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WorldWideBrands vs alibaba - which is better?

by bigcat1967
37 replies
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I heard WorldWideBrands is the best out there - even better than alibaba - is this true?
#alibaba #worldwidebrands
  • Profile picture of the author Ignas LT
    I don't know about WorldWideBrands, but I think alibaba is really good, because the prices is really not too big. So I would recommend it. But also I heard some people got some trouble with it...
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel J
    These are really 2 different things. Alibaba is going to connect you with mostly foreign suppliers, traders, and manufacturers in China (mostly). This is great for buying generic or private labeled goods in bulk, but you'll have to dig a bit to find the REAL manufacturers and even then, you'll have to learn how to negotiate quantity minimums, shipping options, learn how to deal with customs etc. Worldwide Brands is good for what it is- a directory of genuine wholesalers and suppliers. Be advised that most of these companies are BUYING from the manufacturers, so your price is generally going to be higher when buying from them. The advantage, however, is that many of them already have established brands. This means when you buy from these companies, you'll more easily get customers who are already loyal to the brand (or who are researching the brand.) With Ablibaba, I've found it best to start your own brand- but it takes a lot more work in terms of promotion and marketing. I'm a member of both. The $300 membership to Worldwide Brands is not necessary when starting out- it's really just helpful for the convenience of finding legitimate suppliers quickly. With Worldwide Brands, all of the suppliers are screened and verified. This is not the case with Alibaba, but with Alibaba, you're getting closer to the manufacturer (and you'll actually find a real manufacturer if you're lucky!) Good luck!
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      @bigcat, As usual, Daniel J is offering some sound advice.

      The big question is do you want to buy locally, where, as he has explained, you will pay more, but it is often more convenient, or do you want to import and get better prices?

      Buying local is not always more convenient. In fact when I started importing in 1987 I did so because my local suppliers were charging too much, quality was indifferent, and service was almost non-existent.

      All that changed when I started buying in Asia. Excellent quality, faster delivery than I ever got from my local manufacturer, and prices that were amazingly low for a better product. My profit skyrocketed overnight.

      Having said all that, let me add that I would never use Alibaba, and I advise my students to go to other sourcing sites where there is a far more secure verification system, and suppliers calling themselves manufacturers really are.

      With my system you can ignore the big Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) that so often stop people from buying direct. Those MOQs are there to deter newbies and small fry.

      You can get maximum profit margins only by dealing with real manufacturers.
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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 OneMotion
      Alibaba is good for import in bulk but you need to know with whom you deals. WorldWideBrands is good if you have big budget for membership because of their supplier there is safe and secure for your business.
      Just my 2 cents
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  • Profile picture of the author timpears
    Anyone who would pay world Wide Brands for their information has more money than sense in my opinion.
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    Tim Pears

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    • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
      What ever happened to the Search button on this form ? Seems every day the same questions are asked then have to be Answered
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      • Profile picture of the author Importexport
        Originally Posted by DWolfe View Post

        What ever happened to the Search button on this form ? Seems every day the same questions are asked then have to be Answered
        Sadly, people are too lazy. They are often risking a substantial amount of time and money on a new venture but they are not willing to put the effort into research.

        This is why so many are an easy target for WSOs that promise the earth and deliver fluff.

        It is also one reason why I have to repeat a lot of the information that I post in an effort to save Warriors from their own gullibility.
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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 directimports3
          I just arrived back from a sourcing trip. I went to Hong Kong. There are several large trade shows in Asia and a couple google searches can put you in the right direction. I have never used worldwide brands or alibaba.com. If your looking for quality suppliers you are not alone in your search. Alibaba.com notorious for middlemen and scams. If you looking for qualified wholesalers you should be able to find suppliers by taking your product name and searching google. For example if you want to sell jewelry, you would search for wholesale jewelry, jewelry wholesale, largest jewelry wholesale, jewelry distributors and so on. If you want to use Alibaba you can but in general if you are not experienced buy small quantities and build a relationship. I will give you a key. Alibaba is a great tool to find suppliers. The question is are they real. I use Alibaba as a yellow pages for suppliers and then do my due diligence to find out if they are reputable. For instance find a supplier then google the company and see if they have a website, search for the companies address, and so forth. If things seem to pan out order a sample, if things work out order a small order, and so on. However as I said before do not order a large quantity. Even if you are dealing with a reputable supplier its on your shoulders to do a factory check, and inspect the product before it leaves. All of that can be outsourced as well with a quick google search. Hope that helps...
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          • Profile picture of the author Importexport
            @ directimports3,

            I agree with the extensive warning you give about sourcing on Alibaba, but I have a couple of problems with the processes you are recommending.

            • Very few Warriors have the time or money to go to China to look for suppliers.
            • Trade Shows are just living breathing versions of sourcing websites and require a lot of research and due diligence before you visit, otherwise you will just meet up with the traders you would have found on Alibaba or other sourcing sites.
            • Google searches will find any kind of product and any kind of supplier, but that is a very unproductive way to spend your time if you are looking for reliable suppliers.
            • Wholesalers will never give you prices anywhere near as low as you can get by buying direct from real manufacturers. If resellers are content with lower profits then they might as well buy from wholesalers, but if they want much higher profits they must go to real manufacturers.
            • Alibaba has hundreds of thousands of suppliers listed. You say it is a great tool for finding suppliers, but you had already said "Alibaba.com notorious for middlemen and scams.The question is are they real."
            • Even if someone has found a supplier, you say "its on your shoulders to do a factory check, and inspect the product before it leaves." having to visit the factory to check the goods before they leave the factory is highly impractical and costly for the average buyer.
            • Your suggestion that checking the goods can be outsourced with a quick Google search could lead the buyers into trouble. How do they know they can trust the inspector? Does the factory pay the inspector a bribe? Does the inspector get a commission from the factory? Does his cousin own the factory?
            I teach much safer and lower cost ways to source goods overseas.
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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 directimports3
              Originally Posted by Importexport View Post

              @ directimports3,

              I agree with the extensive warning you give about sourcing on Alibaba, but I have a couple of problems with the processes you are recommending.

              • Very few Warriors have the time or money to go to China to look for suppliers.
              • Trade Shows are just living breathing versions of sourcing websites and require a lot of research and due diligence before you visit, otherwise you will just meet up with the traders you would have found on Alibaba or other sourcing sites.
              • Google searches will find any kind of product and any kind of supplier, but that is a very unproductive way to spend your time if you are looking for reliable suppliers.
              • Wholesalers will never give you prices anywhere near as low as you can get by buying direct from real manufacturers. If resellers are content with lower profits then they might as well buy from wholesalers, but if they want much higher profits they must go to real manufacturers.
              • Alibaba has hundreds of thousands of suppliers listed. You say it is a great tool for finding suppliers, but you had already said "Alibaba.com notorious for middlemen and scams.The question is are they real."
              • Even if someone has found a supplier, you say "its on your shoulders to do a factory check, and inspect the product before it leaves." having to visit the factory to check the goods before they leave the factory is highly impractical and costly for the average buyer.
              • Your suggestion that checking the goods can be outsourced with a quick Google search could lead the buyers into trouble. How do they know they can trust the inspector? Does the factory pay the inspector a bribe? Does the inspector get a commission from the factory? Does his cousin own the factory?
              I teach much safer and lower cost ways to source goods overseas.
              I would have to agree to disagree on a lot of topics with you. The reality is it really depends on how much money you have, your goals, your product, and your business strategy. I have been to Asia several times and yes a lot of people don't have the money to go to Asia but it can actually be done for a minimal expense if you know what your doing. I do a lot of my sourcing in Asia for around 3000 a trip. Bootstrapping at its finest. Again 3000 is a lot for a person with a minimal budget and I understand this.
              . I totally disagree with tradeshows are living breathing versions of online sites. If this was true tradeshows would not exist. The fact is Tradeshows give a buyer trust that otherwise is hard to achieve through the internet. It can be done however and is done a lot. You cannot trust most suppliers on Alibaba.com unless you know the proper steps. For instance as I explained before. If you find a supplier you would like to work with, do a google search on the company and also google if they have attended trade shows in the past. I only work with companies that have a history of attending tradeshows otherwise it really could be anyone. Any smart importer knows this. Why would you send money to someone you have no idea is a middle man?
              . Google search is unproductive way to find suppliers... I have been doing this for years. If you want a surefire way to find all the suppliers everyone else has please go to some top 10 site or a company that offers to give you all the best wholesalers for a price. I might not be able to find all but most suppliers are savvy enough to show up in a targeted google search or in a trade show or they are not selling much.
              . Alibaba.com is a great source for finding suppliers if you know what your doing. I explained this before. I can get into this more but don't have the time to defend something that is common sense. If your smart and know your working with a real company that has attended a trade show or has been featured in a publication or has factory audit or whatever you get the point.
              . Checking suppliers. If you have experience importing and have any contact who do import then you should be able to get factory audit. If you want to import you are going to incur expenses. At the very least you should be able to do a pre shipment inspection. If you work with the same company you should be able to get this service for 200.00 USD . It might cost additional money but what is the expense of losing 20,000 to a scam or receiving product that you can not sell.
              . You have a great question how do you know they can trust an inspector? You are absolutely right the buyer does need to know who he can trust. This should also be done through word of mouth again the same process as a supplier. Do your research. Call them, google the business address, ect.. If you use your brain its pretty simple.

              I don't know what you do for a living if you sell a manual how to import/export but I signed up to this forum to honestly help people. I appreciate your slamming to my advice as if yours was golden. I have been doing this for years. If you want to meet up in Asia I would love to show you around. I have been in a lot of countries sourcing products. I might do it differently than you but I can assure you the advice I give is not misleading. We are here as a group to better our businesses and each others entrepreneurial spirit. You don't need to be on the ground in Asia to source products it can be done but it is a lot more dangerous without some small experience. Do not send a large amount of money without knowing you are working with a trustworthy company.
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              • Profile picture of the author bima aditia
                Originally Posted by directimports3 View Post

                I would have to agree to disagree on a lot of topics with you. The reality is it really depends on how much money you have, your goals, your product, and your business strategy. I have been to Asia several times and yes a lot of people don't have the money to go to Asia but it can actually be done for a minimal expense if you know what your doing. I do a lot of my sourcing in Asia for around 3000 a trip. Bootstrapping at its finest. Again 3000 is a lot for a person with a minimal budget and I understand this.
                . I totally disagree with tradeshows are living breathing versions of online sites. If this was true tradeshows would not exist. The fact is Tradeshows give a buyer trust that otherwise is hard to achieve through the internet. It can be done however and is done a lot. You cannot trust most suppliers on Alibaba.com unless you know the proper steps. For instance as I explained before. If you find a supplier you would like to work with, do a google search on the company and also google if they have attended trade shows in the past. I only work with companies that have a history of attending tradeshows otherwise it really could be anyone. Any smart importer knows this. Why would you send money to someone you have no idea is a middle man?
                . Google search is unproductive way to find suppliers... I have been doing this for years. If you want a surefire way to find all the suppliers everyone else has please go to some top 10 site or a company that offers to give you all the best wholesalers for a price. I might not be able to find all but most suppliers are savvy enough to show up in a targeted google search or in a trade show or they are not selling much.
                . Alibaba.com is a great source for finding suppliers if you know what your doing. I explained this before. I can get into this more but don't have the time to defend something that is common sense. If your smart and know your working with a real company that has attended a trade show or has been featured in a publication or has factory audit or whatever you get the point.
                . Checking suppliers. If you have experience importing and have any contact who do import then you should be able to get factory audit. If you want to import you are going to incur expenses. At the very least you should be able to do a pre shipment inspection. If you work with the same company you should be able to get this service for 200.00 USD . It might cost additional money but what is the expense of losing 20,000 to a scam or receiving product that you can not sell.
                . You have a great question how do you know they can trust an inspector? You are absolutely right the buyer does need to know who he can trust. This should also be done through word of mouth again the same process as a supplier. Do your research. Call them, google the business address, ect.. If you use your brain its pretty simple.

                I don't know what you do for a living if you sell a manual how to import/export but I signed up to this forum to honestly help people. I appreciate your slamming to my advice as if yours was golden. I have been doing this for years. If you want to meet up in Asia I would love to show you around. I have been in a lot of countries sourcing products. I might do it differently than you but I can assure you the advice I give is not misleading. We are here as a group to better our businesses and each others entrepreneurial spirit. You don't need to be on the ground in Asia to source products it can be done but it is a lot more dangerous without some small experience. Do not send a large amount of money without knowing you are working with a trustworthy company.
                I totally agree with you and I am very happy with your review
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              • Profile picture of the author Importexport
                Originally Posted by directimports3 View Post


                I don't know what you do for a living if you sell a manual how to import/export but I signed up to this forum to honestly help people. I appreciate your slamming to my advice as if yours was golden. I have been doing this for years. If you want to meet up in Asia I would love to show you around. I have been in a lot of countries sourcing products. I might do it differently than you but I can assure you the advice I give is not misleading. We are here as a group to better our businesses and each others entrepreneurial spirit. You don't need to be on the ground in Asia to source products it can be done but it is a lot more dangerous without some small experience. Do not send a large amount of money without knowing you are working with a trustworthy company.
                I have only quoted the part of your post that questions what I do for a living, my motives, and my qualifications.

                Yes I am very proud to say that I sell a manual on how to import. (Not export). In fact I now have hundreds of people in 35 countries that I have taught how to safely source profitable products and how to import them the easy way.

                Q. What do I do for a living? A. Nothing. I am retired due to an operation that made it impossible for me to maintain control of my importing business and the franchisees I had in 4 countries.

                Your implication that by selling a manual I am not honestly helping people as you are, does not fit well with the 330 times Warriors have posted thanks for the content of my posts.

                A large number of those who find my posts and my manual helpful have very limited resources. They cannot afford overseas travel and they have to learn how to order very small quantities at ex-factory prices. They appreciate the fact that I teach how to get maximum profits by buying direct rather than going through the wholesalers and traders that make up the vast bulk of the suppliers listed on Alibaba and other popular sourcing sites.

                The reason I am able to successfully teach people the sourcing and importing process is that I have very extensive personal experience. My first job after college was with an international shipping company. Before long I was running my own industrial products manufacturing business and in 1978 I began exporting those products to the Asia/Pacific region. My biggest customer was in China, and over a period of 9 years I visited many times. The bulk of my time was spent visiting Chinese factories.

                After selling that business in 1987 I began supplying a B2B niche market with locally produced items. I soon tired of the poor service, slow delivery, and indifferent quality, and I turned to China (and later a number of other countries even as far afield as Italy Turkey, and Brazil), where I obtained excellent service, faster delivery than I got locally, and quality that put the locally produced items in the shade. All that at prices that were so low that I could comfortably use door to door couriers and still make huge profits.

                Business boomed and I expanded by way of franchising, so that by the time I was retired the business was operating in four countries. I taught franchisees how to do their own sourcing and how to import, all without them needing to visit the countries where the manufacturers were located. I visited China myself as well as numerous other countries, and a small number of my franchisees also did so, but they did it mainly as tax deductible leisure travel.

                You are quite right when you say: "You don't need to be on the ground in Asia to source products it can be done but it is a lot more dangerous without some small experience." It can be very dangerous, and that is why I am enjoying sharing my "small" experience of a lifetime with budding entrepreneurs.
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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 Meharis
      Originally Posted by timpears View Post

      Anyone who would pay world Wide Brands for their information has more money than sense in my opinion.

      Did you ever subscribe to WWB?

      If you answer is no, your comment is lapidary and unfounded.
      I did subscribe seven years ago and remains an excellent investment today.
      By the way, your comment also is suggesting Daniel J and others have no common sense.

      I bet you're the only one believing that comment...

      Meharis
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  • Profile picture of the author mansari74
    theres another website called tradekey, they have regional offices based out of Pakistan, if you are a gold member and if you ask them, they actually carry out due diligence on your behave at a very miniute fees, I had myself been cheated by a number of alibaba traders but tradekey people have been really helpful
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by mansari74 View Post

      theres another website called tradekey, they have regional offices based out of Pakistan, if you are a gold member and if you ask them, they actually carry out due diligence on your behave at a very miniute fees, I had myself been cheated by a number of alibaba traders but tradekey people have been really helpful
      As I always advise, do some research on sourcing sites recommended on the forum.

      Search for the name on Ripoff Report | Scams, reviews, complaints, lawsuits and frauds. File a report, post your review. Consumers educating consumers. and see what other people who have used Tradekey think. You will probably not use them for sourcing.

      I repeat, there are only a couple of safe sourcing sites that I recommend. They have absolutely no adverse reports posted about them.
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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 directimports3
    Also wholesalers can actually give you a better deal than manufactures. for example I have seen this several times with small products. Lets use lave lamps for instance. A guy goes to China to source lava lamps. He finds 10 suppliers in china. His lowest quote is MOQ $20,000 but he will get a price of $5.50 per piece. He figures that must be the best deal since its directly manufactures in China. But then he comes back to the USA and finds a wholesaler that specializes in Lava lamps. He calls the company and the quote comes back at 4.50 per piece. He sais how can that be? It can because the wholesaler has extreme buying power just like Wal Mart. Instead of him purchasing $20,000 worth of lava lamps his wholesaler purchase 4 million a year which gives them a huge break on price. The supplier is willing to work with the wholesaler thus benefiting you the retailer. SO yes it is like that.
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  • Profile picture of the author Michael75065
    worldwidebrand is great!!
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by Michael75065 View Post

      worldwidebrand is great!!
      I know that some people are very happy with worldwide brands, and some are very happy with Alibaba.

      Both may have their place if buyers are satisfied with the low profit margins available when buying from wholesalers, including dropship wholesalers.

      Worldwide Brands themselves say: "Dropshipping is good to test the market with. But once you find a product that tests well, you may want to consider purchasing in bulk to obtain better pricing."

      This is where there is so much confusion. When thinking of purchasing in bulk, almost everyone thinks that unless they buy from wholesalers they must outlay a heap of money to place a big order direct from a manufacturer.

      It is true that manufacturers will often quote large MOQs, as do almost all wholesalers you find on Alibaba and the other popular B2B sites. I teach how to ignore those big MOQs and buy small quantities direct from genuine manufacturers overseas.

      Big MOQs are only there to discourage small buyers, but genuine manufacturers, unless they are huge enterprises, will almost always agree to small orders if you take the right approach.

      Having said that, I should mention that one supplier that I used, who is still being used by the franchisees in my former importing business, employs over 6,000 people, but many orders placed with them are for small values. The average shipment cost is only about $500, but some were as low as $100 and some as high as $50,000.

      Sourcing and the importing process are the easy parts. Everyone should do their market research before they even start looking for suppliers.
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  • Profile picture of the author lastreporter
    Originally Posted by bigcat1967 View Post

    I heard WorldWideBrands is the best out there - even better than alibaba - is this true?
    Worldwidebrands is best.

    Stay far away from alibaba. That's my opinion.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by lastreporter View Post

      Worldwidebrands is best.

      Stay far away from alibaba. That's my opinion.
      I would agree that it is advisable to stay far away from Alibaba, but that does not mean you are stuck with having to pay organizations such as Worldwidebrands $300 to find suppliers.

      There are much safer places to source supplies than looking at Alibaba or other popular sourcing sites. I recommend a small number of sites where you can be sure that if a supplier claims to be a manufacturer, they really are. Access is free and you can find thousands of suppliers, but you don't have the worries that you so often read about when people source through DX.com, Dealxtreme, Tradekey, DHGate, Alibaba, Aliexpress, madeinchina.com, and others.

      The big benefit of dealing with manufacturers is big profits. It is obvious that wholesalers add a profit margin when they buy from the manufacturer, so why not pocket that extra profit for yourself?

      And no - you don't have to place big orders.
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      • Profile picture of the author naping
        Thanks everyone.

        Wholesale are sometimes cheaper because they buy items in bulk and are able to pass along the discount to their customers.
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        • Profile picture of the author Importexport
          Originally Posted by naping View Post

          Thanks everyone.

          Wholesale are sometimes cheaper because they buy items in bulk and are able to pass along the discount to their customers.
          Wholesalers are not charities. They are in business to make a profit and they make that profit by adding their margin to the price they pay to the manufacturers. They don't pass on the discount they might get.

          Those who think that volume means large discounts have never dealt with Asian manufacturers. Sure they give discounts for larger quantities, but those discounts are usually very small.

          Over 22 years of importing, I found that discounts for volume were typically in the 1% to 2% range for doubling the size of an order. Multiply the order quantity by 10 and you might get a discount as high as 10% if you are lucky.

          The profit that wholesalers make comes simply from the fact that they buy direct from the manufacturers. Only a tiny part of it might come from ordering very big quantities.

          Many of the wholesalers advertising on Alibaba and similar sites do not carry any stock. If they get an order, they get payment from you and then place an order with the manufacturer. This is one reason why they quote big MOQs and will not accept orders for smaller quantities. In effect they are like dropship resellers, but they take possession of the goods, pack them, and ship them to you.

          On the other hand, genuine manufacturers will negotiate small orders at ex-factory prices if you approach them the right way.

          You will be very lucky indeed to find real manufacturers on Alibaba or the other popular sourcing sites. Most of those listed as manufacturers are really wholesalers.
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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 powerboss
    I purchased lifetime membership for worldwidebrands and i am not very impressed, some of the dealers listings websites and contacts aren't working, for some wholesale websites the prices are too high than ebay and amazon. Alibaba has wide range IMO.
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by powerboss View Post

      I purchased lifetime membership for worldwidebrands and i am not very impressed, some of the dealers listings websites and contacts aren't working, for some wholesale websites the prices are too high than ebay and amazon. Alibaba has wide range IMO.
      Alibaba has thousands of suppliers, but before you use them to source suppliers, you might like to check them out at Ripoff Report | IBA Search of Complaints & Reviews You might have second thoughts.

      But don't think Alibaba is the only B2B sourcing site that can be risky. Whatever popular site you see recommended on the forum, do a search for them at ripoffreport.com.

      I can tell you that none of the safe sites that I recommend have bad reports there.
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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 SDStitches
      Wow I am new to this site, I must say I am enjoying this thread I am not new to ordering from China through Alibaba and in more recent years aliexpress. I only order products based on my market research therefore I have not had but a few issues with quality control with my orders from overseas. I do less than many suggest here and focus on getting in contact with the wholesalers and manufacturers via phone and always beginning with an initial small order then growing my volume and order qty. leveraging larger orders for discounts they are far and few between but I have been successful in calling china emailing etc until I get my desired price. On average I will call and email at least 30 times for a simple product and more for a more complex product including moving parts that is simply a base I have spent weeks with a supplier before ordering always pressuring them to reduce the MOQ to a sample order. I have no experience with worldwide, I have interest but refuse to spend 300 for a membership.
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  • Profile picture of the author Auctiondebteliminator
    Worldwidebrands.....

    This again?

    Here's my issue with them: they tell you "Sign up for us because we've done all of the research for you, so all you have to do is sell the products at the stated prices and you'll make a profit."

    If I did things because 'other people did the research for me' then I'd be out of business a long time ago.

    Suppliers CANNOT tell you what the market is and say: "This is how much you'll make with this product."

    Only a market can determine the price an item will sell for. From this number - you can only deduct your costs and DETERMINE if a profit is viable.

    Worldwidebrands didn't do this for you. Sure, they may claim that they 'negotiated the lowest price' on the products (a claim Doba makes as well) but even if they are the 'lowest price' what's to say the MARKET doesn't value that item even less?

    Your items will be left on the market in perpetuity without a single sale.

    I can go to a supplier, and they can tell me they'll sell them to me for 50 bucks - and on the internet they sell for 1000 bucks because they 'did the research for me.' But, if the market only chooses that they sell for a dime, then my waffle will rot away with me mad I paid a membership fee for 300 bucks.

    After researching WWB's a long time ago, and again more recently, with authority I can say it is not worth it.

    Nor is Doba, for that matter.

    Alibaba? Dangerous.

    There are much better ways to finding products with much higher margins. (And not everyone is flocking to them either.)

    Step outside the box to make a ton of money on eBay.
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  • Profile picture of the author DiehardEntrepreneur
    This is my first post on this forum. Just joined yesterday. What a wealth of information!!

    How do you research to verify that a supplier in Alibaba is the manufacturer and not just a middleman?

    What are better ways to finding products with much higher margins?
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by DiehardEntrepreneur View Post

      This is my first post on this forum. Just joined yesterday. What a wealth of information!!

      How do you research to verify that a supplier in Alibaba is the manufacturer and not just a middleman?

      What are better ways to finding products with much higher margins?
      First may I suggest that you do a forum search for threads dealing with Alibaba. I can suggest some for you if you like.

      Frankly, you could grow old trying to locate genuine manufacturers on Alibaba. Verifying credentials of those claiming to be manufacturers can be extremely time consuming and ultimately frustrating because the vast majority of them are not manufacturers. They are traders, agents, or wholesalers.

      You ask what are better ways of finding products with much higher margins. One of my students wrote about amazingly low prices obtainable from genuine manufacturers: "I have contacted some manufacturers already (from links he supplies) and I am just shocked at the low prices they offer for products I am researching. Forget Alibaba, Global Resource, whatever. The Ebook shows you where to find manufacturers, how to verify their credibility etc."

      If you want to read his full comments, have a look at the post by Karl66 in the thread: ebook about import from China
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  • Profile picture of the author Mogaz
    I have not heard of worldwidebrands, alibaba though works well
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  • Profile picture of the author DiehardEntrepreneur
    Do you need resale license to buy from Worldwide Brand or Alibaba?
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  • Profile picture of the author redlegrich
    You don't buy anything from WWB, they provide a service with information on where to buy stuff. Now, to buy from a US company and NOT pay sales tax (if applicable) then you need a resale license.

    Alibaba, again it's just a directory. Chinese manufacturers, wholesalers, and so on don't give a you know what if you have a resale license.

    BTW, I can't help but laugh at ADE's comment about "not this again"! Seriously, will this fascination with WWB, Alibaba and Doba ever end ;-) Poor importexport and ADE are gonna have a coronary!
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by redlegrich View Post

      BTW, I can't help but laugh at ADE's comment about "not this again"! Seriously, will this fascination with WWB, Alibaba and Doba ever end ;-) Poor importexport and ADE are gonna have a coronary!
      I hate to see people throwing money away, and that is why I comment as I do about the whole subject of wholesaling, dropshipping and sourcing.

      Strangely, many Warriors seem to have a real fascination with WWB, Alibaba, and Doba because they are so often suggested as the place to go if you want to make money selling online. There are not so often references to DX.com, Dealxtreme, Tradekey, DHGate, Aliexpress, madeinchina.com, and others, but I treat them all equally as my posts so often state.

      The main points that I make are:
      • With the exception of WWB, there are large numbers of adverse reports in relation to the sites mentioned. Buyer Beware!
      • Wholesalersbuy from manufacturers and add their margin, so it follows logically that you must pay more when buying from a wholesaler.
      • Those wanting to buy direct from manufacturers will need lots of luck and heaps of patience if they look at places like Alibaba, Tradekey, DHGate, Aliexpress, madeinchina.com, TTnet.net, and other popular sourcing sites where huge numbers of suppliers falsely claim to be manufacturers.
      I repeat a lot of this information from time to time because there are always newbies coming to the forum and also very few seem to know how to use the search facility or they just don't bother.
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  • Profile picture of the author Importexport
    Originally Posted by DWolfe View Post

    Look at the post above yours :rolleyes:
    Thanks DWolfe,

    It never ceases to amaze me that people post without reading first.

    The question has been dealt with extensively in this thread.

    May I suggest he has a look at posts # 4, 8, 10, 12 ,16, 19, 22, 24, 26, 31, and 35, but if he does not want to do that much reading at least read post #31.
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  • Profile picture of the author ShanghaiSEOExpert
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by ShanghaiSEOExpert View Post

      These are really 2 different things. Alibaba is going to connect you with mostly foreign suppliers, traders, and manufacturers in China (mostly). This is great for buying generic or private labeled goods in bulk, but you'll have to dig a bit to find the REAL manufacturers and even then, you'll have to learn how to negotiate quantity minimums, shipping options, learn how to deal with customs etc. Worldwide Brands is good for what it is- a directory of genuine wholesalers and suppliers. Be advised that most of these companies are BUYING from the manufacturers, so your price is generally going to be higher when buying from them. The advantage, however, is that many of them already have established brands. This means when you buy from these companies, you'll more easily get customers who are already loyal to the brand (or who are researching the brand.) With Ablibaba, I've found it best to start your own brand- but it takes a lot more work in terms of promotion and marketing. I'm a member of both.
      ----FBAready Getting Your Products Ready for FBA.
      You have given some helpful advice here. Regarding your comment about needing to dig a bit to find REAL manufacturers on Alibaba, I would say that buyers need to be very lucky to find them.

      The biggest problem is that the vast majority of suppliers on Alibaba falsely claim to be manufacturers but they are in fact traders or wholesalers. The same applies on almost every major B2B sourcing site.

      A warrior called rookikan in a post on another thread wrote: "As some post have been showed to you that many manufacturer on Alibaba.com are not real manufacturers,there are just traders,To be honest,I ever worked in a trade company but always shows the customers that I worked in a manufacturers that I can give you the lowest price."

      I have been trading with China since I started exporting to that country in 1978, and began importing in 1987. I know from experience on the ground that what rookikan says is true. Even my agent who was selling the product that I exported to China always gave the impression to his Chinese customers that he was the manufacturer.

      All is not lost though. It is possible, using some of the less popular sites that I recommend, to find genuine manufacturers. I have also taught hundreds of people how to negotiate small orders and how to simplify the import process.

      Your point about buying from wholesalers if you want to sell brand name products is correct. That can give you better access to brand loyal customers, but the downside of that is very low profit margins.

      You are right when you say:" Be advised that most of these companies are BUYING from the manufacturers, so your price is generally going to be higher when buying from them." I would change that to say all wholesalers, whether those listed on WorldWideBrands or those listed on Alibaba and other B2B sites, have to buy from the manufacturers.

      The difference in price between what a buyer would pay to a manufacturer and what he would pay to a wholesaler can be staggering. Recently in a retail store (not part of a big chain) I saw a product selling for $22. I happen to know that it is possible to buy that product direct from the manufacturer in China for less than $1.

      This small store does not import, so they had to buy from a wholesaler who imports the product. Retail stores often just double their buying price, so the wholesaler probably charged $11.

      Where should buyers buy from - wholesalers or manufacturers? It is a no brainer.
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  • Profile picture of the author arsenir57
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Importexport
      Originally Posted by arsenir57 View Post

      Alibaba is always better than WWB. Alibaba, again it's just a directory. Chinese manufacturers, wholesalers, and so on don't give a you know what if you have a resale license.
      This thread contains a huge amount of valuable information for those who want to source products for resale. It is well worth reading the entire thread.
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