Top 15 Chinese Wholesale Websites to Buy from China

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1. Alibaba vs Global Resources vs Made-in-China

How can I buy wholesale from China? There are three major online Chinese wholesale websites:  Alibaba, Global Resources, and Made in China.com.

-Tumber of Alibaba’s China wholesale suppliers list is much higher than that of global sources and made in China, but the quality is lower.

-Alibaba has a broader range of services, and now there are even online trade fairs and quality control inspection services. With the development of global business, there are more and more suppliers from other countries selling on Alibaba.

-Made in China and Global Source are focused on electronics, mobile, and home gifts, making them the best choice for sourcing products in that field.

-Global source and made in China’s MOQ/price are often much higher than Alibaba.

Alibaba

Alibaba is listed as one of the giants in B2B online business. In fact, it is a game changer when it comes to introducing Chinese sellers to the world. Even people who are not related to the business world know about Alibaba.

Now, all you need to do is go on Alibaba and you can find a supplier of your choice very easily. Moreover, it offers a number of products like beauty, pet suppliers, machinery etc, even trade service like trade assurance, payment, inspection solution, and shipping.

Pros

• -English Customer Support
• -Trade Assurance
• -Having extensive experience with international clients
• -Amazon Experience
• -International Shipping Methods
• -International payment methods

Cons

• -Pricing Inconsistency
• -Most of the prices and orders shown in the search results are just a placeholder to get the customer’s attention
• -High Minimum Order Quantities(MOQs)
• -Most of the suppliers are trading companies, not factories

a) Language

On Alibaba, you can communicate in 17 different languages. These include Spanish, German, Portuguese, English, Hindi, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Thai, Dutch, Arabic, Vietnamese, Hebrew, Turkish and Indonesia. Consequently, you can talk in almost every language and these languages cover almost the entire world.

Even though the primary language of communication on Alibaba is English, you can still make purchases if you are not familiar with the language.

b) Verified Supplier Option/Trade Assurance

You can filter suppliers depending on the trade assurance option or verified suppliers’ option. The supplier supports Trade Assurance which is a free service that protects your orders from payment to delivery, you can also choose the verified supplier option which is a premium membership for high-level suppliers. Undoubtedly, these two options can make your buying process safer. You can know more about Alibaba Trade Assurance by studying our blog “Alibaba Trade Assurance: How to Protect Yourself from Scams.”

c) Type of Business

Identifying who is a trader or a manufacturer can become difficult for seasoned buyers too. Hence, it is important to know who you are dealing with. Alibaba helps you identify between a trader and a manufacturer easily. All you need to do is click on the company profile of a supplier and go to the company overview.

d) Multiple Delivery Methods

Alibaba also offers multiple delivery methods which you can choose from. The different delivery methods you can choose from are explained below.

C.I.F (Cost – Insurance – Freight): It means that the person who will ship the goods is the one who will bear all the cost of the goods, insurance and shipping costs until they are ready for delivery at the port of the importer.

‏F.O. B – Free on Board: It means that the goods are the responsibility of the importer. When the goods are ready to be delivered to the exporter’s shipping dock, then the importer takes over insurance and shipping charges until arriving at the port of the importer and the importer bears the risk of loss if anything happens to the goods.

‏C & F (Cost – Freight): It means that the exporter bears the costs of the goods and the shipping charges, but the importer bears the insurance costs for the goods

‏C & I (Cost – Insurance): This means that the exporter bears the costs of the goods and insures them, but the importer bears the shipping costs from the port of the source to the port of the importer.

You can know more about the different delivery methods (shipping incoterms) by reading our blog “Shipping Incoterms: The 2022 Complete Guide”

e) Minimum Order Quantity

The minimum order quantity is the lowest you need to order to do business. Generally, the MOQ is low for most of the items. However, there are many suppliers that have MOQ in the hundreds even. By using the MOQ option, you write the minimum quantity you need and search. After that, Alibaba will provide you with suppliers that can provide the quantity you are looking for.

f) Different Payment Methods

Alibaba.com accepts credit and debit cards, wire and online money transfers, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Western Union.

Made-In-China

Made in China is an e-Commerce such as other Chinese wholesale websites that enables global buyers to efficiently source products online direct from Chinese manufacturers. There are a lot of wholesale products available from which you can buy.

Pros

• -Lower Costs
• -Rapid Prototyping
• -Quicker Scaling
• -International Expansion
• -Quality of service

Cons

• -Finding a local manufacturing partner
• -English support customer
• -Buying Protection

a) Language Options

The website supports 11 different languages including Spanish, English, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Dutch, German, Italian and French. Hence, navigating the website from all over the globe becomes easier. These are the 11 major languages spoken in most of the countries of the world.

b) Business Type

On Made in China, you can choose between two types of suppliers. Firstly, there are manufacturers who have factories and manufacture products. Secondly, you can choose a trading company. At times, you will come across sellers who identify themselves as a trading company/manufacturer.

A trading company/manufacturer is a confusing term. Sellers who term themselves as traders and manufacturers both are manufacturers for some products and traders for others. You need to talk to them and find out which products they manufacture and which they trade.

c) Minimum Order Quantity

Generally, the minimum order quantity on Made in China depends on the type and volume of the product. For instance, for larger products that are on the heavier side, the minimum order quantity is low as you can see below.

On the other hand, for products that are cheaper and on the lighter side, the MOQ is high around 300 – 1000 pieces. Hence, it depends on the type of product you are buying.

d) Shipping Methods

You can choose between three different modes of transport. These are by express delivery, air and sea freight. As always, your choice of shipment should depend on your product and how soon you need it. For details on which method to select, read our blog “How to Choose the Best Shipping Methods from China.”

We highly recommend getting your shipment insured.

e) Payment Options

Suppliers of Made in China accept multiple payments. You can choose from Paypal, L/C, D/P, T/T, Money Gram and even Western Union.

f) Customization

You do get a customization option with suppliers on Made in China. You can hit the customization request to talk to them and decide on what customization they provide. Moreover, you can also negotiate on the total cost.

Global Sources

Global sources are one of the most famous modern electronic markets, which allows individuals and entrepreneurs to source products locally and internationally. There are more than 10,000 Chinese suppliers present on the website.

Pros

• -Low-cost manufacturing
• -Utilizing efficient supply chain management systems

Cons

-Hidden costs related to different time zones and languages

a) Languages

As of now, Global Sources only offers their website in 5 languages i.e. English, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese and French.

b) Business Type

You will find large manufacturers and traders on Global Sources. This is because the website takes a hefty fee from the suppliers that are registered on it. For this reason, it becomes difficult for smaller suppliers to register. Mostly, the sellers are manufacturers and traders.

c) Minimum Order Quantity

On Global Sources, the MOQ is not determined by the supplier but by the product you are buying. Generally, different products have different MOQs. For instance, for electronics, the MOQ is in the hundreds. On the other hand, for household items, the MOQ might be 50. Similarly, for furniture, the MOQ is sometimes the size of a container. As you can see, the MOQ varies from 1 unit to 1000 units for the home décor items shown below.

You can even order samples. Some suppliers can provide samples for free as you can see in the picture below whereas some suppliers charge for samples. For this particular seller, the buyer needs to pay for the sample and the cost of shipping the sample

d) Payment Options

You can pay via bank transfer on the website. There is a payment policy that you will pay 30% payment upfront and the rest when the product is received.

e) Delivery Methods

You can get your shipment through courier and air service. For prompt delivery, express delivery is the best method to choose. It allows you to receive your products in 3-5 business days. Through air transport, it takes a maximum of 10 days. Ocean shipping takes anywhere from 25 days, depending on the destination country.

It is wide to choose the method of delivery depending on the volume and weight of the product. If we rank according to price, sea delivery is the cheapest whereas express delivery is the most expensive. However, sea delivery takes the longest while express delivery is the quickest.

f) Customization

Yes, you can find many suppliers that provide customization options for buyers.

2.  AliExpress vs DHgate

Both DHGate and AliExpress are marketing for small Chinese wholesalers and retailer, and delivery personnel. The closest comparison I can think of in the US is eBay.

Both DHGate and AliExpress provide a money-back guarantee for all purchases.

In terms of product sourcing, the prices you find on AliExpress and DHGate are often higher than when you purchase directly from the manufacturer. But the main advantage is that MOQ will be much lower, and they have enough inventory.

TIPS: You can usually buy a single unit quantity of the product, making these markets great for testing new markets before buying in bulk.

AliExpress

AliExpress, an online retail service owned by Alibaba Group and based in China, connects Chinese sellers with buyers from around the world. You can find individual sellers trading individual items or wholesale companies on AliExpress. This is a great sourcing resource for buyers seeking to try out with small orders or those planning to sell locally.

Advantage:

• -No MOQ
• -The cheap shipping fee is free.
• -Good to do dropshipping
• -Buy easily
• -Easily refund

Disadvantage:

• -Slow shipping speed
• -Too many middlemen  

Conclusion: it’s proper for people small business starters. 

DHgate

Dhgate.com is a Chinese wholesale shopping site that includes millions of products. It was created by Diane Wang in Beijing in August 2004. The website is a reliable communication bridge between Chinese companies and wholesalers. Additionally, it connects sellers and buyers from all over the world.

DHgate’s website specializes in the sale of electronic devices, smartphones, tablet PCs, all kinds of electronic cigarettes, wedding dresses, and clothing.

The website also has computer accessories, sports and leisure products, health and beauty articles, bags, shoes, everything related to home and garden, automobile and motorcycle accessories, and many other wholesale products.

To make a successful purchase, DHgate provides you with many tools to ensure your purchase security, delivery times, payment methods, product quality, and also good prices. To know more about if Dhgate is legit and safe please check the link.

a) Shipping Methods

Surprisingly, you will not find many suppliers that provide ocean shipping. This is because the website caters to small and individual businesses. Therefore, ocean delivery can become too expensive as the value and size of the product might be too small. Apart from this, you can choose from any courier service like DHL, FedEx, China Post, Epacket, UPS and EMS.

b) Payment Options

You can make payments for your products through different payment methods. These include West contact, bank transfer, Paypal and credit card.

c) Customization

Generally, suppliers don’t offer the option of customization. Furthermore, they hardly agree to send samples. But if you are about the make a deal, they will send samples over but for a price. Always check samples even if you have to pay from your pocket (which you mostly do)

3. Find China Wholesale Vendors from 1688

1688.com is a catalog of China wholesaler suppliers under the Alibaba Group. 1688.com is almost the same as Alibaba.com, except that 1688.com mainly caters to Chinese companies.

The entire website is in Chinese. So you have to use Google Translate or find someone who can read Chinese to help you find a supplier on this website. Why should I show you a website entirely in Chinese now?

The reason is that sometimes Chinese wholesale suppliers have an inherent prejudice against Americans, Europeans, and other foreigners when they offer quotes on Alibaba.

In other words, sometimes, the same suppliers you find on Alibaba and 1688.com will offer higher prices for foreign companies. Here is what you can do to make sure you get the lowest price.

Whenever you complete the price negotiation of an Alibaba supplier, you can also contact the same supplier through 1688.com and provide a different e-mail address to see if the quotation is other.

If the prices are similar, it’s all good. However, if the prices are very different, you should find out the exact reason for the difference.

In general, you can work with Alibaba and 1688.com to make sure that you get the lowest price.

Advantage:

• -Full category of products in China
• -The best way to find China real manufacturers
• -The lowest price for the same products

Disadvantage:

• -Language barrier
• -Payment security
• -Hard to Return

Conclusion: it’s a good choice for people who want to source products from China at the most reasonable price. 

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A offline way where you can buy wholesale suppliers in China is to participate in the trade fair or local market. Although they are not online China wholesale website, it is still good for you understand this resource.

China is one of the world’s fastest developing economies and its leading trade fairs offer prime access to the market. By exhibiting at fairs and participating in or hosting events in China, you have the opportunity to present your services or products directly to Chinese customers and business partners.

1. China Wholesale Trade Fairs:

Chinese trade fairs have all sorts of products to offer. If your budget is not too much, you can also find products that can fit your budget.

The biggest importance of a China Trade Fair is that it has global participants. It is not focused only on domestic sellers but has sellers and buyers coming from all over the globe. This gives you massive exposure and choice.

Another advantage is that when you attend a trade convention or show, your buying process can shorten drastically. As there are many options to choose from, you can shortlist sellers in just a few hours. Next, the majority of the attendees have product samples and prototypes with them. This allows you to check the quality there and then.

The Canton Fair is a national fair and is China's biggest trade fair. It is designed to be an international event with multiple language assistance for the people from 200 countries.

HKTDC fairs is in Hong Kong, which means that most Western buyers don’t even need a visa (unlike the Canton Fair, which will require some embassy to permit).

In China, there is even a sizeable annual exhibition dedicated to purchasing tires. Buyers should consider what their priorities are and make a corresponding purchasing decision.

2. China Wholesale Marketplaces

These are just some common China top wholesale markets below：

Although importing goods from China wholesale website is the best way to obtain high-quality products at the lowest prices, you must solve several logistics problems to be successful.

1. A Long Production Time

Most China wholesale website suppliers will not even start producing your products until you place an order and pay a small deposit to cover materials costs.

Depending on the nature of your product, you need to wait 1 to 4 months before you can produce the product. Suppliers rarely have inventory, and most of the goods are made when you place the order, so you must plan ahead.

When you order buy for China online wholesale website, the delivery time is usually 1 – 3 months, so you always have to predict your needs in advance.

2. Large Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)

If the products you ordered are manufactured overseas, it is expected that a fairly large minimum order will be required. However, each manufacturer has its own minimum order quantity, and don’t be embarrassed to ask before ordering.

If you are just starting out, make sure you get samples first and confirm the potential market before placing a big order.

These days, I rarely buy any new products with less than 300 pieces, but if the supplier thinks you are a serious customer, you can often negotiate to lower the minimum order quantity.

3. Payment Terms

When sending money to China, Most manufacturers want to pay by wire transfer. In addition, you usually need to prepay some money (usually 30%) to cover the initial cost, and then pay the balance when the goods are ready to be shipped. 

If you are worried about fraud, some third-party hosting services, such as Alibaba’s transaction system(trade insurance), can facilitate the exchange of goods and services. But generally speaking, when there is mutual trust between you and your supplier, the transaction will proceed faster.

However, if you are a new buyer, don’t be afraid of wire transfers. If you are reluctant to send money overseas, you can consider asking for PayPal to pay. If you pay all the fees, some providers will accept PayPal, but don’t expect it. 

4. Quality Control

Quality control is often an issue when you buy from China wholesale website, you will likely identify several suppliers that can manufacture your product. Then, after evaluating them in various ways and getting product samples, you will narrow them down to one.

A factory audit is a tailor-made program aimed at assessing a facility’s quality systems, workplace environment and capabilities. It ensures that your suppliers are able to undertake a specific order as per your requirements.

Then Independent inspections of your products, at various stages of the product’s life cycle, will ensure that the quality of your mass production will match that of samples tested and will help you to identify critical defects before products selling.

TESTCOO is a leading third-party inspection company in China. Testcoo performs over 100,000 product inspections, factory audits, and lab tests annually and is trusted by 5,000+ retailers, brands, and suppliers worldwide.

Testcoo can help you complete a full QC inspection in China more efficiently and effectively. It offers the following QC inspection services to assess and satisfy its global customers：

• Initial Production Check (IPC)
• During Production Check (DUPRO)
• Final Random Inspection (FRI)
• Loading Supervision (LS)
• 100% Inspection
• Sample Picking Service (SPS)
• Supplier Audit

Read more: 7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Right Third-party Quality Control Service Provider 

5. Language Disability

Many China suppliers in Asia do not speak English very well. But as long as you communicate by email and real-time chat, things will go much smoother. 

The English reading ability of most China wholesale website sellers is much stronger than their English verbal ability. Therefore, you can communicate with your Chinese supplier via WeChat, Email, or Skype for the first time.  

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1. Can You Offer a Copy of Your Business License or Any Necessary Certifications?

When contacting sellers, you are responsible for ensuring that they are trustworthy. Asking to prove their business and any applicable certified copies will help you narrow your search.

2. What Are the Product Details?

Ask as much information about the product as possible. Ask for detailed information about the specifications, packaging, and materials used. Ask to see if they can send you some pictures of the product. Answer your questions specifically so that you don’t miss any questions.

3. What is the Price of the Sample and How Long to Make It?

The seller should have no problem if you request a sample-this is the standard part of B2B sales. Before placing a bulk order with the supplier to assure the quality, you need to check one or two product samples.

You should also ask them for their pricing for samples and how long they can make it. Due to the transportation cost of such a small order, the unit price may be higher than the bulk order. 

4. What is Your Product Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)?

MOQ is the minimum number of items you can purchase at a time. Even if the seller’s MOQ is listed on the product detail page, always ask the seller for their MOQ. If the price exceeds your affordability, please see if they are willing to meet your price. Keep in mind that buying larger orders may reduce the cost of unit price.

Finding a good supplier from China wholesale website is not easy. At least there are no suitable tools and knowledge. Do your own research on the China wholesale website and find the best one.

When you find a great wholesale supplier and get a high-quality product at a low price, it is very profitable. Buying from China wholesale website can seem like a daunting task. You can’t get to know them personally or test the product, so the ways to audit the suppliers is important. TESTCOO is a leading quality control inspection and audit company in China. If you need an inspection service company from China, please don’t hesitate to contact us.