If you want to know the single most expensive mistake new buyers make on Alibaba, here it is: agreeing to pay the supplier directly, off-platform, to save a couple of percent. The offer always sounds
If you're sourcing from China and want to know the most overrated payment method for small orders, the letter of credit wins, hands down. It sounds impressive. It looks official. Suppliers mention it
There's a moment in nearly every sourcing deal where the supplier, in the friendliest possible voice, suggests a small change to the payment arrangement. Pay to my personal account, they'll say, or to
Walk into almost any conversation about paying a Chinese factory and the subject of T/T comes up within minutes. The supplier's email signature has it, the quote mentions it as a condition of doing bu
Every time you reach checkout on Alibaba, a number appears on the screen that you probably don't think about until the supplier brings it up: the card processing fee. It sits there as a percentage on
For anyone who's paid for everything online with PayPal for years, the answer to "can I use PayPal on Alibaba" feels like it should be a simple yes. The payment screen even lists it. Then you place a
There's a moment in every sourcing deal where the entire transaction narrows down to one button and one amount of money. You've negotiated the price, confirmed the samples, and now the supplier wants
The shake bottle story is one every importer recognizes immediately. A buyer got a sample from a factory in Taizhou, loved the quality, ordered 3,000 pieces, and then found the bulk order shipped with
There's a promise so common in sourcing it barely registers anymore. The supplier, mid-pitch, says something like "don't worry about quality, if the inspection fails we'll remake them for free." It so
Somewhere in the middle of your first big order, the question hits you: is it worth paying someone to stand in a Chinese factory and look at your goods? The answer is usually yes, but it's hard to mak
