Q&A for How to Buy from Alibaba

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Can you buy one item from Alibaba?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

In some cases the minimum order may be 1, so there is no problem. If not, then it is usually possible to contact the seller and ask to buy a sample, though you will have to pay a higher price for the single unit because sellers are usually trying to sell wholesale. However, you may want to try looking for the product first at Aliexpress, the version of the site targeted at consumers, where it is almost always possible to buy a single product.

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Question

How long does Alibaba take to ship?

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Shipping by air usually takes 5-7 days, while shipping by boat will take about 4 weeks, but is much cheaper if you are buying larger volumes.

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Question

How does Alibaba make money?

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Alibaba.com earns money by charging commissions from sellers in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan as well as charging for "Premium Gold Supplier Memberships" which grants the ability to list more than 50 products and indicates to buyers that the seller has been verified by Alibaba to be who they say they are, as well as passing some credit checks.

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Question

Is Alibaba legit and safe?

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Alibaba itself is definitely not a scam, though it is surely possible to get scammed by a bad seller, or be sold low quality products if you are not careful who you buy from.

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Question

I want to create an account with Alibaba not for business purposes, but to buy personal items from retail suppliers. Do I need a company name for that?

Community Answer

To make an Alibaba account you need a company name, but you could use Aliexpress which does not require a company name.

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Question

Can I pay Alibaba with an HDFC credit card on an EMI option?

Community Answer

Alibaba's secure payment service currently accepts payments through Mastercard/Visa/Maestro only. You can negotiate your preferred payment method with your supplier, but be advised that credit cards are not recommended means of payment due to the high risk of credit card fraud.

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Question

How do I buy things from Alibaba without a credit card?

Community Answer

Most suppliers will accept multiple payment types, such as PayPal (linked to a bank account) or T/T (telegraphic transfer). Be careful when using these other methods are some are more secure than others.

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Question

Can I purchase samples to see the quality of the product?

Community Answer

Yes. Sample orders often are sent for the cost of shipping.

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Question

How do I make sure the products I buy from Alibaba are of good quality?

Community Answer

Check reviews thoroughly and make constant contact with the supplier.

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Question

Why does it have such a broad price range?

Community Answer

The broad price range is to show how much it would cost to make, depending on the quantity. For example: 50 bullet proof vest equal to 15 dollars per vest, versus 5 bullet proof vest for 250 per vest.

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Question

How can I set my own unit price?

Community Answer

Go onto the site, create an account (you must have a credit card or PayPal account to pay for your purchases). At the top of the screen there will be a drop down tab to choose currency.

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Question

When an item is shipped, it goes to a port. How then does it get to my house?

Raif

Community Answer

Your port usually has delivery services. You can use the AliExpress app to register to have it shipped to your house.

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Question

Can I buy a single item from Alibaba if I'm a non-company customer?

Community Answer

Yes, but you buy it on AliExpress instead of Alibaba. That is what I did from the USA.

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Question

Why is there a price range on the products?

Community Answer

From what I understand as a USA customer, sometimes the price depends on volume you are buying and sometimes you need to select option on the right. For example, I bought lithium batteries and the price range was because you could buy 60Ah, 100Ah, 150Ah, 180Ah, 200Ah version. As soon as you select the specific item, the single price shows up.

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Question

How can I know that the supplier I'm dealing with is authentic?

Kira Gu

Community Answer

If by "authentic" you mean "the company really exists", the answer is that all suppliers are verified by Alibaba. Their business licenses are checked before they can sell on Alibaba. But if you want to know more about a supplier's reputation, you may need to look for professional help such as "SinoInspection" or other professional credit checking services.

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