How to safely source and sell products on GlobalSources.com

What is GlobalSources.com?

GlobalSources.com is the official site of Hong Kong-based Global Sources, an internationally recognized multichannel B2B sourcing platform committed to facilitating global trade. Global Sources has been connecting authentic buyers and verified suppliers all over the world with tailored sourcing solutions and trustworthy market information for over 50 years.

Why source and sell products on GlobalSources.com?

Buying and selling online is the new norm. As the world’s first international B2B sourcing platform, both buyers and sellers can rest assured that their varying sourcing needs are met with a high caliber of efficiency and professional support 24/7 all year round. GlobalSources.com makes buying and selling products easy because of its intuitive navigation, easy-to-use format and tailored user experiences both for desktop and mobile devices.

What are the advantages of sourcing on GlobalSources.com?

GlobalSources.com provides a one-stop online shopping platform designed to make the buying experience smooth, safe, enjoyable and worry-free. Here are the advantages of buying on GlobalSources.com:

Optimized UI Design

Searching for products and suppliers is straightforward and intuitive as GlobalSources.com is optimized for both desktop and mobile use. Searching for specific products or suppliers is easy and buyers can use search filters to narrow down their searches. The site also provides a section for recommended suppliers. Moreover, buyers can search for products according to category and sub-category or per section as such the Most Popular, Low MOQ, New Products, Ready to Order, Source by Region and Analyst’s Choice.

Verified Suppliers

Looking for reliable suppliers online can be challenging at times but at GlobalSources.com, buyers can simply look check a supplier’s credibility by looking if there is a “Verified” badge which means that a supplier has been independently verified by relevant government agencies and third-party organizations.

Aside from the Verified Supplier mark, buyers can also check if a supplier is a 100 percent real manufacturer through a “Manufacturer” badge.

Competitive prices & Low MOQs

Verified manufacturers offer products at affordable wholesale rates. There is also a section dedicated to buyers looking for products with low MOQs.

Safe & Secure Transactions

GlobalSources.com provides a dedicated page for FAQs and tips on how to evaluate and negotiate with suppliers, minimize online sourcing risks, avoid sourcing traps and more so buyers can be at ease.

More importantly, GlobalSources.com has independently verified suppliers, diverse payment options and a secure payment gateway to ensure that buyers are transacting with trustworthy suppliers and on a safe platform.

Regional Selections

For buyers who prefer to source from rest-of-world suppliers with specialized niches or offer distinct “regional” products, buyers can find these suppliers on GlobalSources.com via the India Sources, South Korea Sources and Vietnam Sources pages under the site’s Services section.

Earn Rewards and Sourcing Coupons

By participating in some activities such as when you use the Request For Inquiry feature or source products on GlobalSources.com, you can earn points and use those points to redeem eGift Cards which you can use on Global Sources, Amazon and Starbucks.

360° Virtual Tour

A new feature on GlobalSources.com, the virtual factory visit lets buyers have virtual tours of factories which is a cost-effective way to make a better assessment of the suppliers’ capabilities and see their production lines and how they manufacture products.

Tools tailored for buyers

GlobalSources.com has various sourcing tools for buyers such as the following:

• Global Sources Apps - Buyers can search for millions of products, find and chat with suppliers, discover the latest news, trends and bestsellers, submit inquiries and compare quotations at their fingertips and wherever they are in the world.
• Import & Export Services – This provides a list of service providers to help buyers in several aspects of sourcing, including Credit Checks, Import/Export Records, Inspection, Logistics, Video Production and Amazon Seller Services.
• Sourcing Knowledge Center – This serves as a depository of information about the latest product and industry trends, sourcing news and events, expert-curated unique and innovative products, and downloadable eBooks.
• Sourcing eMagazines – Buyers can subscribe for free and choose from eight industry-specific magazine titles such as Consumer Electronics, Mobile Electronics, Electronic Components, Lifestyle & Fashion, Home & Kitchen, South Korea Products, India Products and Hardware, Auto & Machinery.
• Request for Quotations – An 100 percent free service wherein buyers can request, receive and compare quotations.

 

What are the advantages of selling on GlobalSources.com?

Setting up an online store and marketing products on B2B marketplaces like GlobalSources.com is simple and easy. GlobalSources.com offers free marketing tools and solutions so sellers can get their products to market quickly, communicate with buyers and prospects efficiently, and achieve their desired outcome. Here are advantages of selling on GlobalSources.com:

Free Trial

GlobalSources.com offers a free trial service where sellers can register and use the verticalized marketing package that combines online selling services, online shows, offline trade shows, and magazine services to help suppliers reach their target buyers seamlessly.

Product Data Tracking

The product data tracking feature helps sellers identify the peak sourcing season at a glance. It also tracks hot keyword rankings on mainstream platforms and provides suppliers with monthly sourcing trend reports so they can stay updated with the latest market developments.

Reach Qualified Buyers

Joining GlobalSources.com as a seller does not stop with being able to use an efficient and seamless platform to showcase and sell your products. The site allows you to connect with more than 10 million registered buyers and users, including the world’s top 100 retailers and e-tailers. As sellers, you can also meet top VIP buyers, have exclusive one-on-one, face-to-face, and private meetings with buyers through the MATCH service, and receive buyer inquiries anytime and anywhere through the Ready to Order service.

Become a Verified Supplier

To become a Verified Supplier on Global Sources, sellers can simply provide their contact and company details and pay a corresponding fee. Being a Verified Supplier means third parties have vetted your reliability and trustworthiness in offering quality products and services.

Trade Show Opportunities

Featured with trade show business and O2O (Online to Offline) services, Global Sources not only provides offline trade show opportunities for suppliers but also sets online show promotion chances for every seller to showcase their products.

Global Sources Verified Suppliers can showcase and demonstrate their best-selling and most innovative products to buyers through online and offline shows, and meet buyers face-to-face during offline industry-specific and regional trade shows.

How to start sourcing on GlobalSources.com

Here’s how buyers can start searching for products and sourcing on GlobalSources.com. It’s quick, easy and seamless.

Step 1: Create an account  

Creating a buyer account on GlobalSources.com is free and easy. Just click the Register button on the top right corner of the website or tap the Account icon and choose Register on the mobile app. You will then be asked to input your name, email address, company name, password, country and contact number.

Step 2: Search for products and suppliers

GlobalSources.com lets you search for products in many ways. You can either click a category and its sub-categories, type the product name on the search bar or find products according to sections such as Analyst’s Choice, Low MOQ, Most Popular, New Products, Ready to Order and Source by Region.

Alternatively, if you already have Global Sources Verified supplier in mind, you may search for that particular supplier via the search bar. You can also find a section for recommended suppliers on the homepage.

Narrow down search results

GlobalSources.com also has a filter feature where you can make your product searches more specific. For example, buyers use the filter options according to product features, materials, function or usage, verified business type,  verified product certificates, verified company certificates, supplier location, supplier ranking, lead time, years in business, trade show attendance, FOB port and OEM services.

Step 3: Compare products

Comparing products to highlight features or knowing which one suits your needs the most is as easy as clicking the check icon on the products you want to compare. You can compare as many as 20 products at a time. The result will show a product feature and supplier feature comparison which is laid out in a matrix.

Step 4: Inquire about the product

If you want more details about the product before buying it, you can click the Inquire Now button found on the product page. This feature allows you to send a quick inquiry to the supplier.

You can also chat with the supplier by clicking the chat icon found on the product page, just below the company name.

Step 5: Order the product

Once ready to buy the product, you can modify the product quantity. Make sure that the quantity meets the minimum order allowed, then simply click the Start Order button or if you have other items to add, there is also an Add to Cart icon which you can click. Once ready to buy, you will be prompted to a page where you will see the order amount and other cost details. There, you can click the Place Order button after seeing the order summary and pay for your order.

Step 6: Wait to receive your order

Different manufacturers offer different ways to ship your goods and the lead time varies depending on the supplier or the kind of product to be shipped. Once the order is placed and payment is confirmed, the product will soon be dispatched and sent to your shipping address.

How to source safely on GlobalSources.com

Sourcing via GlobalSources.com is safe and secure, but to ensure that buyers are only dealing with trustworthy suppliers, there are a lot of useful features and even materials created by experts, which buyers can get hold of and are available on the website itself.

Generally, here are important things to keep in mind to safely buy from GlobalSources.com:

1. Look for the Verified Supplier and/or Verified Manufacturer badges

Suppliers that carry any of these badges mean that they have been evaluated by third-party organizations and that they are credible and safe to transact with.

2. Check other supplier features

Aside from having a Verified Supplier or Manufacturer badge, you can also check the supplier’s response time, response rate, years of experience, certificates, ranking on financial commitment to promoting export business and trade show attendances, which all factor in on the supplier’s capabilities and qualities.

3. Ask for samples

Asking for samples is a good way to check the quality of the product or if it indeed matches the look and features provided on the site.

4. Make an inquiry

Before taking the plunge, make sure that all your questions about the product and related transactions are covered. This can easily be done by making an inquiry or chatting with the supplier.

5. Check supplier details through search engines or other sites

Some manufacturers have their own websites where you can check more details about their business and products. Others have social media accounts that allow buyers to see their posts and interactions with other users. There are also websites that provide company reviews from the customers themselves.

6. Pay through secure payment methods

At GlobalSources.com, suppliers accept safe payment methods such as PayPal, online bank and wire transfer. It is best to transact only through these methods and avoid payment arrangements outside the platform.
Watch the video: Introduction and reviews about Global Sources

Is Global Sources legit?

As one of the world's largest facilitators of Business-to-Business (B2B) trade for over 50 years, Global Sources has stood the test of time. It is a genuine and safe hands-on sourcing platform. Global Sources provides buyers from all over the world access to hot new products, as well as verified manufacturers in different industries. You can trust Global Sources and find tens of thousands of wholesale products on GlobalSources.com to meet all your sourcing needs.

Check out buyers' reviews on Global Sources now: