Competitor Research Strategy on Alibaba for Vietnamese Businesses

1. Understand the B2B model on Alibaba before analyzing competitors

Alibaba is the world's largest B2B platform, connecting global suppliers and buyers. Buyers evaluate suppliers based on:

• Booth profile

• Product images/videos

• Certificates, production capacity

• Response speed

• Review old customers

Understanding the B2B model on Alibaba helps Vietnamese businesses:

• Know the factors buyers care about most

• Correctly evaluate direct competitors

• Identify strengths/weaknesses to optimize the booth

2. Identify direct competitors

Direct competitors are suppliers that provide the same product type, same target market and same price range. Steps to determine:

• Search for products on Alibaba Vietnam using industry keywords.

• Filter by the export market you want to target (US, EU, Japan...).

• Note suppliers: Verified Supplier, Gold Supplier, Top Rated.

Identifying your competitors accurately helps you:

• Understand the level of competition

• Learn how to present products, images, and videos

• Determine pricing strategy and incentives

3. Collect basic data about your competitors

Factors to monitor:

• Business name, country of origin

• Product type, SKU, number of products on the store

• Selling price FOB, EXW, CIF

• MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)

• Lead time and shipping method

• Images, videos, catalogs

• Product certifications and standards

Support tools:

• Alibaba platform directly

• B2B data tracking software

• Google Sheets or CRM to record information

4. Analyze your competitors' store content and SEO

Consider how competitors describe their products:

• Related keywords: alibaba, alibaba vietnam, opening a booth, consulting on opening a booth, exporting through Alibaba

• Are the images and videos professional and multi-angle?

• Catalog, brochure, technical data sheet

Check SEO activity:

• Title, meta description, keywords

• Number of keyword-optimized products

• Level of content completion (full content vs minimal content)

5. Assess production and export capacity

Buyers care about real capabilities, not just images. Parameters to collect:

• Number of employees and production lines

• Production capacity/month

• Number of exported orders

• Main export market

This helps you:

• Identify strengths/weaknesses compared to competitors

• Find opportunities to increase capacity or emphasize USP (Unique Selling Point)

6. Monitor prices and sales policies

Price determines 30–40% of B2B purchasing decisions. Need to know:

• Price FOB/EXW/CIF

• Shipping fee, packaging fee, sample fee

• Payment terms (TT, LC, PayPal…)

• Sample policy and after-sales

Comparing competitors' prices helps you come up with a competitive strategy and incentives for the right target market.

7. Analyze customer ratings and reviews

International buyers read reviews before deciding to buy. Consider:

• Number of reviews

• Average rating

• Types of positive and negative feedback

• Response time for bad reviews

Learn how competitors handle reviews to increase reputation and build buyer trust.

8. Monitor marketing and advertising strategies

See if your competitors use P4P (Pay-for-Performance) on Alibaba. Check:

• Product advertising campaigns

• Promotional images and videos

• Keyword strategy in advertising

Understanding how your competitors attract buyers helps you promote Vietnamese products more effectively.

9. Compare and determine competitive advantages

After collecting data, create a comparison table:

• Price – MOQ – Lead time

• Certifications and production capacity

• Image and video quality

• SEO and marketing activities

Identify:

• Strengths you can emphasize

• Weaknesses of opponents to exploit

This is the basis for building a strategy to open a store, improve reputation and export effectively on Alibaba.

10. Continuously monitor and update competitor information

The B2B market on Alibaba changes quickly. Regular updates:

• New prices and products

• Review and feedback buyers

• New videos and images

• New marketing strategy

This is a way to ensure that Vietnamese businesses are always competitive and optimize export efficiency through Alibaba.

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