Mistakes when exporting B2B and how to avoid them thanks to Alibaba

1. Identify common mistakes when exporting B2B

Not understanding the target market clearly

• Many Vietnamese businesses export to the Middle East without researching the market, culture, and buyer needs.

• Result: unsuitable product, difficult to sell.

Don't know how to find quality buyers

• Choosing an unreliable agent or intermediary can easily lead to losing money or receiving fake orders.

• How to avoid: use the Alibaba Vietnam platform to approach buyers directly.

Lack of international certification and standards

• Food lacks Halal, household appliances lack QC, cosmetics do not have MSDS...

• Middle Eastern buyers will refuse if the product does not meet standards.

The booth is not optimal on the B2B floor

• Poor quality images, sketchy descriptions, keywords that do not meet internal SEO standards.

• Result: few buyers find products, low inquiry rate.

Slow response to inquiry

• B2B buyers often expect quick responses (<24 hours).

• Late responses lose the opportunity to close the deal.

Prices and commercial conditions are unclear

• Do not provide clear FOB, CIF, MOQ prices.

• Middle Eastern buyers will be skeptical and find another supplier.

Don't understand the B2B model on Alibaba

• B2B is different from B2C: large quantity transactions, negotiation via inquiry, L/C or T/T.

• Vietnamese sellers who do not understand how the platform operates can easily get lost and miss orders.

2. How Alibaba helps Vietnamese businesses avoid B2B mistakes

Understand target market and buyer needs

• Alibaba has a tool to analyze buyer data by region and industry.

• Visit RFQ Marketplace to capture real needs.

Find a reputable buyer and avoid intermediaries

• Use Alibaba Vietnam platform directly to connect Middle Eastern buyers.

• Reference link for buyer Middle East: Buyer Middle East

Supports international certification and standards

• Consulting on opening an Alibaba store will guide you to post products properly and add necessary documents.

• Make sure the product has Halal, CO, MSDS if necessary.

Optimize your booth to increase visibility

• Open a booth here: Open an Alibaba booth

• Get advice on images, keywords, and descriptions of international standards.

• Increase the chances of buyers finding products and sending inquiries.

Support to answer inquiries and close orders quickly

• Alibaba Seller Center system helps manage all inquiries: Seller Center

• Update notifications automatically, reducing the risk of missing opportunities.

Advertising tools and data analysis

• AdCenter: increase product display (AdCenter)

• Analytics: track store performance, measure ROI (Analytics)

Understand the B2B model and how the platform works

• Buyer finds products by keywords or RFQ.

• Seller feedback price, MOQ, delivery time.

• Transactions are usually by T/T, L/C, OA, FOB...

• All management is centralized on Seller Center.

3. Mistakes when planning B2B exports and how to fix them thanks to Alibaba

Mistake: Not determining the right product category for the buyer.

Solution: use Alibaba platform data to select potential product categories, for example: Home & Garden, Beauty & Personal Care

Mistake: Not having a transparent pricing strategy.

Fix: post clear FOB/CIF prices, specific MOQ, with OEM options.

Mistake: Not optimizing internal SEO.

Solution: use Alibaba's Keyword Tool (Keyword Tool) to optimize keywords, descriptions and product categories.

Mistake: Not preparing for Halal certification, CO, MSDS...

Solution: Consulting on opening an Alibaba store, supporting instructions on standardizing documents, ensuring products meet the requirements of Middle Eastern buyers.

Mistake: Lack of continuous monitoring and improvement of the store.

Fix: use Analytics to measure effectiveness, adjust descriptions, images, prices and advertising strategies.

4. Steps to avoid mistakes when exporting B2B through Alibaba

Open international standard booth

• Register and verify your business at: Open an Alibaba booth

• Choose the Gold Supplier package to increase reliability: Gold Supplier

Post products with complete information

• SEO standard product name, high quality images

• Detailed description of uses, materials, size, weight

• Optimize internal keywords using Keyword Tool

Monitor buyer needs via RFQ

RFQ Marketplace helps receive quality inquiries from Middle Eastern buyers.

Respond to inquiries quickly and professionally

• Response time <24h to increase your chances of closing the deal.

• Send quotation, MOQ, delivery time, and sample if needed.

Advertising and analyzing booth effectiveness

• Use AdCenter to increase product visibility (AdCenter)

• Track performance with Analytics (Analytics)

Ensure product certification and standards

• Halal, CO, MSDS... according to buyer's request

• Get detailed instructions thanks to advice on opening an Alibaba booth

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