Alibaba.com

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Danielinblue, designed by HASSELL (architects)[1], "Alibaba Binjiang Park.jpg", CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Alibaba's global B2B marketplace connecting overseas buyers with Chinese suppliers.

Business type: Cross-border B2B
Operating model: B2B
Platform ownership: Alibaba Group (China)
Served audience: Overseas importers, wholesalers, brand sourcing teams, project and institutional buyers.
Main markets: Multiple markets worldwide.
Website: https://www.alibaba.com
Updated: 2026-10-20

Official website

Platform descriptions come from companies' public statements and are for identification only, not a ranking.

Keep the four locations separate

Platform ownership

Alibaba Group (China)

Merchant location

Chinese and global suppliers

Sourcing location

Mainly China, with other origins as well

Consumer location

Overseas business buyers

Core features and operating model

Core features

Supplier stores, enquiries and quotations, verification and trade services; orders are often negotiated as wholesale or custom production.

Operating model

The platform matches parties who contract directly; it provides verification, marketing and cross-border services.

Revenue and responsibility

Revenue logic (conceptual)

Membership, advertising and value-added services; international wholesale revenue is disclosed in official results.

Seller responsibilities

Company credentials, quotations and samples, production and export documents, trade terms and after-sales.

Transaction roles

Start with the transacting parties, whether the platform owns goods, and who handles acquisition and fulfilment.

Transacting parties

Supplier ↔ overseas business buyer.

Platform role

Cross-border B2B matching and trade services.

Supply relationship

Suppliers or factories provide goods; buyers purchase directly.

Acquisition responsibility

Suppliers operate their stores and advertising; the platform provides promotion and buyer reach.

Fulfilment responsibility

Suppliers ship under the trade terms; the platform offers logistics, finance and other value-added services.

Teaching cases

Platform-organised trade and services

Alibaba.com: organising cross-border B2B trade into services

Business-to-business supply

A Chinese enterprise supplying an overseas business

Related courses and terms

Related courses

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Policies and fees

Platform policies, fees, site availability and market coverage change; the page avoids permanent claims and users should check the latest official notice.