Welcome to the Insider Q&A series, where we shine a spotlight on the individuals who make our organization thrive and pick their brains to learn about how businesses can flourish on Alibaba.com.
In this series, we delve into the perspectives our staff members have gathered from years of personal experience and observation to find the various threads that connect successful USA-based sellers on Alibaba.com. Through the Insider Q&A, we invite you to meet the people working behind the scene, discover the wealth of knowledge they possess, and gain a deeper understanding of how wholesalers, small-business owners, and manufacturers continue to prosper on Alibaba.com.
In today’s Insider Q&A, we interview Ethan Case, Senior Account Executive. In his two years at Alibaba.com, he has recruited small and medium-sized businesses as well as new enterprise clients to the platform. His goal is to partner with his clients to create an effective and lasting business relationship.
Question #1
Alibaba.com: What elevates sellers to become more successful on Alibaba.com?
Ethan: Our white-glove approach to account management is the key that helps sellers find more success. On Alibaba.com, there is no one-size-fits-all model for interacting with our system. Our account management team, based in our New York office, will modify our program according to your business’s needs and help you through from onboarding to successful sales. We’ll make sure that you find success on our funnel.
Question #2
Alibaba.com: How do successful sellers differentiate themselves from competitors on Alibaba.com?
Ethan: Alibaba.com’s supplier base is really no different than the open market. Whatever it is that helps your business compete with other suppliers locally, at trade shows, or online is exactly what you need to bake into your listings to better compete on Alibaba.com. Do you have brand IP or product IP? Do you distribute well? Do you provide customization services? Whatever it is, your Alibaba account manager will help you highlight that in your listings to better compete with our supplier base.
Question #3
Alibaba.com: How does Alibaba.com support sellers in building long-term partnerships with buyers?
Ethan: While Alibaba is an e-commerce platform, we’re really more of a relationship builder for B2B sales. Rather than an add-to-cart system of sales, we have an inquiry system where you can connect with the buyer on your own terms — hopefully for long-term, reoccurring B2B interactions. Take that buyer offline if you’d like, connect with them however you want. Helping you generate a connection that you foster is our ultimate goal for you.
Question #4
Alibaba.com: What’s the process for becoming a Verified Supplier, and what are some benefits?
Ethan: Verified Suppliers have, on average, over twice the amount of active buyers and inquiries as a typical supplier on Alibaba. This is due to the increased level of verification that is given to these suppliers. A third-party verification team, such as SGS, will visit your facility, verify your manufacturing techniques and documentation, and then upload the certificates into our system to be visible by our buyers. This will also allow you to appear not only on the product search bar but on the manufacturer search bar as well.
Question #5
Alibaba.com: How can sellers reach their target audience in innovative ways using Alibaba.com’s advertising options?
Ethan: Alibaba.com has three separate marketing devices.
- We have keyword ads (KWA) that allow you to designate desired buyer groups, such as North American buyers who tend to favor large MOQ orders and respond quickly to messages.
- Premium sponsored ads that allow you to reserve the top listing on Alibaba for up to a year, no matter the buyer’s search filters.
- And lastly, our brand banner ad system allows you to reserve your brand name for marketing both on Alibaba and on other popular platforms, such as Google, Facebook, YouTube, and more.
Using one, two, or all three of these marketing devices will give you unprecedented marketing reach for a very low investment.
