Let’s face it; whenever we want to buy some new electronic gadgets, we usually look to sites like Amazon and eBay. They are two of the most popular and established e-commerce platforms that have millions of daily global users.

The only negative point of buying from those sites is that we are sometimes limited to particular brands or lines. There are plenty of global manufacturers for gadgets, many of them from China. But, it seems that only a few products ever make it “mainstream.”

Are you fed up with the lack of choice? Do you want to look for a product that isn’t available through typical Western retailers? If the answer to both questions is yes, one solution is to shop on the Alibaba website.


image via

Is shopping on Alibaba safe?

I know what you’re thinking. A Chinese website will just sell lots of counterfeit goods, am I right? And, I bet you’re also going to assume that some sellers might “take your money and run”! Those two points may have been fact some years ago, but now they are just stereotypes. At least, when it comes to the Alibaba website.

You might not realize it, but the site has made significant inroads to preventing dodgy sellers from using its services. All manufacturers must meet some strict criteria before they get authorized to sell on there.

There are three levels of verification that Alibaba offer to give buyers peace of mind. Examples include checking business licenses and verifying the company’s location. They even check the photos supplied by manufacturing plants.

Alibaba’s CEO, Jack Ma, has taken steps to stem the flow of counterfeit goods going on sale. One measure is by only selling branded products from the manufacturers themselves. That means, in the future, you could buy Apple products without worrying if they are fake or not!


image via

How to be a savvy shopper on Alibaba

Despite the checks made by e-commerce sites, you should still be a vigilant shopper when buying stuff online. The same applies to Alibaba, and even to its Western competitors.

If you’re thinking of buying some gadgets on Alibaba, here are a few tips to make your transactions as smooth as possible:

• Check for verification. Ensure the seller has passed the top-most checks on the site;
• Confirm the price. Contact the vendor and check the price advertised is still correct;
• Confirm the shipping costs. What methods will they use and how much will they cost;
• Warranty. Will the seller accept returns if your gadgets break?

One person that’s bought a lot of stuff from Alibaba over the years is entrepreneur Issa Asad. He reckons that the risk of buying from the site isn’t any worse than eBay or other US sites. As long as you apply some common sense and sanity checking, of course!


image via

Finally, make sure that the goods you want to buy are genuine. There is nothing worse than buying something, only to discover that it’s just a rip-off of someone’s branded and patented products!

By following the above guide, your Alibaba purchasing experience will go smooth.