Inspecting a factory before your first order: remote checks and third-party audits
You do not need a flight to vet a factory. A structured remote check plus a paid inspection covers most of the risk.
Alibaba
Alibaba Group news including Tmall, Taobao, 1688, and global B2B sourcing.
Alibaba RFQ versus browsing listings: which gets better supplier quotes
RFQ brings suppliers to you, listings make you hunt. Each surfaces a different type of seller, and the request wording decides which.
Alibaba bids $1.5bn for Pupu: instant-retail war with Meituan escalates
Alibaba has offered about $1.5 billion for Chinese on-demand grocery platform Pupu, more than double a rival bid. The move escalates its instant-retail fight with Meituan and JD.com.
Pentagon adds Alibaba to military blacklist: e-commerce giant vows fight
The US Department of Defense has named Alibaba, Baidu and BYD on its updated Section 1260H list of Chinese military companies. The label carries no automatic sanctions but deepens US-China decoupling for one of the worlds largest e-commerce and cloud firms.
What changed in alibaba for retail teams in 2026
E-commerce deep dive: What changed in alibaba for retail teams in 2026.
Alibaba shipping incoterms decoded for retail buyers
E-commerce deep dive: Alibaba shipping incoterms decoded for retail buyers.
Negotiating MOQ and price with Alibaba suppliers in practice
E-commerce deep dive: Negotiating MOQ and price with Alibaba suppliers in practice.
Alibaba Trade Assurance explained for first-time importers
E-commerce deep dive: Alibaba Trade Assurance explained for first-time importers.
How to verify an Alibaba supplier before sending payment
E-commerce deep dive: How to verify an Alibaba supplier before sending payment.