I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

Quoting from [twisted1]:

I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

Great information as I have just started on Alibaba.com myself just a couple of days ago. Still learning alot and new to this kind of work. I sell wholesale silk shirts and scarves from Thailand, and this is very helpful info for me. Thanks alot.

Louis Greer

Great tips. 

Quoting from [ahmed08]:


hi so what if i want to buy games and they tell me its 100 genuine uk PAL or what ever should i trust them becasue i want to buy 5pcs gaems on ps3

Hi. Do some research on the product. Where is it originally made? Where is this company located? Do they have pictures? If not, ask for them. Remember that it's your money and you should know what you are paying for... ask lots of questions. If the company does not cooperate then that should be a warning. It's up to you to take the risk after that. Hope this helps.

Quoting from [twisted1]:

Hi Nicole,



Where is this company located? If it is in China then their 'genuine' phone is more or less genuinely made in China. Nokia makes their phones in Finland and it is not legal for Chinese companies to export copy phones. Think about that for a second.... the original and the copy look very similar and customs won't be able to tell the difference so it would make sense that all Nokia branded phones are illegal to leave China (If the company really does have originals I still wouldn't risk it). Try to find a company located in Finland. I just started on this site so I do not know/trust any companies yet.



Quoting from [nicole2381]:

Hello,

Great post! Thank you for the information. I have been dealing with one company that says that the phone is genuine nokia but they wont answer me regarding it having WCDMA 850/1900 + EGSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz ... Do you have a company that you trust for the nokia n95?

Thank you.

Nicole

 

you can only buy nokia N95's from Nokia themself or there registored distriburots and wholesalers, just like apple.

look on there website for the distributors.

 

Distrabit

Quoting from [twisted1]:

I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

Great advise! but i want to buy an Apple Iphones 3G, how can i know if the company is real or they´re not a cheater?? i have been scamed recently, that product can be sold it by another supliers on the world and be truth?? or definitly that cellphones only can be buy it by Apple or Best Buy???

Exist in alibaba.com some company that i can be sure are serious?? all i saw after my 800$ lost purchase are a tieft!! can someone help me???

Maria.

Thank you.

Quoting from [twisted1]:

I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

Quoting from [chelsea Chen]:

Quoting from [twisted1]:

I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

There are dozens of posts in the forums from people who have been ripped off by scammers, particularly in China, who are selling electronics. If you are looking for branded products, regardless of whether its Nike shoes or Nokia phones, don't buy from China!!

I was sourcing some branded sportswear last year, and thought I was doing OK because the supplier all had Nike authorizations. However, I noticed that all companies had the same docuement, regardless of where the company was or when it was supposedly issued.

When I checked with Nike in China, they confirmed the authorizations were fake, and that I qwould in fact be better off sourcing from a Nike wholesale office in my own country, as they were the only licensed distributors in my market.

thanks, helpful.

Actually, too good to be true. Scamers is in everywhere. So that we want to

I advise that when you choose a supplier, you had better choose a supplier who is the gold supplier in alibaba ,  and be a member  no less than 2 years.

If the supplier is the scamer, when alibaba received someone charge this supplier,  they will stop to show this supplier's website and make clear whether it is true.

When alibaba make sure this supplier is a scamer, they will stop to show this supplier's website.

i think it is a better way to make safe business with these supplier who are on line no less than 2 years.

Quoting from [twisted1]:

I joined Alibaba a couple days ago and I have learned a lot about this site. I think this will be helpful for potenital buyers

1. Don't rush
2. Use the community on Alibaba to research companies and ask questions
3. Assume that the TrustPass on this site means nothing
4. Make sure the seller's contact information has a telephone number, street address and building number. Call the number and speak with someone (doesn't help much but still helpful). If they do not have a telephone number, ask for one
5. If they have a website make sure it is more than 1 year old (google whois)
6. When they email you there should be at least some information on the bottom of the email with the company's contact information (there should be some form of professionalism). Invoices should have company information also
7. After all of that and if you still want to buy from them - prices are negotiable, don't settle for what the seller offers.
8. Contact more than one seller about the same product
9. Compare prices on sites like amazon and ebay (you do want to make a profit, right?)
10. If the seller has concept phones (ex: Nokia Aeon) and still insists that it's original Nokia, do not purchase anything from that company
11. If the seller does not have pictures of the product in its original package then do not buy from them
12. Negotiate prices on a messaging system and save those conversations
13. Don't give you mailing information first, let them ask for it (if they don't ask then they have no intention of sending you anything)
14. Ask for an invoice
15. If the person is persistent and nudges you after only a few seconds of asking a question, or if they want you to hurry up and pay after a few minutes of contact, be weary. This is unprofessional and you wouldn't stay in a store if the sales person kept bugging you and pressuring you to buy would you?
16. In my opinion, if you are looking for original items avoid China unless the original you want is manufactured there. China's copy phones are pretty decent looking though.

I hope this helps someone make a good choice or maybe avoid scammers.

This truly is very good info.  I am new to this site and Iam starting my own co.  I am realizing quick the down side to it, the business that is.  Very hard finding reputable, honest suppliers.  I am looking to purchase name brand clothes, sneakers, hand bags,etc.  How do I begin?