The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide: Insider Tips and Strategies for Sourcing Products from the Worlds Largest B2B Marketplace »

Debra Schepp and Brad Schepp are widely respected e-commerce experts who have also written money-making books for users of Amazon and eBay. They conduct seminars on eBay selling and have been featured in such media outlets as Life, Good Housekeeping, and Entrepreneur magazines.

If you operate a small or medium-size business, finding a reliable source of quality products can be tough—until you dis-cover Alibaba.com. The world's largest B2B e-commerce marketplace, Alibaba.com helps people around the world import and export products for big profits.

Whether you need a new supplier for your current business or want to start a new import/export business from scratch, Alibaba.com connects you with a nearly endless stream of products and suppliers from every corner of the globe. In fact, many people are overwhelmed by the huge amount of products, suppliers, and information they find when they first log on. With so many choices and money-making opportunities, you might not know where to start.

The Official Alibaba.com Success Guide shows you how to take full advantage of the world's biggest global bazaar—explaining how to navigate the site, find products at the right price, and much more. From the simplest to most complex questions, this book covers it all. Plus, it includes best practices for safe trading, including how to vet suppliers and protect yourself from online fraudsters.

This is the first and only official guide to using Alibaba.com safely and profitably. Licensed and supported by the company—with a Foreword by founder Jack Ma—this is the one guide you know you can rely on.

But don't just take our word for it. Inside, you'll find dozens of true stories from experienced Alibaba.com users who share their inspiring journeys to wealth and success using the site. Alibaba.com was founded to spread the dream of business ownership to people around the world. Say the magic words and walk through the door to wealth and independence.

Foreword Jack Ma, Founder of Alibaba.com.

Acknowledgments.

About the Authors.

Preface.

Part I Alibaba.com: The Opportunity.

Chapter 1 Alibaba.com Opens the Door to Global Trade.

First a Little History.

Alibaba.com’s Corporate Goals and Values.

Alibaba.com’s Six Core Values.

Alibaba.com Today.

Alibaba.com Corporate Structure.

Alibaba.com’s Programs, Tools, and Events.

Alibaba.com’s 2008 e-Business Champion of the Year: Gene Rumley.

Chapter 2 International Sourcing: This Isn’t Kansas Anymore.

International Sourcing: Your Challenge and Promise.

Your First Sourcing Decision.

Let’s Put First Things First.

Get a Tax ID Number and Register Your Business.

Develop Your Product Idea.

Build Your Prototype.

Create and Test-drive Your Business Plan.

Create a Business Calendar.

Product Sourcing Basics.

Calculate Your Budget.

Safety Checks for Sourcing Products.

Sourcing Internationally: New Challenges and Rewards.

Leaving Kansas: Alibaba.com Opens a World of Opportunity.

Importing Your Products.

Chapter 2 Checklist.

Chapter 3 Keys to Successful Importing.

Your Education Begins.

Your Partner’s Responsibilities and Your Own.

Terms You Need to Know.

Standards, Certifications, and Regulations.

Partners Who Can Help You.

Who Are the Major Players?

Can You Keep It Simple?

Chapter 3 Checklist.

Part II Putting Alibaba.com to Work for You.

Chapter 4 The Alibaba.com Web site.

Let’s Start at the Home Page.

Trade with the World.

Keep Scrolling.

Inspirational Success Stories.

Alibaba.com Partners.

Don’t Underestimate the Bottom of the Page.

Let’s Get You Registered.

Download TradeManager.

A Tour of Alibaba.com’s Links.

Buy.

Sell.

Community.

My Alibaba.

Help.

Alibaba.com’s Search Engine.

Chapter 4 Checklist.

Chapter 5 Finding Business Partners.

You Are the Boss, So It’s All Up to You.

Education through Experience.

Establish Realistic Expectations for Your Suppliers.

Set Criteria for Your Products Themselves.

Build In Your Own Safety Checks.

Fraud: Forewarned Is Forearmed.

Qualify and Identify.

Qualify and Legitimize.

Let’s Find Some Manufacturers.

Searching for Partners.

Posting a Buying Lead.

Those First Few E-mails.

Vetting Prospective Partners.

Do You Like Their Attitudes?

Quantify Them to Qualify Them.

Communication, Communication, Communication!.

Should You Travel to China or Anywhere Else?

Chapter 5 Checklist.

Chapter 6 Working with Your Suppliers.

A Two-sided Partnership.

Alibaba.com Can Help You Learn.

Getting Your Products Right.

Get Graphic.

Ask for Samples.

What to Do When Things Go Wrong.

Chapter 6 Checklist.

Chapter 7 Closing the Deal.

Getting the Details Right.

Your Pro Forma Invoice.

Payment Schedules and Options.

Spread Out Your Payments.

Wire Transfers.

Escrow Services.

Letters of Credit.

Shipping Details.

Forge Good Relationships.

Bill of Lading: The Final Document.

Chapter 7 Checklist.

Chapter 8 Safe Trading.

Educate Yourself.

Alibaba.com’s Safety & Security Center.

Safe Trading Forums.

Other Web-based Resources You Can Use.

Keeping Your Computer Safe.

Security Help Available through Alibaba.com.

Create Your Own Alibaba.com Sign-in Seal.

E-mail Fraud.

Trojans and Viruses.

Protecting Your Computer.

Chapter 8 Checklist.

Chapter 9 Keeping the Pipeline Full.

Your Customers Will Change Your Business.

Your Partnerships Will Change Your Business.

When You Are Ready to Travel, Get In Touch.

Your Expertise Will Change Your Business.

What Will You Do with Your Expertise?

Turn Those Tables and Sell to the World.

Alibaba.com’s Selling Links and My Alibaba Selling Tools.

Now Is the Time to Consider a Paid Account.

Your Uncle Sam Stands Ready to Help.

Chapter 9 Checklist.

Part III Alibaba.com Success Stories.

Gene Rumley—Bell Performance, Inc..

Valarie Moody—Fodeo.net.

Allison Taylor—Jack Webster, Inc..

Mary Miller Pembleton and Gregg Pembleton—Thumball by Answers In Motion, LLC.

Joshua Crumbaugh—Platinum Mortgage, Inc..

Valerie Johnson—Big Feet Pajama Company.

Index.