contain only 20kg it means that he doesn't ship a lot. DHL will give frequent shippers 5 kg for free since they do not do discounted rates on that route.
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  • Profile picture of the author ibas
    But that wasn't your original question
    This is only me but I do not do anything with Alibaba, Aliexpress ( retail oulet ) or any of the other Chinese sites. Taobao would be the only one to consider but that is a whole other ball of wax.

    I believe in personal contacts to make things run smooth and efficient. Spending hours chatting with some Chinese saleslady without getting anywhere is a waste. Again, my pesonal opinion and some other people may see that different which is perfectly alright.

    And why always China anyways ? Start thinking about that. China is not the only place in the world where Chinese live and sell Chinese made goods for cheap
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  • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
    @Importexport,

    You seem like a genuine guy to me. How long is your course available for?
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

      @Importexport,

      You seem like a genuine guy to me. How long is your course available for?
      Thanks AffiliateRg,

      I intend keeping on with it while ever I still enjoy what I am doing. Having been forced to retire due to ill health I wrote and published it to stop myself going crazy doing nothing, and I get a lot of pleasure out of helping people get started in importing.
      Signature
      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 AffiliateRg
        Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

        Thanks AffiliateRg,

        I intend keeping on with it while ever I still enjoy what I am doing. Having been forced to retire due to ill health I wrote and published it to stop myself going crazy doing nothing, and I get a lot of pleasure out of helping people get started in importing.
        Sorry to hear about your ill health, hope it's nothing too serious. It's good of you to want to help other people.

        I myself have fairly serious health issues, but I'm not so ill that I can't do any work.
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  • Profile picture of the author xxxMSMxxx
    Hi All..Im in the process of setting up a few dopshipment websites, but want to know is it worth signing up to one of those wholesale source websites, if so, which is the best? esources, worldwidebrands etc? thanks
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    • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
      Originally Posted by xxxMSMxxx View Post

      Hi All..Im in the process of setting up a few dopshipment websites, but want to know is it worth signing up to one of those wholesale source websites, if so, which is the best? esources, worldwidebrands etc? thanks
      Hello. I have heard good things about both sites but I don't know about the dropshipping side of things, I only know that they are supposedly good places to find wholesale suppliers. I know that worldwidebrands verifies all suppliers in their database.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by xxxMSMxxx View Post

      Hi All..Im in the process of setting up a few dopshipment websites, but want to know is it worth signing up to one of those wholesale source websites, if so, which is the best? esources, worldwidebrands etc? thanks
      You might like to have a look at the thread: Is WorldWide Brands worth the $299 membership fee?
      and in relation to eSources, I suggest you check out the complaints on
      www.ripoffreport.com/reports/specific_search/esources

      Now if you want to really make money out of your websites you might consider buying small inventories direct from the manufacturers overseas rather than paying the inflated prices charge by wholesalers and other middle men.
      Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author armstronglh
    Hey,

    you can find your good quality goods with discount codes, coupons and special offers at http://eng.goodscheine.net/
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Marcmart is like a single supplier version of the large sourcing sites. The difference is that Marcmart only supply as wholesalers or middlemen and they compete directly with their customers as their post says. "(We still sell them on Ebay, ect)"

      Their discounts for dropship resellers range from 5% to 12%. How can anyone make money at those rates? Resellers would be like low paid employees of Marcmart.

      If you choose to stock inventory and buy wholesale, the discount rates for wholesale buyers ranges from 2% to 30 %.

      Warriors may prefer to buy small inventories direct from the manufacturers where wholesalers like Marcmart buy, and that way they can enjoy margins many times higher.
      Signature
      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 ibas
        Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

        Marcmart is like a single supplier version of the large sourcing sites. The difference is that Marcmart only supply as wholesalers or middlemen and they compete directly with their customers as their post says. "(We still sell them on Ebay, ect)"

        Their discounts for dropship resellers range from 5% to 12%. How can anyone make money at those rates? Resellers would be like low paid employees of Marcmart.

        If you choose to stock inventory and buy wholesale, the discount rates for wholesale buyers ranges from 2% to 30 %.

        Warriors may prefer to buy small inventories direct from the manufacturers where wholesalers like Marcmart buy, and that way they can enjoy margins many times higher.
        Whats the translation of "small" and "many times" into numbers, if I may ask ?
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        • Profile picture of the author Importexport
          Originally Posted by ibas View Post

          Whats the translation of "small" and "many times" into numbers, if I may ask ?
          That question is impossible to answer specifically without knowing which product is being sourced.

          I can generalize by saying that I have taught people how to get suppliers to accept orders for 50 pcs when their MOQ states 1000 pcs.

          A recent "number" was posted on this forum by a Warrior supporting my contention that you can buy small quantities at prices that allow massive profit margins. They reported that they had purchased direct from a manufacturer a product for $1 , spent an additional $1 on packaging and sold it for $25.
          Signature
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          • Profile picture of the author ibas
            Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

            That question is impossible to answer specifically without knowing which product is being sourced.

            I can generalize by saying that I have taught people how to get suppliers to accept orders for 50 pcs when their MOQ states 1000 pcs.

            A recent "number" was posted on this forum by a Warrior supporting my contention that you can buy small quantities at prices that allow massive profit margins. They reported that they had purchased direct from a manufacturer a product for $1 , spent an additional $1 on packaging and sold it for $25.
            Well, I guess we all have our own "number" in mind when we talk about qty or $ amounts. Your reply was helpful in a sense. Thank you.

            However, buying 50 tractors is not a cheap thing whereas 1000 pieces of a $1 item does not put to much of a dent in your pocket.

            I guess it's all relative in the end. My boss won't even touch anything less than 50.000 units.
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  • Profile picture of the author jbthemummy
    Try doing the following search on Google or variations of it: drop ship clothing tax id or drop ship apparel tax id.

    Alibaba is actually a pretty decent site.
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  • Profile picture of the author Awing
    IF you like great electronic with great price, you will not miss out volumerate.com, which i keep ordering for years.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Awing View Post

      IF you like great electronic with great price, you will not miss out volumerate.com, which i keep ordering for years.
      Volumerate is owned by Dealextreme. Do a search for DX.com on Ripoff Report | Scams, reviews, complaints, lawsuits and frauds. File a report, post your review. Consumers educating consumers. before deciding whether to buy through one of their sites.

      Warriors should never accept off the cuff suggestions about sourcing. Always check them out. Sometimes it requires a bit of detective work but it could save you a bad experience.

      There are hundreds of sourcing sites that I would advise my students to avoid, and only a very small number that I recommend.
      Signature
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    • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
      Originally Posted by Awing View Post

      IF you like great electronic with great price, you will not miss out volumerate.com, which i keep ordering for years.
      I am wary of this as you have little history here on the WF.
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  • Profile picture of the author Disruption
    I've heard nothing but good reviews in regards to Alilibaba for services ( I just butchered there name ). I'd go with them.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Disruption View Post

      I've heard nothing but good reviews in regards to Alilibaba for services ( I just butchered there name ). I'd go with them.
      You have certainly not read many posts about Alibaba on this forum, and you could not possibly have looked them up on ripoffreport.com where there are 36 adverse reports on Alibaba, and 20 on their offshoot Aliexpress.

      I strongly advise Warriors to always check sources that are casually recommended on the forum. It is my business to do so because I teach safe sourcing, and I have to protect my students, but everyone should do those checks.

      After all it is your hard earned money you are risking on the say so of someone who often knows nothing about safe sourcing.

      You might like to read the threads: How Trustworthy is Alibaba.com?
      and the more recent revelations on China’s Consumer Protection Watchdog Reports On Alibaba
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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 KentyMac
        I've been researching how to choose and source products wholesale to sell on Amazon through FBA. After much digging and searching around I discovered Lisa Suttora's video course "Sourcing the Right Products Wholesale to Sell on Amazon" and found to be well worth the money. It's normally $197 but I believe I caught a deal and got it for $97. I'm not an affiliate and don't know Lisa, I just honestly thought her information was very well-presented and very actionable. She shows exactly how she picks her products, how she finds actual wholesalers (not middlemen), and how to contact them. She also posts frequent updates and holds occasional webinars.

        Again, I'm only recommending it because I'm finding it helpful in getting my own wholesale business going!

        Sourcing Wholesale Products to Sell on Amazon
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        • Profile picture of the author Importexport
          Originally Posted by KentyMac View Post

          I've been researching how to choose and source products wholesale to sell on Amazon through FBA. After much digging and searching around I discovered Lisa Suttora's video course "Sourcing the Right Products Wholesale to Sell on Amazon" and found to be well worth the money. It's normally $197 but I believe I caught a deal and got it for $97. I'm not an affiliate and don't know Lisa, I just honestly thought her information was very well-presented and very actionable. She shows exactly how she picks her products, how she finds actual wholesalers (not middlemen), and how to contact them. She also posts frequent updates and holds occasional webinars.

          Again, I'm only recommending it because I'm finding it helpful in getting my own wholesale business going!

          Sourcing Wholesale Products to Sell on Amazon
          @KentyMac,

          Lisa certainly seems to know how to choose products for selling on Amazon, and how to sell them.

          The one important area in which I would differ is in relation to finding suppliers.

          In the world of online selling there seems to be a fixation with buying wholesale. Now Lisa's not talking about dropshipping, but about buying inventory, so my question is:

          Why throw money away by paying wholesalers' prices when you can buy at the much lower prices that the wholesalers pay?

          I have taught hundreds of people in 36 countries how to buy small or large quantities direct from real manufacturers at genuine ex-factory prices. Those are the prices that the wholesalers pay before they add their margin and sell the goods to people who think that buying wholesale is the key to big profits.

          If you know what products will sell, and what price you can be sure of getting, as well as your selling costs such as Amazon fees, PayPal, postage etc., it makes sense to buy the products at the lowest possible price.

          If you follow the crowd and buy from wholesalers, they are getting profit that could so easily be in your bank account.
          Signature
          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 KentyMac
            Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

            @KentyMac,

            Lisa certainly seems to know how to choose products for selling on Amazon, and how to sell them.

            The one important area in which I would differ is in relation to finding suppliers.

            In the world of online selling there seems to be a fixation with buying wholesale. Now Lisa's not talking about dropshipping, but about buying inventory, so my question is:

            Why throw money away by paying wholesalers' prices when you can buy at the much lower prices that the wholesalers pay?

            I have taught hundreds of people in 24 countries how to buy small or large quantities direct from real manufacturers at genuine ex-factory prices. Those are the prices that the wholesalers pay before they add their margin and sell the goods to people who think that buying wholesale is the key to big profits.

            If you know what products will sell, and what price you can be sure of getting, as well as your selling costs such as Amazon fees, PayPal, postage etc., it makes sense to buy the products at the lowest possible price.

            If you follow the crowd and buy from wholesalers, they are getting profit that could so easily be in your bank account.
            Excellent points, Importexport, and I should qualify my above post by stating that Lisa actually does recommend going direct to the manufaturer whenever possible to eliminate the wholesale mark-up. She mentions a few strategies on this, as well as discussing a bit about trade shows and such. So I agree with you that getting products direct at ex-factory prices is always the best! That's certainly my primary goal, I just lumped it all in to "wholesale" as opposed to retail. Sorry for any confusion.

            Thanks for the feedback!
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        • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
          Originally Posted by KentyMac View Post

          I've been researching how to choose and source products wholesale to sell on Amazon through FBA. After much digging and searching around I discovered Lisa Suttora's video course "Sourcing the Right Products Wholesale to Sell on Amazon" and found to be well worth the money. It's normally $197 but I believe I caught a deal and got it for $97. I'm not an affiliate and don't know Lisa, I just honestly thought her information was very well-presented and very actionable. She shows exactly how she picks her products, how she finds actual wholesalers (not middlemen), and how to contact them. She also posts frequent updates and holds occasional webinars.

          Again, I'm only recommending it because I'm finding it helpful in getting my own wholesale business going!

          Sourcing Wholesale Products to Sell on Amazon
          Looks like a good course, but I think this would be a bit on the expensive side for most of us, especially when starting out.
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  • Profile picture of the author bima aditia
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard

    hello .. if you are looking for wholesale teak garden I am always ready to welcome you
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  • Profile picture of the author fasal
    where is wholesale teak garden ???
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    • Profile picture of the author AffiliateRg
      Originally Posted by fasal View Post

      where is wholesale teak garden ???
      Yes, I would like an answer to this one too please!
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  • Profile picture of the author EAEJR34
    My favorite places to get inventory is the free section on Craigslist,Flea Markets,Garage & Estate Sales (Tag Sales) Just asking people is a big one people never do.If your at a yard sale and you buy a couple of things,dont be afraid to ask the owner if there are any things INSIDE the house for sale.There is a price tag on everything,especially when the seller is broke and you have cash.Ive gotten deals on everything from household appliances to antique furniture all because I asked that question.Another great question to throw at a garage or yard sale owner is "Hey,do you have any BROKEN jewelry you dont want?"The word broken is the key here.Dont say high quality words like diamonds or platinum.Human beings are funny creatures and we all have an out of sight out of mind approach to many things.There may be a zip lock bag in this ladies under wear drawer and since its all broken rusted and dusted,you just got it for $30.Always engage and chat with people when you are out and about.If the day is a bust and you cant find any good deals,all is not lost because you have successfully added a few more faces to your network and a larger network increases those profit margins which in turn increase YOUR smiles!
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  • Profile picture of the author pdishman
    Apparently, the people who have good suppliers are going to keep that info to themselves -the only good information you are going to get is who to stay away from ;-)
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    • Profile picture of the author geoscash1
      AffiliateRG and Importexport,

      affiliaterg thank you very much for starting this thread and importexport thank you a ton for some excellent insights from your own personal experience.

      I have read every post in this thread and it is amazing that some people chime in without reading a single reply or post.

      For someone starting out or thinking in this type of direction, it can sound like a daunting task to get started but with some of the info passed right here in this thread, (some replies) it removes some of that fear and doubt.

      I too am jumping in head first but will be doing as much research as possible first.

      A few years back (5-6 yrs ago) I did have some dealings with an offshore manufacture (china) and "importexport" is absolutely correct, I was able to negotiate an excellent price for 200 units (small product) and the manufacture actually paid the export/shipping costs for me. There original minimum was 1000 units but the shipping and customs was going to cost me almost as much as the product so they were willing to cut it for my continued business and eat that cost themselves.

      I ended up placing numerous orders with them and they continued their excellent service with me and paid all costs to export to the US. Unfortunately my biz fizzled based on new technology and lack of availability of what I was doing at the time..

      I basically ended up with a 400 percent free markup on my product at the time and still beat the prices of almost every other person selling similar or the same item on ebay.

      Make sure and do your due diligence, like importexport mentioned, dealing manufacture direct kills the competition 10 fold. My only tough part of the whole encounter was dealing with my manufacture rep, me being born and bread American (English speaking and hearing) and a native born and bread chinese was difficult at times although it was a great experience for me as was for her, we kept in contact for quite sometime even after my biz fizzled.
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by geoscash1 View Post

        AffiliateRG and Importexport,

        affiliaterg thank you very much for starting this thread and importexport thank you a ton for some excellent insights from your own personal experience.

        I have read every post in this thread and it is amazing that some people chime in without reading a single reply or post.

        For someone starting out or thinking in this type of direction, it can sound like a daunting task to get started but with some of the info passed right here in this thread, (some replies) it removes some of that fear and doubt.

        I too am jumping in head first but will be doing as much research as possible first.

        A few years back (5-6 yrs ago) I did have some dealings with an offshore manufacture (china) and "importexport" is absolutely correct, I was able to negotiate an excellent price for 200 units (small product) and the manufacture actually paid the export/shipping costs for me. There original minimum was 1000 units but the shipping and customs was going to cost me almost as much as the product so they were willing to cut it for my continued business and eat that cost themselves.

        I ended up placing numerous orders with them and they continued their excellent service with me and paid all costs to export to the US. Unfortunately my biz fizzled based on new technology and lack of availability of what I was doing at the time..

        I basically ended up with a 400 percent free markup on my product at the time and still beat the prices of almost every other person selling similar or the same item on ebay.

        Make sure and do your due diligence, like importexport mentioned, dealing manufacture direct kills the competition 10 fold. My only tough part of the whole encounter was dealing with my manufacture rep, me being born and bread American (English speaking and hearing) and a native born and bread chinese was difficult at times although it was a great experience for me as was for her, we kept in contact for quite sometime even after my biz fizzled.
        Thanks for your comments on the thread specifically and also on the way people apparently post answers based only on the thread subject and neglect to read anything on a thread before they post.

        Reading about your experience should be of value to many Warriors thinking of buying wholesale. You have given independent confirmation of what I tell people over and over again that buying direct from the manufacturer will eclipse the profit margins they can get by buying wholesale.

        I suspect that many doubt what I say because I am selling something to teach them how to safely buy direct. There have been numerous posts in which Warriors running businesses on eBay, Amazon, or their own sites report the huge margins they make by importing direct from the manufacturers, but as you mentioned a lot of people don't read replies or posts.

        Although my book is not mind numbingly long, I can tell that many people skim through it without taking a lot of notice. People often write and ask me the questions instead, even though the answers are in the book.

        Having taught hundreds of people through my book, and previously all my franchisees, as well as large numbers that I have taught in public seminars, I know that those who read or listen carefully and make notes as they go, will always do best.

        You mentioned some communication difficulty in dealing with Chinese native speaking people. One hint when dealing with non-English speaking suppliers is that you should use simple words and avoid those that have more than one meaning.

        Don't say "lustre (UK), luster (US), or sheen" when you want "very shiny". Don't say "principal" when you can say "main" or "most important".

        If you are in a country that uses British English, try to communicate in American English, because that is the dialect that is most understood in China and other Asian countries.
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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 danp142
          Originally Posted by Importexport View Post


          If you are in a country that uses British English, try to communicate in American English, because that is the dialect that is most understood in China and other Asian countries.
          I think I've just been put off importing from China for life
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  • Profile picture of the author repricerexpress
    Hi Richard, not quite an Alibaba, but have you looked at Stockshifters in the UK?
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by ibuywireless View Post

      is the stuff on alibaba legit
      If you are asking about brand name products the answer is NO.

      And don't ever be tempted to buy the fakes. Sooner or later you will get caught and at the very least the goods will be confiscated and you lose your money.
      Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author offshoreman
    I would recommend DHgate.com all products from China but you can in almost every instance secure your funds prior to getting your shipment and then release when goods are checked.
    Works well with Paypal I have done a lot of transactions never a problem and they have English speaking helpline.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by offshoreman View Post

      I would recommend DHgate.com all products from China but you can in almost every instance secure your funds prior to getting your shipment and then release when goods are checked.
      Works well with Paypal I have done a lot of transactions never a problem and they have English speaking helpline.
      Before blindly accepting any recommendations warriors should do some research. Warriors should never accept off the cuff suggestions about sourcing. Always check them out. Sometimes it requires a bit of detective work but it could save you a bad experience.

      DHgate has a lot of unfavorable comments posted on Ripoff Report | Scams, reviews, complaints, lawsuits and frauds. File a report, post your review. Consumers educating consumers.
      and you will also find heaps of bad reviews just by doing a Google search.

      There are hundreds of sourcing sites that I would advise my students to avoid, and only a very small number that I recommend.

      If you want the prices that the wholesalers pay before they add their margin, forget about buying from wholesalers at all. Go direct to the manufacturers overseas, where you will get prices that make "wholesale" look very expensive.

      Surely it makes sense to buy the products at the lowest possible price.

      If you follow the crowd and buy from wholesalers, they are getting profit that could so easily be in your bank account.
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  • Profile picture of the author Etoot
    Doba.com is the best place ever to buy low priced items.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Etoot View Post

      Doba.com is the best place ever to buy low priced items.
      Time and time again we see posts like this that show that people don't bother searching the forum and certainly don't read many of the posts. Doba has taken a beating on this forum so do a little search of the forum and see why.

      While you are at it, check out Ripoff Report | doba.com Search of Complaints & Reviews
      40 complaints and this one: Ripoff Report | doba directory of Complaints & Reviews
      135 complaints.

      The difference between the two report lists is that on the first one the search is for doba.com and the second one the search is for doba. This shows that it is necessary to search thoroughly.
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  • Profile picture of the author Money Coach
    I've used aliexpress.com and dhgate.com without any problems, but shipping options and prices can be tricky.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Money Coach View Post

      I've used aliexpress.com and dhgate.com without any problems, but shipping options and prices can be tricky.
      Originally Posted by christogonus View Post

      DHGate.com could also help.
      These last 2 posts highight the fact that few people seem to bother reading more than 1 post before they reply.

      On Feb 20 I posted a response to one recommending DHgate and the same applies to Aliexpress, but also to other popular sourcing sites.

      Do yourselves a favor. Before you start searching for suppliers on the popular websites, put the names DHgate, Aliexpress, DX.com, Alibaba, tradekey, madeinchina.com, and any others you see recommended on the forum into the search bar at Ripoff Report | Scams, reviews, complaints, lawsuits and frauds. File a report, post your review. Consumers educating consumers.

      Remember it is your money you are risking. Spending some time and effort on research could save you a bad experience. If you are doing a Google search for reviews don't forget that some review sites are in fact affiliate sites pretending to provide reviews, but using their fake reviews to get you to click on the sites where they get paid a commission.

      There are a few safe sites where you can find genuine manufacturers and if you use the right approach you can place small orders at such low prices that you will wonder why you ever threw money away buying at high "wholesale" prices.
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  • Profile picture of the author christogonus
    DHGate.com could also help.
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  • Profile picture of the author lizajohn2014
    this is an interesting offer
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  • Profile picture of the author Importexport
    Originally Posted by Techpro255255 View Post

    Hey check out Top Wholesale Directory for a huge list of wholesalers, liquidators, and drop-shippers.
    Places like that are where people go to find hot sellers. In doing so they join the crowds of people who all buy from the same dropship suppliers and the result is massive competition.

    The outcome is so often a price war with no winners. Margins when dropshipping are low enough without trying to beat everyone down to a level where there is no profit left.

    Most people seem to think they can only run a business following what everyone else is doing, so we constantly see posts asking how to find hot sellers. This is despite the warnings issued by a number of expert eBay and Amazon marketers that hot sellers are always extremely competitive products to try to sell at a profit.
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    • Profile picture of the author PGCEE
      I suggest reading this thread from the beginning. As far as Alibaba goes (not to mention dhgate etc), you really need to be careful. It's not only the manufacturers or agents, there are lots of other frauds to deal with. And I have a story to tell for example.

      I had a 4-year contract with a decent manufacturer, everything was running smooth up to one point when I got a call from the manufacturer saying that the transfer hasn't still arrived at their bank. So my first thought was OK I will call my bank and sort it out asap (usually numbers missing etc). To my surprise, I was told that the transfer has gone through successfully. And several days ago... That was alarming.

      So I got back to my PC, looked everything and remembered that the manufacturer even told me that they received the transfer. I also remembered they asked me to make the transfer to another acc as their current bank had some issues (can't recall the issue) so I told them to look at the other account they gave me. I got a response that they didn't provide any new accounts to me and what was I talking about. I then obviously knew that it was bad.

      I followed up the e-mails we exchanged and I wasn't able to figure it out for about an half an hour and then I saw it. The email extension was different, instead of .com there was .net etc. I dated this back to two months before the transfer even happen. So we instantly filed a fraud case, told the Chinese what we discovered and they did the same.

      It was about 60-70k transfer. These guys were monitoring the e-mails several months before and I remember talking the supplier several times without knowing someone is keeping a close eye on the emails, just changing them a bit. I remember calling them about the new acc (wasn't able to reach them), and ended up asking a confirmation about the new acc via email. which was obviously confirmed.

      I was later able to get the emails from Chinese side as well and I compared them with mine, it was a masterful job making each email a bit tilted. Eerie stuff as they even mimicked the manufactures writing style, and did it very well.

      They were so confident that they went for the 70% (I had a 30/70 agreement with them). 30% before (to correct acc) and 70% against BL (to fraud acc). I was quite lucky to escape this with bruises as the shipment was being late and as I had a government contract I urged them to release the BL after the transfer asap (to avoid any delays). So these fraud guys made sure that I was getting my BL and I did. They were simply doing this to make sure there was enough days between the transfer and finding out what was going on. They made sure I was pleased so they had enough time to get the money and vanish.

      The problem was on their side, one of the executives who were CC'd was simply hacked. At least that what they said to us. Agents working on our side suspected an inside job, but they were purely speculating on the emails. There was nothing anyone could do about it. They never saw the money.

      So yes, there are many things you need to be aware of and that was just tip of the iceberg of stuff you might encounter on your ventures.
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      • Profile picture of the author courier
        Wow PGCEE that's an amazing story and a lot of $ interesting warnings there! Thanks for sharing
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Thanks @PGCEE. What you described is only one of the thousands of scams that happen every year to people who buy from suppliers on places like Alibaba and DHGate.

      There is a lot of smoke and mirrors on Alibaba, and working out fact from fiction takes experience. I share that experience with warriors in my thread (see below).

      For that amount of money you should have used a Letter of Credit. (L/C) An L/C is only paid by your bank to the supplier after the goods have shipped, and the supplier has met every tiny detail of your order, as specified on the L/C.

      Using L/Cs is not totally safe either, because expert scammers can provide fake Bills of Lading.(B/L) As a result the safest payment method using L/Cs is to insist on a reputable, long-standing international inspection service verifying the loading of the goods on board, after first verifying the quality, and the loading of the container, and the sealing of the container. They should also verify the authenticity of the B/L.

      For more information on the subject of safe product sourcing and importing, see my thread: Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here

      You can ask questions there and get answers from someone who has had a long lifetime of experience in shipping, exporting, and importing.

      Walter Hay
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    • Profile picture of the author PGCEE
      Welcome! True, L/C is very reasonable, especially while working with new suppliers. The problem with L/C is that it's quite expensive to obtain. As my orders are almost always based on the technical description I like to keep myself safe with on-site inspections. Reasonably priced, and helps you sleep at night. Gets off-topic, but you usually get 'scammed' because you are being comfortable and making assumptions on what the other side should logically be doing. This is where the problems begin, but I guess these stories are for another thread!
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by PGCEE View Post

        Welcome! True, L/C is very reasonable, especially while working with new suppliers. The problem with L/C is that it's quite expensive to obtain. As my orders are almost always based on the technical description I like to keep myself safe with on-site inspections. Reasonably priced, and helps you sleep at night. Gets off-topic, but you usually get 'scammed' because you are being comfortable and making assumptions on what the other side should logically be doing. This is where the problems begin, but I guess these stories are for another thread!
        On-site inspections are well worthwhile, but too many newbies are unwilling or unable to spend the money to have that protection.

        Some will use the low cost services of inspection companies listed on the B2B sites, but they get what they pay for. Unless buyers are sure of the credentials of an inspection company, they could be throwing money down the drain.

        There are long established and trustworthy inspection companies who charge around $300 for an inspection. If anyone offers a service for a lot less than that, I would be wary. Do they even do an inspection?

        Walter Hay
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  • Profile picture of the author redlegrich
    I have to laugh at these extended posts, people just don't read anything, even when they are being given solid advice. All of these directory sites are for lemmings, you can all run off the price cliff together.

    If you want to make money, follow Yogi Berra's baseball advice. Hit 'em where they ain't. Find a niche where few folks hang out and then attack that. If you join the lemmings you will be at the bottom of the cliff with all the other "if I price it lower I get more volume" nuts. Or better yet, listen and learn from IE and ADE.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by redlegrich View Post

      I have to laugh at these extended posts, people just don't read anything, even when they are being given solid advice. All of these directory sites are for lemmings, you can all run off the price cliff together.

      If you want to make money, follow Yogi Berra's baseball advice. Hit 'em where they ain't. Find a niche where few folks hang out and then attack that. If you join the lemmings you will be at the bottom of the cliff with all the other "if I price it lower I get more volume" nuts. Or better yet, listen and learn from IE and ADE.
      I agree. Very few people seem to know that Warrior Forum has a search facility, or else they can't be bothered using it.

      It is also obvious that most don't bother reading more than the last one or two posts if that.

      The Spam posts by DanBr and iris zhao might have temporarily revived this old thread, but they have certainly not added any value.
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    • Profile picture of the author mikehermy
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
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        • Profile picture of the author mikehermy
          Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

          This thread is not about dropshipping, although many people have tunnel vision when the word wholesale is used.

          Dropshipping margins are generally so low that resellers are just providing cheap labor for the dropship wholesalers.

          The question was "where do I buy low priced, quality wholesale goods?"

          Buying wholesale is not equivalent to buying direct from manufacturers. Wholesalers buy from the manufacturers and add a big margin before selling to resellers.

          That extra margin can go in your bank account if you buy direct.

          I am talking about buying direct from manufacturers in China or other countries, where the wholesalers usually buy. I have taught thousands how to do it.

          Safe sourcing and direct importing is a lot easier than many people think. Because there are so many myths and there is so much misinformation published on forums and blogs and in importing courses, I started my AMA. You might like to have a look at it here: Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here.

          Walter Hay
          I actually have spent quite a bit of time on that thread here in the forum and have found a lot of valuable information. You obviously know what you're talking about when it comes to importing products.

          Yes, I did use the word "dropship" in my comment but the same concept still rings true for wholesaling. Obviously, there is a certain percentage of products that are produced overseas and the brand name of the product doesn't really matter in that particular niche. In that case, yes, going overseas is a very viable option and will most likely produce the best margins. But a lot of niches are VERY brand sensitive. Entering the market with a knock-off brand name product will produce very little for you other than a depleted bank account. In these cases (and perhaps others) it absolutely makes sense to go straight to the manufacturer of that product to buy in bulk.

          Every niche is different. Obviously I hadn't thought through every scenario thoroughly when I said that you should ALWAYS go to the manufacturer. Heck, we have a couple product lines ourselves that we have imported from China ourselves. But going to the manufacturer makes perfect sense in a lot of cases.
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          • Profile picture of the author Importexport
            Originally Posted by mikehermy View Post

            I actually have spent quite a bit of time on that thread here in the forum and have found a lot of valuable information. You obviously know what you're talking about when it comes to importing products.

            Yes, I did use the word "dropship" in my comment but the same concept still rings true for wholesaling. Obviously, there is a certain percentage of products that are produced overseas and the brand name of the product doesn't really matter in that particular niche. In that case, yes, going overseas is a very viable option and will most likely produce the best margins. But a lot of niches are VERY brand sensitive. Entering the market with a knock-off brand name product will produce very little for you other than a depleted bank account. In these cases (and perhaps others) it absolutely makes sense to go straight to the manufacturer of that product to buy in bulk.

            Every niche is different. Obviously I hadn't thought through every scenario thoroughly when I said that you should ALWAYS go to the manufacturer. Heck, we have a couple product lines ourselves that we have imported from China ourselves. But going to the manufacturer makes perfect sense in a lot of cases.
            @mikehermy, Thanks for your good comments. Yes I agree that if you want US made products to sell, you should contact the manufacturer.

            That is very important in the case of big brand items. They should never be imported. For exceptions see my thread Is There A Legal Way To Import Big Brands

            Walter Hay
            Signature
            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 objectiveman
    Well, if you have a sales license you can contact any manufacturer and get order prices/minimums likely without having to deal with a middleman wholesaler. I've contacted a number of manufacturers and all they require is that one have a sales license and be able to place a minimum order. Also, the minimum orders were not large in many cases.
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  • Profile picture of the author iseovodoia
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by iseovodoia View Post

      Hi. Thank you so much for all the valuable info.

      If could tell me some safe sourcing sites that would be a start.
      Sorry but I don't publish the details online for the simple reason that there is a lot that you need to know before you start sourcing.

      I won't throw someone in the deep end until they learn to swim.
      Signature
      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 sunshinearary
    The majority of the suppliers in Alibaba are manufacturers as far as I know,and most of them are really honest ones who are always willing to help.The conclusion the IMPORTEXPORT has comes from nowhere.There are also many manufacturers in Aliexpress as well,everyone knows that B2C is playing a more and more important role in international trading right and many manufacturers would like to obtain a market share at this early stage.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by sunshinearary View Post

      The majority of the suppliers in Alibaba are manufacturers as far as I know,and most of them are really honest ones who are always willing to help.The conclusion the IMPORTEXPORT has comes from nowhere.There are also many manufacturers in Aliexpress as well,everyone knows that B2C is playing a more and more important role in international trading right and many manufacturers would like to obtain a market share at this early stage.
      My conclusions come from many years of experience. I can categorically state that the majority of suppliers listed as manufacturers on Alibaba (and other popular sourcing sites including Aliexpress) are not manufacturers. Here's an example:

      Recently one of my students decided against my advice to go to Alibaba for sourcing. He found seven likely suppliers, all claiming to be manufacturers. Having read my book, little warning bells sounded, and he asked me to help check them out.

      Within less than 10 minutes I had found that five of those manufacturers were in fact wholesalers. It took me another few minutes to check out the other two and only one of them was really a manufacturer.

      There are ways to find out who is genuine, but I prefer to send my students to safe sourcing sites where they can be sure that suppliers are what they claim to be.

      People such as our OP are not interested in buying from the B2C suppliers that you refer to. They want to buy at the best possible prices and the only way to do that is to go direct to the manufacturers, but not to those manufacturers who have in effect become retailers like those B2C suppliers you are referring to.
      Signature
      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 iris zhao
    Hi Richard,
    i am living and working on China, Shenzhen is famous for its electronics and Dongguan is famous for its clothes, if you want to buy high quality,low cost products, you can contact me, i will give you some suggestions.
    Signature

    Enjoy life, Enjoy free!

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  • Profile picture of the author KFlash
    You could also check out local websites that sell remaining stock or stuff from closed shops. I found some nice priced articles that way.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Daily Online Deals View Post

      All I know is alibaba.com. Thanks.
      If, like most people, all you know is Alibaba.com, you should do yourself a favor and read this whole thread. Even just reading page 1 would help you a lot.

      Alibaba is a site with a bad reputation as you will find if you take the time to read what is already in front of you at the click of a button.

      This might be an old thread but it contains a lot of useful information.

      Walter Hay
      "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
      Signature
      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 jessbeck
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    Hi did you find any suppliers. Manufactures for electronics or clothes. I read through this forum and I am thinking about dipping my toes in. I have been contacted from suppliers in china indirectly through Aliibaba and the prices for tvs, laptops and phones are great, a little to great. From Ireland, any info you can ive me would be much appriciated.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by jessbeck View Post

      Hi did you find any suppliers. Manufactures for electronics or clothes. I read through this forum and I am thinking about dipping my toes in. I have been contacted from suppliers in china indirectly through Aliibaba and the prices for tvs, laptops and phones are great, a little to great. From Ireland, any info you can ive me would be much appriciated.
      Please do yourself a favor and read this thread from the beginning.

      Alibaba and DHGate have very bad reputations.

      Walter Hay
      "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
      Signature
      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 steveburns
    Originally Posted by AffiliateRg View Post

    Hi. I wondered if anyone could tell me or recommend a good place where I could buy wholesale electronics and clothing etc. I have looked on alibaba.com and dhgate but am not sure if these are good or safe places to buy from. Please help!

    Regards
    Richard
    Try Frerez & Oasis Sublimation.
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  • Profile picture of the author baby cat
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by baby cat View Post

      If you have a VAT number I think the best wholesale clothing site is B2B Griffati
      B2B GRIFFATI | Online Wholesale Clothing
      The great thing is that here you can find thousands references of signed clothing for man and woman wholesale with heavily discounted prices! Furthermore, you can choose from a wide variety of casual, sporty, classic, modern and high fashion items of the most excellent and most famous brands.
      Apart from these advantages, I found they ship the goods in a very short time and with low shipping costs.
      My experience with this wholesale has been very positive so I hope to be helpful to you!
      The Italian business you have recommended sells big brand clothing.

      WARNING! Such sites may suit resellers in the EU, but importers in other countries should be aware that importing the big brands they carry can be risky. Here is a list of possible consequences:
      • The goods will likely be confiscated.
      • Prosecution with fines and possible imprisonment could follow.
      • The brand owners could sue the importers into bankruptcy.
      • Customs will flag the importers' names and addresses so that every subsequent shipment of any kind of product to them will be delayed for thorough inspection.
      For detailed information on the subject of importing big brands, see this thread: Is There A Legal Way To Import Big Brands

      Walter

      "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
      Signature
      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 sanchez324
    If you are buying in bulk Alibaba is a great place to start. I have had good experience on Alibaba in the past just be sure to check a few things like how long they have been on the platform and if they are an assessed or gold supplier and offer trade assurance. Also be sure to message them prior to placing your order and be sure to ask lots of questions and request free or discounted samples.

    You can also just do some indepth google searches and see what comes up, you may have to dive past the first few pages before you find anything.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by sanchez324 View Post

      If you are buying in bulk Alibaba is a great place to start. I have had good experience on Alibaba in the past just be sure to check a few things like how long they have been on the platform and if they are an assessed or gold supplier and offer trade assurance. Also be sure to message them prior to placing your order and be sure to ask lots of questions and request free or discounted samples.
      A lot of people like you have done well by buying through Alibaba, but they are the lucky ones. Thousands of people have been scammed by Gold Suppliers.

      You will find that most importing experts and gurus will tell you go to Alibaba, but they don't tell you how to avoid being scammed except "Only buy from Gold Suppliers". They don't seem to know that Gold Suppliers are plain old verified suppliers who have spent as little as $299 to buy a Gold Supplier badge. (This year it has gone up to $699. Still not much if you want to scam thousands of dollars off gullible buyers.)

      In case you did not know, a verified supplier is one who has a registered business, and at least on the day they were visited by Alibaba they had an office. It might have been rented for the day, but that is enough for you to be told they are verified. Verification of suppliers does nothing for you as a buyer, and a gold badge does the same.

      The great majority of suppliers listed on Alibaba are traders masquerading as manufacturers. You don't want to buy from traders because they have bought the product from a
      manufacturer, added a big margin and sold it to you. If you want maximum profits you need to buy direct from real manufacturers.

      Just remember, you are swimming with sharks, so be careful.

      If you have any questions about safe sourcing you might like to post them on my thread:
      Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here.

      Walter
      "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
      Signature
      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 DURABLEOILCOM
        Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

        A lot of people like you have done well by buying through Alibaba, but they are the lucky ones. Thousands of people have been scammed by Gold Suppliers.

        You will find that most importing experts and gurus will tell you go to Alibaba, but they don't tell you how to avoid being scammed except "Only buy from Gold Suppliers". They don't seem to know that Gold Suppliers are plain old verified suppliers who have spent as little as $299 to buy a Gold Supplier badge. (This year it has gone up to $699. Still not much if you want to scam thousands of dollars off gullible buyers.)

        In case you did not know, a verified supplier is one who has a registered business, and at least on the day they were visited by Alibaba they had an office. It might have been rented for the day, but that is enough for you to be told they are verified. Verification of suppliers does nothing for you as a buyer, and a gold badge does the same.

        The great majority of suppliers listed on Alibaba are traders masquerading as manufacturers. You don't want to buy from traders because they have bought the product from a
        manufacturer, added a big margin and sold it to you. If you want maximum profits you need to buy direct from real manufacturers.

        Just remember, you are swimming with sharks, so be careful.

        If you have any questions about safe sourcing you might like to post them on my thread:
        Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here.

        Walter
        "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."

        Importexport are there any current Warrior Forum members that have purchased your very expensive guide and made money? Can anyone vouch the legitimacy of this "guide"?
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        • Profile picture of the author Importexport
          Originally Posted by DURABLEOILCOM View Post

          Importexport are there any current Warrior Forum members that have purchased your very expensive guide and made money? Can anyone vouch the legitimacy of this "guide"?
          There are many of them. Some have posted on Warrior Forum, and others have emailed me about their results.

          If ever I quote an email or a post, I maintain copies on file so that I can prove to the FTC that they are legitimate. The same applies to all the testimonials on my website.

          I will post some examples if you want me to, but I have to be careful to avoid self promotion.

          You say my book is "very expensive". Some of the posts say such things as "the book is worth more than he charges". Others have stated how much money I have saved them.

          You can also see some genuine reviews here: Walter Hay / Buy Direct From China anyone have the book?

          Walter
          "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
          Signature
          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 planbmeds
    Alibaba.com all the way buddy.
    Or Indiamart.com for Suppliers from India.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by planbmeds View Post

      Alibaba.com all the way buddy.
      Or Indiamart.com for Suppliers from India.
      Warriors should be careful about accepting such off-the-cuff recommendations. Alibaba is renowned for the number of people who have been scammed by suppliers listed on that site.

      I have already posted warnings on this thread, mostly in answer to recommendations to use Alibaba. See Posts #5, #26, #32, #39, #42, #70, #98, #108, #112, #124 (just a few posts back on this page). I suggest that everyone should do themselves a favor and read this whole thread.

      Indiamart also has a large number of scammers operating there, but if you must use a risky site like that, only consider ones that have a “Trust Certificate” issued by Dun & Bradstreet.
      Walter
      "If you think education is expensive - consider the cost of ignorance."
      Signature
      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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  • Followings sites contains wholesale goods :
    Shopclues
    Aliexpress
    Tinydeals
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  • Profile picture of the author nadeem09
    From Which country you want to buy goods? In your country or you want to import? If you want to import then there are several issues will come. So you have to understand first how to deal with those issues. Then you can search. there are lot of wholesale exporter. you can buy form them. First choose your product then search.
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  • Profile picture of the author mikehermy
    @importexport Thanks for the link to that thread... Great info there.
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  • Profile picture of the author nitronox
    You're welcome...

    koleimports.com
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by nitronox View Post

      You're welcome...

      koleimports.com
      If Kole can import the products you want to sell, so can you. You can buy direct from the manufacturer and make a killing by bypassing the wholesalers.

      See Post #132 above.

      Walter Hay
      Signature
      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 Double Q
    May i know what products are you looking for?
    To be honest. dont too care about LOW price, let the manufacturers know you care quality more.

    And you gotta spend some money to buy some samples and test it.
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  • Profile picture of the author krshaquino
    2 months ago i started ordering at ebay, but i'm having a hard time looking for a clothing supplier. While browsing online, since i am into women's clothing designing. I came up with Bella+Canvas an i must say, they are really reliable, They provide wholesale clothes (men,women and kids) I am still looking for a good t-shirt printer though.
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  • Profile picture of the author stockutopia
    I go to merchandise shows in New York, vegas, chicago, boston, etc...
    all you need to get in is a business card with your name on it and a state resellers license
    thousands of companies to connect with.
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  • Profile picture of the author QuickFlipper
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by QuickFlipper View Post

      I have been buying all of my inventory from GlXXXXXXXtions. I only purchase a few pallets of inventory at a time. They do sell truckloads as well. I used them because they offer financing. Glxxxxxxxtions
      I guess that is an affiliate link you are advertising, but I will comment anyway.

      The smallest pallet buy on that liquidation site is over $500 and the biggest one is nearly $7,000. If anyone has enough money to buy such large amounts of returns, they have enough to start a sustainable business by importing small or large quantities direct from the real manufacturers.

      I teach how to safely buy direct from factories in China and other countries, at prices that will blow you away. Don't think any wholesaler will give you prices as low as you can get from the factory. Until you get quotes from genuine manufacturers, not from those thousands of traders pretending to be manufacturers on the big B2B sites, you can't imagine how low the prices can be.

      Walter Hay
      Provenchinasourcing
      Signature
      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 Andrea Taylor
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Andrea Taylor View Post

      I think that Alibaba is a very reliable address that you can use
      Newbies who accept such casual recommendations can be in for a rude shock.

      The great majority of suppliers on Alibaba are now Gold Suppliers, because those who aren't are not permitted to receive sales inquiries via the Alibaba system.

      Many so-called "experts" will tell people that they should only use Gold Suppliers for safety, but that is plain old BS. The standard verification, (called On Site Inspection) for Gold Suppliers only proves that the business exists and is a registered business. They get the Gold Supplier badge by buying it, not by proving that they are any better than any other business.

      Very few people know how to sort out which suppliers listed on Alibaba as manufacturers really do manufacture. Most of them are in fact traders, who sell other companies' products after adding a big margin to the factory price.

      I teach how to safely source products whether on Alibaba, or on one of the safer sites I recommend. I teach them how to identify real manufacturers, how to negotiate, how to understand the importing process without having to learn all the rules, and how to be sure they are getting the best prices even if they are placing an order that is much smaller than the huge Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) usually required.

      For help on the subject, have a look at Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here. where you can ask me any questions.

      Walter Hay
      Provenchinasourcing
      Signature
      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 RahulPinson
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by RahulPinson View Post

      Soo many suggestions for Alibaba! Well, I personally don't prefer Chinese companies. If you are from EU or USA go for local companies. They give transparency on business. I am in outwear business and oxxxxxts.com is good to go with if looking for bulk outwears..

      Thanks and Cheers...
      All of the many casual and uninformed suggestions to use Alibaba, DHGate and others have been thoroughly dealt with on this long running thread. Use such sourcing sites at your own risk!

      If you want to really learn something about sourcing products for resale you should read this entire thread. It is a gold mine of information, but most people don't bother reading more than the thread title or maybe the last one or two posts.

      By doing that they are missing out on a lot of information that could actually help them make bigger profits. Read from the start of this thread and find out why wholesale prices are very expensive compared to buying direct from the manufacturers in China. (Where many wholesalers buy.)

      Walter Hay
      Provenchinasourcing
      Signature
      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 pauloadaoag
    Administrator
    Repeating what everybody has said - ALWAYS REQUEST SAMPLES.
    Signature
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  • Profile picture of the author Hellome12
    For me I think Aliexpress was really good the company they teamed up for their products. That's the only company I've ever used and never had a problem at all .
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  • Profile picture of the author flopitdown
    I personally would hire someone in a country to keep an eye on the factories for you and get the right prices for you
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by flopitdown View Post

      I personally would hire someone in a country to keep an eye on the factories for you and get the right prices for you
      How do you know if they are trustworthy?

      I began importing from China in 1987 and I know how the system works. It is very common for agents to not only charge you a commission (that's OK they have to make a living) but they also get a commission from the supplier they find for you.

      If you want the best product and the best prices you need to learn how to safely source your products. To help you on your way I have an AMA thread Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here. where you can get a lot of helpful information. You can ask questions there if you like and get an answer that is based on a lifetime of experience.

      Walter Hay
      Provenchinasourcing
      Signature
      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 horsebackriding
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by horsebackriding View Post

      Hello Richard,
      That depends on which products you are looking for. If some high value, heavy or in big packing size, source from some B2B websites are good choice like alibaba.com, made in china, global source etc.
      While if you wanna start with some small things like cloth, neddle, thread, coins(just example) may conside to purchase on taobao is a good choice, if you found its not easy to communicate on taobao, then find a agent very easy to communicate
      This is very poor advice offered by someone who just wants to sell his Taobao sourcing service.

      If you want to source any products you should learn how to do it safely, and you don't need to limit yourself to Alibaba, just because of product value, weight or size.

      Those are things that buyers on most B2B sites deal with as a matter of course. It's certainly not difficult as I have taught many hundreds of new importers.

      The second suggestion offered referred to madeinchina.com. That company has a notoriously bad reputation, and I suggest that people stay away from it. The site with an almost identical name made-in-china.com is a totally different business and has a good reputation, but newbies need to learn how to use that site because like Alibaba it has a mostly very poor verification system.

      In the case of both Alibaba and made-in-china.com you should ignore the Gold Supplier badges which have been bought and are no indication of trustworthiness or reliability.

      As for Taobao, it is a Chinese language site similar to eBay. It lists used products as well as new. If you are fluent in Mandarin you could use it but would you go to eBay to buy products for resale?

      Many people in China offer their services as sourcing agents to buy products for you on Taobao, and they charge a commission. Usually they quote a small % commission, but what most people don't know is that they usually get a commission from the supplier also. In some cases they are the supplier, but they don't tell you that. Buying from suppliers on Taobao is very risky.

      If anyone wants to learn more, see my thread: Ask Me Anything About Product Sourcing And Importing For Profit. ― Veteran Importer Here. You can ask questions there and I will answer them for you.
      Signature
      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 DURABLEOILCOM
    How do you find the best type of products with the highest profit margins and sales?
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  • Profile picture of the author Fred Kimberly
    Yes, Alibaba is legit marketplace to source products from China. I also recommend to source from Alibaba and Global Sources. They verify the suppliers and also offer guarantee of the transactions for the verified suppliers to make the platform more credible for the buyers.

    However, you can get scammed on these sites because many trading companies list as manufacturers and they send poor quality products which makes returns very hectic, time taking and costly. So, mainly you have to identify the right supplier who is actually the manufacturer of the product. Just take care of few things before placing your order:
    • Differentiate between a trader and manufacturer to find the right supplier.
    • Negotiate with your supplier, keeping in mind there are more things to negotiate besides the price of the product such as quality, payment terms, delivery time, etc.
    • Keep a check on the quality of products. You can protect yourself from a varying number of problems by making a written agreement and have supplier's acknowledgement.
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  • Profile picture of the author marcosgonzalez
    Alibaba is secure, I've bought wholesale products from china before and it was all correct
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