Finding sources to buy your products or partner your business with potential B2B websites is a daunting task. There are so many companies out there that do not have the facilities or security to ensure the safety of their customers. But there are some that have been renowned for their services, like Alibaba
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What is Alibaba?
Launched back in 1999, Alibaba is a business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce store based in China, and it is known for selling some of the best wholesale products from Chinese suppliers to diverse businesses in the United States.
As such, it currently stands as one of the biggest B2B eCommerce stores around the world and is used by millions of suppliers and business owners. Hence, it is of no surprise to find that it is the first choice everyone opts for when it comes to looking for good products, supplies or parts, at affordable prices.
Even though Alibaba is a very popular and accessible platform for many businessmen, that does not mean it is considered to be one of the best options out there.
The reason behind that is quite simple. As a famous resource hub, Alibaba often attracts a lot of trading companies and middlemen, and many of them are not upfront about that. Moreover, it is highly likely that most of your business rivals are buying their products from this place which would mean that both of you will have identical products.
Perhaps one of the most important things to notice is that some of the best suppliers around the world tend to avoid Alibaba – that is because they are searching for customers with a better class.
Seeking Out Alternatives
If you are in search of much better products and authentic services, you will have to start looking for different alternatives that have similar yet better business processes than Alibaba.
Fortunately, the fact that Alibaba is not the most ideal eCommerce company out there, many other organizations have started up in hopes of filling up the gaps left by this platform. Exceeding the reputation that Alibaba has built up over the years has not been easy, but many B2B companies have popped up over the years who are gaining their own popularity steadily over the years.
It is of crucial importance that whenever you should consult such B2B marketplaces, you must conduct a thorough inspection about their business processes and how authentic their company is.
B2B Innovation Rise in Europe
Many B2B start-ups in the United States have been experiencing many advantages as business teams and investors are becoming much bolder and are relentless in investing in the growth of their business. Although, it is mostly in Europe where these kinds of start-ups are excelling at a fast rate – mainly due to the technological advancement in that particular region and the value creation made early on that came from strong customer relationships.
According to the statistical reports provided by McKinsey, it was found that many European B2B start-ups have reached valuations of about $1 billion, and several of them have even attained the highly desired $10 billion status. Some of these notable companies include Klarna, UiPath, Personio and many others like Forto and KONUX are well on their way to join them.
These companies have been contributing to the growing wave of strong and high-performance B2B start-ups that are going all out in making the entrepreneurial way of business more competitive while simultaneously being more attractive to investors. Hence, it makes sense that some of the best alternatives to Alibaba can be found in Europe.
European Alibaba Alternatives
To find what B2B company would work the best for your business, you need to look at all your options, assess their features and then consider the ideal choice that will result in better profits for your business. And to help you get started, here are a few options we have gathered to help you get one step ahead on your research.
1. eWorldTrade
A B2B e-commerce giant, eWorldTrade is not exactly based in Europe but its penetration in the online B2B sector has allowed it an extensive reach in Europe too. eWorldTrade came into being 10 years ago, and ever since its rise and success is mostly credited to its ability to provide a functional market place where buyers not only meet sellers and vice versa, but develop a mutually benefitting relationship.
As with Asia and Pacific and South Asian markets, eWorldTrade is keen about setting up a stronghold in European markets and capitalized on the market potential there. eWorldTrade continues to be an attractive platform for customers based in Europe as it lists a broad category of products that suit European interests.
2. Biz
This platform is perfect for business owners who are in search of textiles or clothing products. It was launched in 1999 – the same time as Alibaba – and has continued to remain one of the most dominant eCommerce businesses in the European marketplace.
Most of its suppliers are in Europe, and if you are in need of suppliers that go beyond Asia, All.Biz might just be the best place to start looking. Plus, not only is the place the best source you will have to obtain whole products, as it is also one of the very few places that orders that are private labelled for company branded products.
As such, it has been providing its exceptional services to buyers from more than 1.3 million companies and about 20 million products at the moment. The marketplace has been evolving over the past couple of years, and we can expect even better services from All.Biz in the future.
This website has been deviated visually just a little bit from Alibaba, but it is far much more user friendly to new customers. It takes little to no time to easily contact your suppliers, and the webpage can also automatically translate itself depending on the preferred language settings on your browser. It currently supports 26 languages and offers various price ranges according to each countries’ currency.
3. Global Sources
Global Sources has more than 45 years of experience working in international trade and is known for supplying some of the best virtual directories of suppliers that are similar, if not better, than Alibaba.
However, there is a prominent difference between the two. The quality of suppliers that can be found through Global Sources are much higher than the one you will find in Alibaba. Plus, they have more experience working within the export market, so they are highly likely to understand and provide for your needs.
Moreover, many of their customers have stated that you can find less suspicious factories at Global Sources in comparison to the ones at Alibaba. In fact, according to the reports provided by the Web retailer, it was found that a majority of big-box stores tend to use Global Resources as a part of their own sourcing strategy.
Although, these suppliers will start to expect more from you. Usually, they would ask about the volumes of your purchase and the background of your company. Naturally, it is only fair that they would like to see if you will be a good fit for them which is why sourcing from Global Sources might just take up more time in clearing up the initial work in order to get thorough supplies and built trust from suppliers.
The good part about this is that it shows that this platform is willing to invest time and money into profitable and authentic businesses. Within the online directory of Global Sources, you will find many suppliers listed that also exhibit at their own offline fairs, thus adding to their credibility. They spend a lot of time and money into purchasing booth spaces so that they have more skin in the game than just being a virtual middleman who disappears overnight – which is why they prefer to identify themselves that way just so that it feels more authentic than on Alibaba.
4. AliExpress
Similar to eBay, AliExpress works with sellers from China and shipping them to buyers around the world. In fact, they have just recently established their first-ever physical European retail store in Xanadu – one of the biggest and most popular shopping malls in Europe.
One of the best things about AliExpress is that they offer small wholesale products and individual items to their customers, which is pretty good as it allows you to test their services with a small order or sell locally. As such, it can be good for suppliers who are just starting out their business or need to sell small volumes of goods.
5. LightInTheBox
LightInTheBox is one of the best alternatives to Alibaba, with a worldwide shipping system and reach suppliers from all over the globe.
According to Eject Sourcing, LightInTheBox has more than 60,000 products available for their customers, which include items like electronics, furniture, toys, clothes, and many other things that you could think of. Some of their hot selling products tend to be wedding dresses and various other special occasion dresses. Plus, their website is known to be extremely user friendly, making it easier to navigate through their items and has thus, boosted their popularity over the years. After visiting LightInTheBox, you will not enjoy using websites that function like Alibaba because of the intricate interface that they use to categorize their goods.
Moreover, they also offer interesting premium and membership offers by combing retail and wholesale – meaning that there are no limits on your minimum orders. Although, orders that exceed over $300 can obtain a 6% to 8% discount based on the ordered items and can also provide services for dropshipping to most countries.
6. JD.Com
JD.com is a revered e-commerce website that assists and enables reliable third-party suppliers to sell and deliver their goods directly to customers through an online platform on their website and on their mobile apps. They have also given the starting sign for its European expansion in Limburg, where logistics specialists have opened a distribution centre of 18,000 square metres and have already taken office.
In a report by the Ecommerce News, JD.com currently stands as the third-largest e-commerce platform in China with highly automated logistics and uses self-driving vehicles in Verney to gather goods and staff for support. As such, its infrastructure is made with some of the most industry-leading elements, their online services and marketing that are used to target financing, customers and various other valuable services that might be used by approved sellers.
Moreover, they have been enriching customer experience by broadening their product selection and making them available on their platform. They source their products directly from suppliers and brands and then sell them to customers directly via the company’s website and mobile applications. For international merchants outside of China, they offer fantastic premium offers and memberships so that they can tap into their market without having a physical presence in China.
7. DealExtreme
Another senior B2B platform that has existed for more than 14 years, DealExtreme (also known as DX), is one of the best sites for global suppliers that offer thousands of goods from different niches, and you can find things like electric supplies, sports goods, hobby items and so much more. And as a company that has been selling quality products online for more than a decade, they have grown reliable and authentic in the eyes of their satisfied customers.
One of the best things about DealExtreme is that they are occasionally posting some of the best discounts on their items that are exclusive for business people. Hence, many business owners who have the chance to avail these deals have been able to buy a large stock of high-quality items at really low prices. As a result, many buyers were able to attain a lot of profit through these premium purchases.
DealExtreme is known for offering lots of flash sales for thousands of modern goods that you can choose from. And with so many unique offers, they have made it easier for their audience to pay for their items through ten different payment options that are available on their website. Since they offer so many deals, they always make sure to do a thorough check on items before they are shipped so you can rest assured that you will get the exact same products you require in peak condition.
Additionally, they also have more than 100 product categories and different shipping systems, such as the regular and expedited kind, through which you can choose an option that feels best for you.
The influence of these platforms has given way to further boost their popularity in many parts of the world. And as more people begin to dwell within the online shopping realm, the more we can expect these websites to enhance their services and expand their brand to every part of the world.
