Key features of Alibaba.com
Alibaba.com was built with both buyers and sellers in mind. Here are a few features that the platform has to support traders on both sides of the transaction:
- Tools for lead generation
- CRM tools
- Request for Quotation (RFQ) marketplace
- Easy-to-navigate workbench
- Market and industry analytics tools
- Auto-translation to 18+ languages
- Comprehensive order management
- API integration for advanced customizations
Typical sellers
There are several types of sellers on Alibaba.com: manufacturers, wholesalers, exporters, trading companies and agents, etc. The common ground between all Alibaba.com suppliers is that they sell to other businesses.
Typical buyers
Alibaba.com is a B2B platform, which means that the typical buyers are other businesses. Some types of buyers include B2C retailers, sourcing agents, wholesale distributors, manufacturers, and even other B2B sellers.
Professional services
Alibaba.com offers an array of professional services, including:
- Alibaba.com Freight international logistics services
- On-boarding support and seller success services
- Trade Assurance – a free order protection services
- Product inspection and monitoring services>
These services are designed to enhance the sellers’ and buyers’ experience and help them to find success in the B2B marketplace.
What is AliExpress?
AliExpress is one of the top cross-border online B2C eCommerce marketplaces in the world. This platform was created as an offshoot of Alibaba.com back in 2010 as a place for businesses to sell directly to consumers.
Different from Alibaba.com that we talked about earlier, AliExpress, as a retail division of Alibaba Group, is open to individual consumers from all over the world who buy products “as is” without a minimum order quantity.
This platform works just like other generalist B2C platforms and is often compared to Amazon, Etsy, and eBay. Buyers come to AliExpress to look for quality goods at attractively low price, and it has become a perfect place for dropshipping due to its wide selection of goods and competitive prices, secure buyer protection, and ability to purchase in a very small amount. Independent sellers can register and sell products directly to hundreds of millions of buyers worldwide.
⭐Tip: How does dropshipping on AliExpress work?
Dropshippers shop on AliExpress to select suitable products for their website, but they don’t actually buy anything from the suppliers until someone makes an order on the website. Dropshippers then send the order to the supplier, and the supplier will directly ship the products to the buyer, not to the dropshipper.
Key features
AliExpress offers many wonderful features. Some of these resources include:
- Automatic translation to 18 languages for a localized user experience
- Conversion to currencies from 51 countries
- Support for 38 local payment channels for secure payment and transaction
- Customized storefronts for sellers
- Buyer protection
- AliExpress University that offers learning resources for new sellers
Typical sellers
Sellers on AliExpress are typically SMB that sell products to consumers. Different from Alibaba.com, sellers on AliExpress are probably not manufacturers themselves, but third-party individuals that serve as middlemen to buy the products from factories in large volume and sell them in small volume on AliExpress, but buyers still get a competitive price for the goods.
Popular types of sellers on AliExpress include clothing, electronics, beauty, tools, home improvement, and appliance retailers.
Typical buyers
AliExpress positions itself as a B2C platform, so the typical buyers are consumers. AliExpress currently has over 150 million buyers in 220 countries and territories worldwide.
Because the prices on AliExpress are so competitive that are close to wholesale prices and the platform offers a huge selection of nearly everything, a large number of buyers on AliExpress are actually resellers looking for dropshipping. Dropshipping on AliExpress is ideal for those who want to start an online eCommerce business without significant capital investment and who don’t want to worry about inventory or delivery.
Professional services
AliExpress does offer several professional services for both buyers and sellers:
AliExpress Shipping
It is the one-stop shipping method that is officially provided by AliExpress and Alibaba Group’s Cainiao Network. As an end-to-end cross-border logistics service, it contains the first-mile pickup service, consolidation service, international line-haul service, customs clearance service, and last-mile delivery service.
The platform also provides different shipping options to choose from, such as UPS, FedEx, DHL, EMS, e-Packet, etc. Shipping costs will vary depending on where you are located and the delivery speed. And for most products, free shipping by AliExpress Shipping and Cainiao Network is offered. It usually takes as short as 1 week to as long as 2 months.
Buyer Protection
AliExpress offers a buyer protection policy that guarantees secure transactions and protects buyers from scammers. It promises your money back if the item you received is not as described, or if your item is not delivered within the Buyer Protection period.
Whenever there is a dispute, the buyer can first contact the seller for an informal resolution. If an agreement cannot be reached, buyers can simply raise a claim by filing a ticket to AliExpress. AliExpress will act as a mediator to make sure you will get a refund in 15 days.
