I would like to find out what are the trade tools you use in your international trade activities on a daily basis.

What online resources you can recommend, including:

• b2b trade marketplaces/portals (like Alibaba.com),
  
• trade related forums (where you can get answers from competent traders, like this one),
  
• trade resources (information on international trade, Incoterms, all sorts of abbreviations used, various databases, etc ),
  
• any other trade tools you use and think are essential,
  
• preferred instant messengers (skype, icq, QQ, tradeManager, etc...)
  

Please reply in full and recommend only the tools/resources you think are really useful.

Replying to [Sergius]: msn,skype,tm,yahoo messenger.

No better b2b website than Alibaba I think. Maybe we can share our experience with each other. Contact me freely by *Contact via Trade manager. Please do NOT post any other contact details here - Moderator*

Replying to [Sergius]:
my top 10 B2B trade website:
http://www.alibaba.com
http://www.bosslink.com/
http://www.ebay.com
http://www.made-in-china.com
http://www.globalsources.com/
http://www.diytrade.com/
http://www.ecplaza.net/
http://www.craigslist.com/
http://manufacture.com.tw/
http://china.busytrade.com/

Replying to [Sergius]:
Also use
http://www.ecplaza.net/
http://www.craigslist.com/


all above mentioned, plus asalesforum.com... But its more like adviser tool, not selling...

Replying to [Sergius]:
I am mostally using Top 5 B2B Trade Marketplaces / Portals

Alibaba.com
Globalsources.com
IndiaMART.com
Made-in-china.com
Ebay.com


- Ajay

Replying to [Sergius]:how to use icq to find the customer?how about yahoo trade messeger?

Replying to [Sergius]:
Alibaba.com

Email: wuzhoubearing@yahoo.com.cn
cindyhecao2006@163.com

MSN: cindyehecao2006@hotmail.com
Skype: cindyhecao2006

Replying to [Sergius]:

1. B2B trade marketplace I usually use includes:

www.alibaba.com
www.globalsource.com
www.ecplaza.net
www.made-in-china.com
www.maxtrader.en

2. Until now, I find alibaba has the best trade related forum from which I can get answers. Maybe there are some other ones I haven't found yet.

3. Trade resources? Sorry, only alibaba at present.

4. I usually use instant messengers like: MSN, SKype, Trademanager.

Replying to [Sergius]:What I use is just email,any instant messenger could not make me communicate with the person who are interested.
Even when the buyer is online in MSN or Skype,would he or she reply to you?No.I don't think many of my customers prefer to instant message.But it is just many.
There are also some people who would like to use instant message,just because he wants to the information he need asap.When they get it,he may won't be online any more.

It is my experience,just for your reference.