Everyone knows Alibaba. Not everyone knows that the Canton Fair — the world's largest trade fair — is held twice a year in Guangzhou and is accessible to buyers from anywhere.
Both are legitimate sourcing tools. But they serve different purposes, different buyer profiles, and different stages of business growth.
Alibaba: What it's good for
- Speed: Finding suppliers in hours, not weeks - Volume: 150,000+ suppliers in one place - Transparency: Reviews, transaction history, certifications visible - Low friction: No travel, no appointment scheduling
The Alibaba trap:
The most-promoted suppliers are not the best suppliers. They're the ones with the biggest ad budgets. The first page of any search is shaped by money, not quality.
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