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The Ultimate Alibaba Sourcing Playbook
  • The Ultimate Alibaba Sourcing Playbook
  • The Ultimate Alibaba Sourcing Playbook
The Ultimate Alibaba Sourcing Playbook

The Ultimate Alibaba Sourcing Playbook

$39.99 $89.99

Your ultimate guide to sourcing products on Alibaba. This 64 page playbook provides a comprehensive walkthrough of our full sourcing protocol from identifying the right supplier, ordering your initial sample to front door delivery.

What you'll learn with this playbook

  • How to find and shortlist the right suppliers for your product
  • How to create a bullet-proof product specification sheet (very important)
  • How to manage samples, production updates and inspections
  • How to determine the best shipping options for your product
  • How to negotiate pricing, minimum orders and shipping terms
  • How to calculate duties, taxes & avoid hidden costs

Table of Contents

  • 01

    The Foundation

    • What Alibaba actually is

    • Factories vs Trading Companies

    • How to Read Supplier Profiles

    • The 4-Filter Method

    • The 10-Supplier Rule

    • Common Beginner Mistakes

  • 02

    Finding Good Suppliers

    • TSN’s Shortlist System

    • Initial Outreach Script

    • Good vs Bad Supplier Replies

    • Supplier Scoring Grid

    • Sample Request Template

    • Communication Templates

  • 03

    Safe & Successful Ordering

    • Scam Prevention

    • TSN Specifications Framework

    • Material Basics

    • Sample Types Explained

    • Purchase Order (PO) Checklist

    • The Quality Check Flow System

  • 04

    Pricing, Shipping & Logistics

    • How to Calculate Your True Landed Cost

    • Incoterms Made Simple

    • Air vs Sea Shipping

    • Freight Forwarders

    • HS Codes & Duties

    • Cost-Saving Strategies

  • 05

    Order Management & Quality Control

    • Timeline Management

    • Pre-Production Approvals

    • Communication Cadence

    • Final Quality Check Checklist

    • Performance Tracker

    • Handling Defects & Disputes

  • 06

    Templates, Scripts & Tools

    • TSN Specification Sheet

    • Quality Check Checklist

    • Red Flag Guide

    • Supplier Scripts & Templates

    • Order Tracking Sheet

    • Cost Calculator Framework

People who have bought the playbook say

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Xavier Wellings

December 12th, 2025

This playbook was completely worth the purchase. I was looking to source some custom pins for my business. The step by step process they outline to source on Alibaba was super detailed and very informative, helped me out a ton.

E

Emma Fields

November 19th, 2025

This guide helped me find suppliers that could meet my timelines. I always thought sourcing from China was a slow process but I realized I wasn't asking for the right shipping methods, and I wasn't considering using a freight forwarder.. I didn't even know what that was!

D

David Martinez

January 2nd, 2026

When I started my clothing brand, I made a lot of mistakes that cost me quite a bit of money due to low quality garments. After getting this playbook I realized I wasn't being specific enough on the product specifications I needed. Being detailed is key with Alibaba.

Are you interested in us sourcing for you?

Work with one of our sourcing agents to help you find, produce and ship your products.

 Submit a Sourcing Request