Alibaba.com

Alibaba.com is a B2B sourcing marketplace connecting buyers worldwide with suppliers, mostly manufacturers and trading companies in China.

It is where cross-border sellers find products to sell, and the practical skill is distinguishing a factory from a trading company reselling the same goods — the latter adds margin without adding capability.

Trade Assurance holds payment until delivery terms are met, which is the mechanism that makes ordering from an unknown supplier workable. Sample orders before committing to volume remain standard practice.