The Ultimate Guide of Buying from Alibaba to Resell on Amazon in 2025

In the rapidly evolving landscape of global e-commerce, buying in bulk from Alibaba to resell on Amazon remains one of the most lucrative strategies for retailers. As of 2025, a significant number of Amazon sellers still rely on Alibaba's vast supplier network and competitive pricing for cost-effective procurement.

However, challenges such as supplier reliability, logistics bottlenecks, and compliance risks persist in sourcing products from this e-commerce platform, with about 40% of new sellers encountering fraud or shipping disputes during their first procurement attempt.

So, after discussing with Alibaba and Amazon experts, we wrote this ultimate guide to explore how to navigate these complexities while maximizing profitability and how to buy safely and efficiently from Alibaba and successfully resell on Amazon.

What is Alibaba?

Founded in 1999, Alibaba.com has grown into the world’s largest B2B e-commerce platform, connecting 2,000,000 + verified suppliers across 5,000+ categories, from electronics to home goods.

In 2025, Alibaba introduced AI-driven supplier matching, which recommends factories certified through a triple-verification process (business licenses, production capacity, and export credentials). Key features include Small-batch purchasing, Trade Assurance, and Integrated logistics. It’s widely known for:

• Bulk product sourcing at competitive prices

• Custom manufacturing (OEM/ODM) options

• A massive supplier network across China and other countries

How to Find Suppliers on Alibaba?

Step 1: Accurately locate the supplier type

Prioritize Gold Suppliers or Verified Suppliers with transaction histories exceeding 50 orders/month. Avoid trading companies without exclusive distribution rights to prevent markup layers.

Step 2: In-depth evaluation of supplier qualifications

Required to provide a business license updated in 2025 and check the transaction records in the past six months, Alibaba suppliers with a stable order volume of more than 50 orders/month are more reliable.

Step 3: Sample testing and negotiation skills

Request at least three production samples to evaluate material quality, functionality, and packaging compliance. Negotiate bulk discounts (typically 5–12%) by emphasizing long-term collaboration.

For high-risk categories like electronics, require suppliers to provide CE/FCC certifications to meet Amazon’s regulatory standards.

For more information on sourcing from Alibaba, you can visit EJETProcurement.

What is Amazon Resale?

Amazon resale (Retail Arbitrage) involves buying products in bulk at wholesale prices, such as from Alibaba and reselling them at retail margins. So you can get large profits in this process. In 2025, this model will have evolved with three dominant trends:

1. Branding: More than 70% of sellers now register private-label trademarks to avoid counterfeiting risks.

2. Compliance: Mandatory EPR certification (EU) and CPC compliance (children’s products) are enforced to align with Amazon’s updated seller policies.

3. AI Integration: Tools like Jungle Scout increase product success rates to 40% by analyzing Best Seller Rank (BSR) data and predicting demand.

For more information about Amazon FBA, please see the blog "Best Wholesale Products to Sell on Amazon in 2025".

Why Do Amazon Sellers Use Alibaba?

Alibaba is a worldwide B2B e-commerce platform that sources items from China and allows sellers to buy in bulk for their offline or online businesses. This platform is used by many Amazon sellers to source their products.

According to the 2025 Global Cross-Border Procurement Report, Alibaba’s advantages include:

1. Low prices

When selling on a worldwide platform like Amazon, sellers want to ensure they have a sufficient supply of the products they are offering, especially if they are in high demand. As a result, Amazon sellers frequently use Alibaba as a platform to purchase the products they need at a low cost and in bulk, saving them a few dollars.

2. It's Secure!

Alibaba is very strict in verifying suppliers. Choosing verified suppliers to place orders can protect the rights of buyers. In addition, this platform's payment system safeguards your entire process. The supplier will only receive all the money after you choose to confirm the receipt of the goods.

3. Numerous Products are Available.

It is a platform that is used by millions of resellers and manufacturers worldwide. You can buy anything you want from Alibaba. There are so many manufacturers providing a variation of the same product that there is never a scarcity of the range of products that sellers can purchase.

4. Connect with the Manufacturer Directly

Alibaba allows sellers to contact the manufacturer directly, allowing them to bargain on their terms without worrying about not receiving the best deal or product. It's also a great option for acquiring store brand items since they can buy straight from the manufacturer and even design their own.

How to Buy from Alibaba to Resell on Amazon?

Phase 1: Product Selection and Procurement

• Data-Driven Sourcing: Use AI tools like Jungle Scout to identify products with monthly demand exceeding 1,000 units and competition scores below 0.5.
• Customization: Provide Alibaba suppliers with Amazon FBA labeling templates and require “Made for Amazon” packaging to streamline fulfillment.

Phase 2: Quality Control and Logistics

• QC Protocols:

Textiles must have composition labels with <a 5% margin of error.

Electronics require CE/FCC certifications and SIOC (Ship in Own Container) packaging.

• Shipping Strategies:

Small batch testing: Choose air freight line (2-5 days to arrive)

Stable replenishment: Use sea freight LCL (starting at $1.8/kg)

Phase 3: Amazon Listing and Operations

• Optimize listings with keywords like “Alibaba factory-direct” to boost click-through rates by 20%.
• Deploy dynamic repricing tools to maintain prices 10–15% below Walmart.

Why Choose EJET Procurement?

EJET addresses 90% of sellers facing supplier fraud or logistics delays through:

1. Intelligent Risk Control System: A database of 180,000+ vetted suppliers and AI detection of forged certifications (99% accuracy) when buying from Alibaba.

2. End-to-End Visibility: Real-time tracking via EJET Dashboard, including production progress and automated generation of MSDS reports.

3. Tariff Optimization Plan: Leveraging de minimis rules for duty-free shipments and pre-stocking high-demand items in U.S. hubs to achieve 3-day delivery.

Final Words

Buying from Alibaba to resell on Amazon remains a high-margin strategy in 2025, but success hinges on supply chain precision.

EJET Procurement has empowered 3,000 + U.S. retailers to slash procurement costs by 30% and improve logistics efficiency by 50%.

Ready to transform your sourcing strategy? Visit EJET Procurement to submit your forms today!

Illustration source: Pexels