The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide
I had the opportunity to review a book titled, “The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide.”
I was offered a free copy of the book, and being interested in what Alibaba was all about, I took the offer. I not only agreed to review the book because I was interested, but I thought that maybe you all would be interested as well.
Afterall, it has everything to do with entrepreneur-ism and selling products online. I hope you find this book interesting and thought provoking, just as I did.
If you’ve never heard of Alibaba.com before, it’s the largest B2B marketplace provider.
Alibaba is all about Global Trade, which is what makes the world go ’round if you didn’t know. Every product we handle first came from an idea. The idea is then turned into a prototype, which is then mass-produced and distributed worldwide.
Alibaba makes this whole process as simple as possible by creating one single place for product inventors and manufacturers to come together and do business directly.
The “Success Guide” provides inside tips and strategies for sourcing products from the marketplace that you will find on the website.
What I liked most about the book is that it provides real-life experiences from the founder of Alibaba and other successful business men and women. Not only that, but it outlines in easy to understand terms how to get started selling online and forming partnerships with companies and manufacturers. It goes through the entire process from start to finish, giving you all the information you need to know as well as tips to make everything as easy as possible for you.
The book also has screenshots that illustrate what it’s describing in relation to the website. What’s really cool is that both the book and website go hand-in-hand. The book is basically a guide on how to use the website, but at the same time the book itself is a motivational and instructional tool. It’s simply brilliant.
If you’re looking for encouragement and inspiration, there’s none better than from the mouth’s of some of the most successful people in the world. You will find them right in the book.
Let’s get into what exactly Alibaba can do for you…
Say you have a product idea. You’ve done all the research, testing, etc. and know there’s a market for it. You just need some way to bring the product into reality that you can then sell to the masses. That’s where Alibaba comes in. You can converse directly with manufacturers from all around the world. This is huge if you’re an inventor and looking for contacts that will be able to manufacture and mass-produce your product.
The other side to this is what really caught my attention (since I’m not an inventor 
). Say you don’t want to create a product of your own but want to sell existing products. You also want to get wholesale prices on your items so you can earn a decent profit from each sale. Alibaba is a good source to find such items because again, you can deal directly with manufactures and get the best possible prices. Selling on eBay came to my mind.
Do you see the benefit of having a site like Alibaba.com where you have hundreds of manufactures ready to do business with you directly at your fingertips?
If you’ve been looking to sell actual physical products online, then I recommend taking a look at what Alibaba.com has to offer. And, here are some Sourcing Tips to help you in your search to find manufacturers and products.
Interested in getting a copy of the book? You can get it on Amazon today…
Tags: alibaba, b2b marketplace, ebay, entrepreneur, global trade, product inventors, wholesale prices
Related posts...
Tagged with: alibaba • b2b marketplace • ebay • entrepreneur • global trade • product inventors • wholesale prices
Filed under: Entrepreneurship • Resources • Reviews
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
I just ordered it from Amazon – thanks for the tip!
.-= Carol@neutrogena cellulite cream´s last blog ..Cellulite Massage Roller Review =-.
[Reply]
Twitter: DennisEdell
says:
Ordered!
.-= Dennis Edell´s last blog ..DEDC Updates – What the (Near) Future Holds for You and I! =-.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Dennis Edell,
Cool! I’d love to hear your thoughts on it then, Dennis.
[Reply]
Aparecer no Google
@Dennis Edell, I read the book and it’s wonderful. I really enjoyed and have recommended it to several people.
[Reply]
Dennis Edell
Twitter: DennisEdell
@Aparecer no Google, Come to think of it, I don’t know if I ever received the book…
Dennis Edell´s last [type] ..Your Home Business – Is It Your Business or Hobby
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Dennis Edell,
Really? You ordered it from Amazon, right?
[Reply]
I’ve read this book and is simply fantastic. I really liked it and already recommended it to several people. Congratulations
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@patrick@anunciar no google,
I have yet to find someone that hasn’t thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for your input!
[Reply]
My biggest tips for people starting a business are to start small and just get out there and do it. Reading too many books can help but also allow people to procrastinate.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Steve@Speaker Stands,
Procrastination is a huge problem all around, even for myself at times. Reading and learning is essential, but some people spend all their time learning and never actually doing. It’s vital to just take action.
Appreciate your input. Thanks!
[Reply]
This is quite some interesting post as I’m interested on making money online. Creating a business in the net makes a lot of income these days. I didn’t quite read the book yet but from these article I’m really interested about its content. I would like to try buying one I really thank this post as you’ve informed me a lot about the book.
.-= andy @ jordan II kicks´s last blog ..Nike Air Max 90 – Screened Carbon Fiber / Charcoal Toned =-.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@andy @ jordan II kicks,
The book is fantastic and very inspiring if you’re looking to start your own internet business. It mainly has to do with selling actual goods, so if that’s what you want to do, then I highly recommend reading the book.
[Reply]
Twitter: clickonportal
says:
I’m all for success and I’m pretty sure this is a comprehensive guide about that, but the only long books I like reading are those with a story.
Kinda lazy yeah. Maybe in the future.
.-= Mici @ Click On Portal´s last blog ..Time Blogging You Can’t Get Back =-.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Mici @ Click On Portal,
There’s plenty of stories in this book… real-life stories of real people reaching success. The book is only 3/8 of an inch thick, so it’s not real long at all.
[Reply]
Mici from Click On Portal
Twitter: clickonportal
@Alan Mater, I think I’m getting a lot used to reading just blog posts over the net. lol I actually don’t read any how-to books like Idiot’s Guide since I prefer fantasy novels. hahaha So it’s just me and my permanent battle with time, not really the book itself. It does sound good from the way you say it though, like chicken soup or reader’s digest, I read those LOL
.-= Mici @ Click On Portal´s last blog ..Soaked In the Rain but at least we got each other =-.
[Reply]
I do have a product that I would like to market but I am very skeptical about using business to business because I feel as though I won’t make as much profit as I could selling directly to the public. What do you think?
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Ronnie,
I guess it depends on if you’re able to manufacture the product yourself or not. If not, then B2B would probably be the way to go.
[Reply]
I am curious of Alibaba. Is there free copy for Alibaba?
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@annaliza@kingsize-electricblanket,
No, sorry. It’s available through Amazon.
[Reply]
What a great publication Alibaba.com appears. I must source a copy for myself and my associates. Great article. Thanks so much as it is these websites that become a great source of information and ultimately e-networking.
.-= Christine@Home-based Marketing´s last blog ..Home Business with a Passion =-.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Christine@Home-based Marketing,
Glad you liked it, Christine, and thanks for commenting.
[Reply]
Hi Alan,
I’m curious about the book, but skeptical at the same time. I’m not someone who’s looking to have a product idea manufactured, but finding products to sell is appealing. The concern I have about that is, I’m wondering if the book is just a list of a bunch of overseas chinese wholesalers. Any time I’ve tried to find information like this in the past, the product providers were wanting to sell the products to you in unrealistically high quantities at such a slim to none profit margin as to make it completely unrealistic to try to purchase the product and make some money by selling it.
Can you tell me if this is the case with this book, or how is it different?
Thank you.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Susan @ Instant Immersion Spanish,
Hi Susan,
The book actually doesn’t list anything at all. It goes over the beginnings and background of Alibaba.com and how it came to be along with the person that founded it. You can also find testimonials from other entrepreneurs who have found success with Alibaba along with some great business tips.
The website itself would host everything you need to get hooked up with potential suppliers. I think you are able to find products at wholesale to sell through the website, so it may be of interest to you, and the book would help you out as it explains the different areas of the site and how to navigate through everything and how to get started. It’s definitely different than what you would be used to.
If you have anymore questions about it just ask.
[Reply]
I used to study Alibaba few weeks ago. I was amazed by Alibaba’s business model while I’m doing the study. There’s a saying “B2B market is 5 times larger than a B2C market”. Alibaba has proven that saying with its success. While I’m still struggling to be success in selling products to consumers many years ago. Alibaba’s founder create a portal for companies to list their products and services on its website for free and provide services that facilitates the transactions. Nowadays, Alibaba has provided more support services for its clients and expanded way beyond our imagination.
I was inspired by that idea. Since then, I’ve been trying to look for b2b opportunities and discovered lots of great deals. Thanks to Alibaba.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Albert,
Thanks for your input on Alibaba. Have you used them since then? What has your experience been so far?
[Reply]
Before committing to buy this particular book, I would like to hear from anyone who has actually put this into practice. There are many similar books on the market, what sets this apart?
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Julia@Advertising Jobs,
First, welcome to my blog, Julia.
Second, that’s a great question. The book in itself is unique from other books out there simply because it goes in-line with the website. They pretty much go hand-in-hand as it’s almost a “guide” for the website. Of course, there’s some added inspirational stuff as well which is definitely worth reading, even if you don’t plan on using the website.
[Reply]
As an internet marketer myself, I am naturally drawn to this book.
I believe I must have a copy for myself.
.-= armil @ true life stories´s last blog ..The Story Of A Housemaid =-.
[Reply]
Thanks for the link. I have been considering starting a side business buying products to later sell on ebay, and this Alibaba guide will certainly come in hand.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@michael@winning roulette system,
Yes, this is a great resource for eBay sellers to find products to sell at wholesale. Something I may get into as well.
Thanks for the comment!
[Reply]
Looks like an interesting read, and something that’s a little different to the stuff I’ve been reading lately . Will mark it as one to order from Amazon next time I’m doing some shopping. Thanks a lot.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Pete @ Food Processor Reviews,
Great! I’m sure you’ll find it helpful, in one way or another. Thanks for the comment, Pete.
[Reply]
I really like your website.Nice piece of info,great share!
I hope that many people will read this info.So good luck and more to this site!
[Reply]
“If you’re looking for encouragement and inspiration, there’s none better than from the mouth’s of some of the most successful people in the world. You will find them right in the book.”
Good. There’s more than enough doom and gloom in the world and it’s enough to put anyone off doing something amazing. I’m sure there were people who told Jack Ma he was crazy. Good thing he didn’t listen! And JK Rowling got rejected from countless publishers, I bet they’re kicking themselves now!
Anyway, I may give this book a read. I’ve been using Alibaba for a couple of years now but I’m guessing there’s still a lot I could learn.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Kerry,
Well said, Kerry.
Very cool that you’ve been using Alibaba for that long. What do you use them for?
Thanks for the comment.
[Reply]
I came across Alibaba.com a couple of times while trying to buy some online products but did not try to explore the site further. However, I should say the results the site gave me was enormous. Alan, I’ve not even come across the book you mentioned but if its that good I’ll try to find out more.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@Brian@Denver short sales,
Their website is something else. A great resource for sure. There’s a link in the post that should point you straight to the book. It’s definitely worth checking out.
[Reply]
I have to admit that I’ve always been interested in Alibaba, but have always been intimidated by importing products. There seems to be so many rules, regulations and fees that seem too much when just starting out. I will probably have a look at the book and see if it can help get me over that “hump”. I’ve heard horror stories about having product held up at customs for months at a time. I know there are probably more good experiences than bad ones however.
[Reply]
Alan Mater
Twitter: AMater
@ecommerce website builder,
That’s definitely a concern when dealing with international shipments. I can’t remember if the book has anything specifically related to this, but I’m sure you can find information on the website about it.
[Reply]