While wholesale marketplaces like Alibaba cater to large orders, they may be a good resource for smaller businesses looking to stock their shelves with products to dropship.
In spite of Alibaba’s many benefits, many of the suppliers only offer the same items over and over. Therefore, dropshippers are exploring alternatives to Alibaba to source their products.
To begin, let’s take a look at what makes Alibaba special and why it’s so widely used. Up next, we’ll provide you with ten alternatives to Alibaba that are just as good for buying in bulk. At last, we’ll cover all the most frequently asked questions about Alibaba and similar marketplaces.
Okay, let’s just jump right in!
What Is Alibaba and What Are Its Main Features?
Alibaba has been the most popular platform for business-to-business (B2B) wholesale transactions for quite some time.
Although the idea behind it is bulk purchasing, with more businesses competing for clientele, vendors are more willing to negotiate price. These days, you can even find dropship suppliers on Alibaba!
AliExpress is the go-to platform for product sourcing for new dropshippers who don’t yet require bulk orders.
More seasoned dropshippers, however, favor Alibaba because of the site’s lower product prices and ample opportunities for product customization and branding (white-label or private labeling of a product).
Alibaba
Among the many reasons why dropshippers favor Alibaba, the following stand out:
Offer wholesale and factory direct pricing, which is significantly less than what you’ll find on business-to-consumer marketplaces like AliExpress.
Many Alibaba products have a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of ten, fifty, a hundred, or more. Still, there are sources that will dropship a single unit. Contrast this with AliExpress, where minimum order quantities are uncommon.
When looking at ratings and reviews on Alibaba, you will see the rating of the supplier rather than the product itself.
When it comes to branding and personalization, you can’t beat Alibaba and similar sites for white-labeling and private-labeling a product.
Depending on the vendor, shipping may be free or an additional cost; in other cases, you may have to pay for one of several shipping options.
Best Wholesale Sites Like Alibaba
Luckily, dropshippers have access to a plethora of alternatives to Alibaba where they can find products that are both inexpensive and of comparable quality.
We’ve compiled a list of the top ten alternatives to Alibaba that also offer wholesale prices.
Chinabrands
Chinabrands is a competitor to Alibaba that features over 500 thousand products at wholesale prices.
Chinabrands may have a smaller selection of products than Alibaba, but it is still possible to find one-of-a-kind, high-quality items at reasonable prices.
Comparable Websites to Alibaba – China Brands
Popular items on Chinabrands include a wide variety of electronic devices and apparel.
Since Chinabrands focuses on being a dropshipping supplier and offering individual shipments, it is ideal for online store owners.
1688.com
A fun fact: Alibaba owns 1688.com. In light of this, 1688.com must be mentioned alongside sites like Alibaba.
While Alibaba caters to a global audience, its local-focused sister site, 1688, connects buyers with distributors in their area. The entire user interface of the website is, therefore, written in Chinese.
You might wonder why you should shop at 1688 when you have Alibaba.
1688.com
The solution is straightforward: reduced product costs and the absence of minimum order requirements. Now it’s probably clear why dropshippers find it so lucrative to dropship with 1688.
To get around the language barrier, drop shippers should start working with a product sourcing agent in China who is fluent in Chinese and has access to 1688.
Make sure the dropshipping company you choose has storage facilities in both China and the United States. Shipping times to U.S. customers can be cut in half just by storing inventory in a warehouse in the States.
DHgate
If you’re looking for an alternative to Alibaba, look no further than DHgate, which operates in a similar fashion as a wholesale and B2B platform. However, dropshipping suppliers are also common there.
In the world of drop shipping, DHgate is well-known for selling knockoffs. Consequently, many dropshippers are skeptical of DHgate’s legitimacy.
DHgate
It’s important to understand that DHgate is merely a marketplace that mediates deals between buyers and sellers. Products sold on DHgate can vary in quality because they are sourced from numerous vendors.
Always check the seller’s feedback on DHgate to make sure you’re not getting ripped off and the item you ordered actually works.
Made-in-China.com
Made-in-China is another excellent alternative to Alibaba on the list of B2B marketplaces.
Made-in-China only features Chinese manufacturers and has customers from all over the world. Although the site’s primary focus is on wholesale goods from China, it does feature some Chinese vendors who are willing to dropship individual items.
Made-in-China.com
As a means of protecting its customers, Made-in-China requires its vendors to undergo certification and registration.
Global Sources
To find more B2B wholesale suppliers like Alibaba, you can also check out Global Sources.
Although Global Sources is a great place to find cheap products, there is always a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 500 or more pieces that must be met.
Experienced dropshippers who have a consistent volume of daily orders and are looking to scale can benefit more from using Global Sources.
AliExpress
To be more precise, AliExpress is a business-to-consumer marketplace, whereas Alibaba is a business-to-business one. On the other hand, there are a number of reasons why AliExpress should be included here among other sites like Alibaba.
For starters, it is a subsidiary of the same parent company. Secondly, both platforms offer cheap products from Chinese suppliers that are incredibly profitable for your dropshipping store.
So, if you’re looking for an Alibaba alternative, only with lower MOQs and more dropshipping possibilities, AliExpress can be a great replacement.
AliExpress
You won’t have any trouble finding suppliers on AliExpress, as dropshipping of individual items is a common practice there.
LightInTheBox
LightInTheBox is similar to Alibaba in China in that there are no minimum order quantities and bulk discounts are offered.
The heavenly destination for both single and bulk purchases!
LightInTheBox
Products sold by LightInTheBox are sourced from Chinese manufacturers. Products like wedding gowns, clothing, electronics, home furnishings, toys, etc., are some of the most popular items sold.
Banggood
However, similar to many of Amazon’s tech products, Banggood sells its own products rather than those of third-party vendors, as is the case with Alibaba.
Because it facilitates dropshipping, Banggood is in the company of other sites like Alibaba. Banggood is designed for the needs of dropshippers, and they have made it simple to begin sourcing from their company.
Dropshippers on Banggood, for instance, can save anywhere from 5 to 20 percent off the list price of items sold through the site.
Banggood
In addition to the price cut, dropshippers also benefit from the ability to link their eBay or other online stores through bespoke APIs.
Overall, Banggood is one of, if not the best, alternatives to Alibaba.
Chinavasion is a site similar to Alibaba that is ideal for dropshipping. Sign up to start sourcing from Chinavasion as a dropshipper without any upfront costs. Dropshipping with Chinavasion is simple and can be started immediately.
Chinavasion
The website does not enforce a minimum order quantity, so you can place an order for just one item if you like. If you choose to dropship, Chinavasion will ship directly to your customers without disclosing that the product originated from China.
Chinavasion features a wide variety of categories, but their primary interest is in electronic devices and their accessories. Think about this while you’re investigating the market for the product.
Taobao
Taobao, along with 1688 and AliExpress, is part of the Alibaba family, so we’ve decided to use it as our third and final Alibaba alternative.
Dropshippers can make a killing on Taobao, so it’s included on this list of sites like Alibaba.
Taobao, like 1688, is only available in Chinese. Plus, not all Taobao vendors will work with you to drop-ship under your company’s name. How, then, can we take advantage of Taobao without running into any of its drawbacks?
Without the help of a dropshipping agent, it would be very hard to find products on Taobao that would sell well.
FAQs on Sites Like Alibaba
Here we have the most common concerns voiced by dropshippers about alternatives to Alibaba.
Let us then provide you with explanations.
What Are the Best Sites Like Alibaba?
The aforementioned platforms are all strong choices in place of Alibaba. There are many online marketplaces from which to choose; some examples include AliExpress, Chinavasion, LightInTheBox, Banggood, Global Sources, Made-in-China, DHgate, Chinabrands, etc.
Your dropshipping partner in China may be able to source from 1688 or Taobao if you can get past the language barrier.
Can I Find Sites Like Alibaba With Suppliers That Dropship?
It can be difficult to locate suppliers that sell single items or are willing to dropship on Alibaba because the site was originally designed for B2B wholesale transactions.
This is where websites like AliExpress, Banggood, and DHgate come in; they are similar to Alibaba but better suited for dropshipping.
Can a Dropshipping Agent Help Me Buy From Sites Like Alibaba?
Yes, of course! Dropshippers may find it challenging to handle websites like Alibaba, which specialize in selling in bulk, on their own.
We will assume that you have a tried and true product and a consistent volume of daily orders if you are seriously considering using a dropshipping agent.
You can have your dropshipping agent assist you in making purchases from websites like DHgate, Banggood, Made-in-China, or even 1688 and Taobao as alternatives to Alibaba.
Then, ideally, your dropshipper can store your bulk order in your warehouse or fulfillment center. That way, when an order comes in, your dropshipper can immediately send the product out.
How to Find Good Products on Sites Like Alibaba?
In order to find the best products and most trustworthy vendors, there are some guidelines to follow when shopping on Alibaba or any other marketplace.
Always read what other customers have to say about a product before you buy it.
Verify or inquire about shipping options and costs;
Always try out a small portion first;
See if the reviews include any user-submitted pictures;
Look for vendor endorsements like “Verified Seller,” “Gold Supplier,” “Trade Assurance,” etc. (these may mean slightly different things on different sites);
Specify the product’s key features (color, material, size, etc.) in a clear and concise manner;
Before settling on a provider, make sure you shop around.
Either inspect the goods yourself or have your dropshipper do it;
Look at what’s selling well and filling a void on marketplaces like AliExpress and Alibaba to get a sense of what consumers want;
Are There Some Sites Like Alibaba in India?
Many online merchants risk Indian customers despite the fact that Chinese suppliers are more nimble and experienced with dropshipping.
In India, there are many alternatives to Alibaba; some of the most popular include IndiaMART, TradeIndia, go4WorldBusiness, JimTrade, ExportersIndia, Tradeford, WebdealIndia, etc.
How to Import Products to My Shop From Sites Like Alibaba?
There are a variety of methods and resources available to facilitate product importation, and they shift in accordance with the nature of your online store and your preferred product sourcing website.
In most cases, you can import your product catalog and order history into an online storefront using a comma-separated values (CSV) file. On some systems, you can even import products by copying and pasting their URL.
An alternative is to use a third-party app like Oberlo to import products from wholesale marketplaces like Alibaba and AliExpress into your Shopify store.
Are There Sites Like Alibaba in the USA?
TradeWheel, BeauteTrade, FashionTIY, Alibaba US, ThomasNet, etc. are all viable alternatives to Alibaba that focus primarily on the American market.
Your customers will receive their orders more quickly if you source from US marketplaces, but the prices of the products themselves may be higher.
Which Sites Like Alibaba Should I Use If I’m a New Dropshipper?
Avoid placing large orders or ordering products you haven’t tested just yet if you’re just getting started with drop shipping.
Money is needed up front for bulk orders. Furthermore, if you don’t sell all of your stock, you may incur losses.
Online marketplaces like AliExpress and Banggood are great places for new dropshippers to get their feet wet. Websites like these are very similar to Alibaba, but they are better suited to dropshipping. There are no minimum order quantities (MOQs) when it comes to dropshipping.
Which Sites Like Alibaba Should I Use If I’m an Experienced Dropshipper?
Expert dropshippers can benefit greatly from using any of the aforementioned alternatives to Alibaba.
You can save a ton of money by shopping at regional marketplaces like 1688 or Taobao.
Working with a dropshipping agent in China and having them place orders with 1688, Taobao, or even local factories is one of the best ways to scale your eCommerce business. In this manner, you will be able to acquire the goods at the lowest possible costs while still maintaining healthy profit margins.
Closing Remarks
While Alibaba does have a lot of clout in the dropshipping industry, you are free to look elsewhere if you prefer. On B2B marketplaces like Alibaba, you’ll find fewer competitors.
You can begin dropshipping with your business by using any of the aforementioned alternatives to Alibaba.
Do you have any experience with sites similar to Alibaba? If so, what have been your impressions and experiences? Drop us a line!
