Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Some people will miss a lot of trading opportunities because Chinese suppliers (Alibaba) ignore their inquiries. This is very regrettable. Because many people know that sourcing products from China can bring many benefits. However, they don’t understand how to send inquiries to Chinese suppliers on Alibaba. Well, you can refer to my other blog on how to import products from China correctly.
In this blog post, I will analyze for you why Chinese suppliers on Alibaba ignore your inquiries. And this article provides you with a template for sending inquiries to Alibaba suppliers. You can download and use it yourself.
Understanding Chinese Suppliers on Alibaba
Do you know what is Alibaba? Alibaba’s platform is a fundamental player in contemporary e-commerce since its platform unites millions of buyers and sellers worldwide. You may be communicating with e-commerce, in my opinion, I think you must have heard of it.
Alibaba has diverse services. Concerns the cross-sectional portals with selling services that range from business to business, business to consumer, and finally consumer to consumer. Others include electronic payment, shopping search engines, and cloud computing services amongst others.
Consumers said that the prices of the Chinese suppliers on Alibaba are lower. And the product line they need to supply is rather vast. They can afford to sell countless types of products ranging from electronics, clothes, home appliances, and even machinery.
Regarding these products, you should not be concerned about their cost. These suppliers usually command rather low overheads because of the operational efficiencies and largeness of the Chinese economy. This diversity and cost efficiencies make Alibaba the platform local and international buyers prefer when sourcing from reliable, low-cost suppliers.
Maybe you already know this, but do you know the following?
Tip: Many people have never thought about this question.
Differences Between Suppliers on Alibaba and Other Suppliers
1) Alibaba suppliers operate on a massive e-commerce platform. Alibaba’s platform can provide a standardized market. Other suppliers may be independent or use different e-commerce platforms, with varying degrees of regulation and standardization. It is difficult to ensure that products bought from these suppliers are safe.
2) Alibaba provides systems such as Trade Assurance to protect buyers and quality control. Other suppliers may not have such stringent measures. Quality assurance may require direct communication between you and the supplier and independent verification. Of course, Owslourcing provides quality control in China services to our customers.
3) Language differences are an important issue. Because some Chinese suppliers don’t speak English, you can’t communicate with them directly. Many times it is necessary to hire additional translators. However, Alibaba is an international trade platform. Most of the Chinese suppliers on the platform can communicate in English.
4) Alibaba suppliers usually set wholesale minimum order quantities. It is difficult for you to modify their MOQ. Other suppliers may offer greater flexibility to meet the needs of small businesses or retail markets. For further information, read this article: How to Find Low MOQ Alibaba Supplier?
| Alibaba Suppliers VS Other Suppliers | Alibaba Suppliers | Other Suppliers |
| Platform Structure | Large, regulated marketplace | Can be more personal and tailored |
| Market Reach | Global reach and exposure | Focus on local products |
| Quality Assurance | Trade Assurance and other protections | Assurance depends on direct communication and reputation |
| Product Diversity | Wide range of products | Can be specialized or diverse |
What Does Sending an Inquiry Mean on Alibaba?
Sending an inquiry is the beginning of the negotiation process on Alibaba. This step also shows that you are interested in the products or services listed by the suppliers on the Alibaba platform.
It involves reaching out to the supplier to request more information about the product, such as specifications, minimum order quantities, pricing, and availability. This is also your chance to introduce yourself and your specific requirements. This helps you build a more professional relationship with your supplier.
Note: Sending an inquiry to Chinese suppliers on Alibaba does not mean they will reply to you. They may ignore your inquiry.
You need to bring your inquiry to the attention of this Chinese supplier.
Note: Some things you need to know before sending an inquiry to a Chinese supplier.
Alibaba is just as prone to scams as any other site that deals with third parties. In other words, you’re just as likely to get scammed there as you would be on eBay or Amazon. (Or, if you’re wondering is Alibaba legit, it’s as legit as eBay or Amazon if you’re dealing with non-scammers, and problematic like those other platforms if you are.) Using common sense will go a long way to avoid a scammer’s trap.
From: Dailydot
Therefore, please verify the Chinese suppliers’ legitimacy before contacting them.
Why Chinese Suppliers Ignore Your Inquiries?
Based on experience, we have summarized the following reasons for you:
1. Inquiry is too vague
Vague inquiries often lack specific details about the product or service the supplier is interested in, such as quantity, specifications, or intended use.
These Chinese suppliers on Alibaba receive a large number of inquiries every day. Inquiries that are unclear and incomplete may be viewed as unserious. Or they may think the inquiry is coming from a potential buyer who is not yet ready to do a business transaction. These suppliers will not want to work with these companies.
Such inquiries lacking specific information make it difficult to attract the attention of Chinese suppliers. Therefore, they may prioritize responding to more detailed and accurate inquiries.
Solution:
Make sure your inquiry is as specific as possible. Include all the details your supplier needs to provide you with a quote. For example, product specifications, buy quantity, payment method, shipping terms, packaging details, etc. This also makes you sound more professional.
2. Consider time zone differences
Most Chinese suppliers operate within China’s standard hours. The time in China follows a single standard time offset of UTC+08:00 (eight hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time).
If you send an inquiry without considering the time difference. These messages are likely to be received during non-working hours in China. You can think about it, can they answer you in their sleep? As a result, supplier responses to these inquiries may be delayed.
Solution:
You should be aware of the time difference and try to send your inquiry during Chinese working hours. This increases the likelihood that the inquiry will be seen and responded to on time.
Tools such as World Clock Converter or Time Zone Calculator may be able to help you.
3. They think your inquiry is not professional enough
The professionalism of an inquiry lies not only in the language used but also in the clarity, specificity, and level of detail of the requirements. When an inquiry appears too generic, lacks specific details about the desired product or service, or appears to have been sent without sufficient research or understanding of the supplier’s products and services. These inquiries may be viewed as unprofessional.
Suppliers on Alibaba often handle large volumes of inquiries. If you see a lot of unprofessional inquiries. You will also feel irritated and reluctant to respond.
Solution:
Please use some professional words. For this part of the study you can read this article about Basic Trade Terms Alibaba Incoterms
4. Product quantity is too small
Like what was mentioned above. When Chinese suppliers on Alibaba think the product quantity being inquired about is too small, they may ignore these inquiries. Many suppliers, especially larger manufacturers, set minimum order quantities (MOQs).
This is usually determined by production costs and efficiency. When a buyer’s inquiry specifies a quantity significantly lower than the MOQ, it may be deemed unfeasible or unprofitable for the supplier and be ignored.
This is important in an industry where the production process involves high set-up costs and economies of scale play a key role in keeping prices competitive. Small orders may not be enough to justify the required operational and logistical efforts, causing suppliers to focus on inquiries that meet their minimum quantity thresholds.
Suppliers often want to build relationships with buyers who have the potential for repeat business and larger orders in the future. Small inquiries may be taken as a signal that the buyer does not have the size or intention to pursue such a relationship. That’s not to say that all small inquiries are ignored, but those that don’t show a commitment to future growth or larger participation may not be effective in attracting supplier interest.
Solution:
If this happens, you should communicate with them about the potential for larger orders in the future. and express interest in building a long-term relationship. It is also beneficial to look for suppliers who specialize in or are open to handling small-batch orders, as they are more likely to accept such requests. Additionally, you may consider merging your demand with other small orders to meet the supplier’s minimum order quantity. This will make your inquiry more attractive.
5. Chinese suppliers are on holiday
Your Chinese supplier didn’t respond to your inquiry, it’s because they are on vacation! Like every country, China has its national holidays. And your supplier is probably just busy enjoying themselves.
They don’t work on holidays. Unfortunately, there is no way around this problem other than waiting for the Chinese holidays to be over. But you can prepare in advance! And say “Happy Holidays” to them while they’re on vacation! This will deepen their impression.
6. Alibaba platform has technical issues
Like any large digital platform, Alibaba is not immune to technical glitches that can impact message delivery and visibility. Issues such as server downtime, software bugs, or messaging system issues can prevent inquiries from reaching the intended supplier.
These technical issues can cause messages to be delayed, lost, or not displayed correctly, impeding communication between you and suppliers.
Solution:
However, you can contact the Chinese supplier through other channels. The Internet is very big. You may consider using other software to contact them.
How to Send an Inquiry on Alibaba?
Don’t know how to send an inquiry to a Chinese supplier? When you see this, congratulations, you can get a complete inquiry template.
Dear [Supplier’s Company Name],
I am writing to inquire about one of your products/services, [Product Name/Service], as listed on
your Alibaba profile. We are [Your Company Name], a company specializing in [Your
Industry/Sector] and are interested in [brief description of how the product/service will be used].
Below are the specific details we require:
1. Product Specifications: [List down the specifications like size, color, material, model number, etc.]
2. Minimum Order Quantity: [Specify the minimum quantity that you wish to order]
3. Pricing Details: [Ask for the pricing details for the specified quantities]
4. Lead Time: [Inquire about the time required to prepare and ship the order]
5. Payment Terms: [Specify your preferred payment terms]
6. Shipping Options: [Inquire about available shipping methods and costs]
We would also like to know if there are any customization options available, and if so, what are the
terms and costs associated with these customizations.
We are looking to establish a long-term business relationship and would appreciate a detailed
response to our inquiry. Please feel free to contact me for any further information or clarification.
Thank you for your time and consideration. We look forward to your prompt response.
Of course, you can download it for free.
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Final Thoughts
If your Chinese suppliers (Alibaba) ignore your inquiries. Please do not get angry. Maybe they just forgot. Of course, please personalize your inquiry template. Special inquiries may reinforce their impression.
Contacting us is also a good way. Owlsourcing will help you source products from China. And, you don’t have to worry about shipping. Owlsourcing provides a one-stop service from sourcing to shipping. You can contact us anytime.
2 thoughts on “What to Do When Chinese Suppliers (Alibaba) Ignore Your Inquiries?”
Could you share some practical tips on following up with suppliers without sounding too pushy? I often face this situation, and your insights would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Hermous, your question is a very good one.
When following up with a supplier, staying polite but firm is key. You can try to maintain a professional and friendly tone, which will make communication flow more smoothly. Express your needs and expectations, but also show understanding and respect for the supplier’s work.
For example, you can say: “I understand that you may be very busy right now, but we attach great importance to the progress of this project. Can you tell me the current progress?” I hope these suggestions are helpful to you!