What do you need to prepare to open an Alibaba store?

1. Business license – Prerequisite

• Businesses must have a valid Business License.

• All information must be accurate: business name - address - industry.

• Alibaba does not allow opening stores with personal documents.

• If your business is in an industry with export restrictions (such as pharmaceuticals and chemicals), you need to check the importing country's policy.

Why is it important?

The business license is a document for Alibaba to verify that you are a real supplier, not a "virtual trader". The reputation of the store directly affects the level of visibility and the ability of buyers to choose you.

2. Business bank account – Used to verify & pay booth fees

• Alibaba requires a business bank account to pay membership fees.

• Personal accounts are not accepted.

• You should use an account with Internet Banking for convenient payment.

Required reason:

Help Alibaba accurately identify stall owners.

Limit cases where virtual booths or businesses do not exist.

3. Full company profile

To open a professional booth and create trust with buyers, you need to prepare:

• Business logo.

• Photo of office or factory.

• Company introduction video (very advantageous).

• Business information minimum 200–300 words.

• Development process, year of establishment, output, export market.

• Certificates: ISO, FDA, CE, FSC... if any.

Why is it important?

Clear information helps buyers evaluate trustworthiness. In the B2B model, businesses not only buy products but also choose long-term suppliers, so transparent records are the foundation.

4. Sample product set to post on Alibaba store

Before opening a booth, businesses need to prepare:

• 20–30 typical products.

• Each product should have: detailed description – price – MOQ – size – material.

• Sort by industry category to make it easy for buyers to search.

Alibaba is a B2B platform so buyers are interested in:

• production power

• quality

• FOB price

• delivery time

Do not open a store without products available, because an empty store will not be displayed.

5. Product image set meets international standards

To sell on Alibaba, image is an extremely important factor. A standard set of images includes:

• 5–7 photos per product

• Bright white background, clear layout

• Detailed close-up photo

• Photo of packaging and packaging

• Product photos in actual use

• Infographic showing dimensions or benefits

Note:

Alibaba prioritizes displaying products with professional images when ranking for searches.

6. Product videos or production process videos

• Video increases the rate of buyers sending messages (inquiry) up to 3–5 times.

• Booths with videos are prioritized for display by Alibaba.

• There should be videos of workshops, machines, and quality inspection procedures.

Benefit:

Buyers want to see real capacity before placing a large order.

7. Detailed price list (Quotation Sheet)

To export through Alibaba, businesses need:

• Price list according to MOQ.

• FOB, CIF or EXW prices depending on needs.

• Details of size - weight - material - packaging.

• PDF files are available to send immediately when the buyer needs them.

Tip:

B2B buyers need price transparency from the beginning to make decisions faster.

8. Understand the B2B model on Alibaba before opening a store

This is the content that many businesses ignore when opening an Alibaba store. The B2B model on Alibaba operates as follows:

• Buyer (business) finds suppliers by keywords.

• Products displayed are based on: image quality - booth activity - response speed.

• Buyer sends inquiry or RFQ.

• Supplier negotiates price - sends samples - wholesales.

• Transactions are managed by Alibaba's system.

Different from B2C e-commerce platforms like Shopee or Lazada:

• No retail purchases.

• There is no livestream.

• Do not run flash sales.

• No small price competition.

Correct thinking:

• Alibaba is not a "cheap market" but a platform to help buyers find reputable global suppliers.

9. Understand how Alibaba Vietnam works

When registering through Alibaba Vietnam, businesses receive:

• Consulting team opens booth in Vietnamese.

• Support appropriate industry orientation.

• Check the validity of the business license.

• Consulting Gold Supplier membership package.

• Support in the business verification process.

Benefit:Reduce the risk of wrong documents - wrong processes - wrong job categories.

10. Prepare an international customer care team

To sell on Alibaba effectively, businesses need to:

• Personnel respond to inquiries in English.

• Quick quoting skills.

• Understand import and export terms: FOB, MOQ, lead time...

• In the B2B model, buyers will choose the store that responds the fastest.

11. Logistics and export planning

Businesses need to prepare in advance:

• International logistics partner.

• Delivery policy.

• Production time (lead time).

• Packaging and inspection process.

• Experience working with forwarders.

Exporting through Alibaba helps reach buyers, but businesses must proactively operate.

12. Long-term store development strategy

After opening a booth, businesses need to:

• Regularly post 20–40 products/month.

• Respond to inquiry within 1 hour.

• Optimize product keywords.

• Stay active for the first 30 days to enable ranking.

• Run internal advertising (P4P) when needed.

13. The right mindset to open an Alibaba store from the beginning

To be successful on Alibaba, businesses need to:

• Think in a B2B direction (large orders - long term).

• Prepare export skills.

• Prepare a clear production process.

• Invest in images - videos.

• Understand your target market.

The booth is not just for "making it happen" but is a channel to generate sustainable export revenue.

14. Consulting on opening an Alibaba store - Support for new businesses

If you are a Vietnamese business that wants to open a store on Alibaba for the first time, you should:

• Discuss in advance with a consultant opening a booth.

• Thanks for consulting on checking the appropriate license, industry, and product.

• Identify markets with high demand.

• Plan to post products - build a profile.

Getting the right advice helps save costs - avoid mistakes - increase export opportunities.

ALIBABA VIETNAM COMPANY - EXPORT E-COMMERCE FLOOR

• Head office: 19th Floor, Saigon Center Building, No. 67 Le Loi Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1

• Email:  [email protected]

• Phone: (+84) 987 258 510

• Branch 1: 10th Floor, Becamex Tower, 230 Binh Duong Avenue, Thu Dau Mot, Binh Duong

• Branch 2: 9th Floor, TTC Plaza, Vo Thi Sau, Thong Thong Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai

• Branch 3: 123 Cong Hoa, Ward 12, Tan Binh, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam