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If you’re facing challenges on your path to success as a small business owner, we’re here to give you the tools you need to break through and reach the next level.
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Perhaps there's no more important aspect of sourcing than communication with your suppliers. Good or even great communication can not only lead to great opportunities but also increase the efficiency of your sourcing process.
On this episode, host Mike Jackness speaks with Jordan West, CEO at Keep Nature Wild, Founder and CEO of upGrowth Commerce, and Co-Owner of Little and Lively Clothing.
They discuss:
- 3:27 Why high customer lifetime value matters.
- 6:54 Why sourcing from Alibaba.com is safe.
- 12:21 Why you should always consider communicating with suppliers on the Alibaba.com platform.
- 16:24 Why it’s important to always have a backup plan.
You’ll also hear Jordan share the particular challenges of sourcing for his business in Canada.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information visit Alibaba.com buyer central at https://buyer.alibaba.com/
The new world of post-pandemic work offers businesses all sorts of options to expand and grow.
On this episode, host Mike Jackness speaks with Dave Kerpen, Serial Entrepreneur.
They discuss:
- 8:55 Values and skills of great employees.
- 17:39 How the new world of work is shaping up.
- 28:13 The role of courage in innovating.
- 32:57 The competitive advantage of mastering fear when it comes to embracing change.
- 34:34 Why you shouldn’t only choose price when picking a supplier.
You’ll also hear Mike jump in and share his perspective on the pricing question.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-star review. For more information visit Alibaba.com buyer central at https://buyer.alibaba.com/
The pandemic accelerated changes that were already happening across buying channels and supply chains. More and more buyers are expecting a seamless experience when dealing with suppliers and, increasingly, companies are taking a customer-centric approach to their ecommerce strategy.
On this episode, host Mike Jackness speaks with Brian Beck, B2B Ecommerce Expert Advisor & Author at Beck Ecommerce. Brian has been in ecommerce since 1999, both as a business owner and executive. He has also gone on to be an influential thought leader and author in the space.
Mike and Brian discuss some interesting topics on the subject, including:
- 5:02 Why a B2C experience is now expected even in B2B situations
- 7:57 Are physical sales relationships dead?
- 17:58 Why 65% of consumers trust a marketplace enough to buy from an unknown brand
- 20:14 How efficiency is most important for B2B buying
You’ll also hear Brian talk about why it’s important for companies to use digital tools to streamline their workflow.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave a 5-Star review. For more information visit Alibaba.com buyer central at https://buyer.alibaba.com/
You are listening to the Alibaba.com Ecommerce Academy podcast. The official podcast from the team at Alibaba.com.
Each week on the show, we bring you conversations with industry leading experts who are using Alibaba.com to build and scale their businesses.
These conversations help you understand the state of the global trade industry, the challenges we face today, and how to thrive amidst changing times.
Subscribe and be sure to check out our website for more resources at Alibaba.com
This episode is brought to you by Alibaba.com, the B2B global sourcing marketplace that aims to make it easy to do business anywhere. Alibaba.com’s services cover all aspects of commerce, including helping buyers discover products, find suppliers, and place orders online fast and efficiently. Try our platform out today at Alibaba.com
The global supply chain model has increased the affordability and accessibility of products manufactured all over the world. Sourcing products in this environment has become a much more complex task than before, and having a handle on the logistics of international trade has never been more vital.
On this episode of the Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights podcast, host Kunle Campbell, Co-Founder of Octillion Capital Partners, speaks with Mike Jackness, President and CEO at Terran LLC, about some tips and tools for staying on top of increasing supply chain complexity.
Some valuable insights from their conversation include:
- 7:15 Coordinating logistics to make the most of suppliers’ geographical locations
- 17:26 Ways to secure lasting relationships with suppliers through clear communication
- 26:15 Coordinating pricing to maximize profit, despite global market volatility
- 29:10 Diversifying sourcing to create built-in resiliency
- 32:33 Ensuring quality control at the supplier level
Beyond managing complex logistics, there are other important takeaways, such as:
- 5:41 The ways that perceived value can impact manufacturing decisions
- 14:15 How to protect intellectual property from competitors seeking to copy design concept
- 31:15 Taking the time to create quality products with noticeable market differentiation
- 32:24 Taking advantage of Alibaba.com’s RFQ feature for pro buyers
Coordinating international complexity is key to maximizing profit and creating a sustainable sourcing model.
To attract repeat customers, businesses should source their products according to changing trends.
Tom Samiljan, Editor in Chief of Dealerscope, joined host Mike Jackness, President and CEO of Terran.com, on Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights. They discuss some of the trending electronics products Tom has written about, and how important it is for ecommerce businesses to pay attention to these trends.
A few products gaining popularity, and sourceable through Alibaba.com, include:
- 3:04 - The increasing affordability of true wireless earbuds
- 6:01 - Ebikes and escooters, which are becoming far more accessible and available in urban areas
- 11:39 - Outdoor appliances and tech, as hosting and entertaining outside is gaining popularity
- 15:18 - Wearable tech, whose uses are expanding for both health and entertainment purposes
- 19:12 - HDMI 2.1 cables, keeping in step with better high fidelity TVs and game consoles
- 22:47 - Cell phones, with ever-expanding options and better affordability
- 29:16 - Virtual Reality systems, which have gained immense popularity in the last year
Tom also explains some ways business can take advantage of the latest technology:
- 37:55 - Website optimization and making use of digital optimization tools
- 41:59 - Sourcing the latest tech through Alibaba.com
- 43:27 - Attending consumer technology trade shows, such as the Alibaba.com’s Online Trade Shows
By sourcing the most popular new tech, businesses can turn one-time purchases into repeat business.
Note: All mentions of ‘CTA’ in the episode refer to the Consumer Technology Association
Check out our three most downloaded episodes:It’s one thing to get a sourcing business up and running. It’s another thing entirely to optimize and scale your business across multiple markets and suppliers.
Suuchi Ramesh, Founder and CEO of Suu.chi, Inc. comes from a data analytics, supply chain, and venture tech background, with a Masters in Computer Science driving her eye for optimization. As the guest for this episode of Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights, Suuchi gives thoughtful insights into how the best sourcing businesses grow and scale. She joins host Mike Jackness, who has worked with Alibaba.com for many years and who also has extensive knowledge and expertise in creating and launching e-commerce brands.
Suuchi and Mike discuss:
- 00:04:32 The importance of spreading execution risks
- 00:09:34 Not being short-sighted about costs
- 00:12:00 Understanding that supplier relationships can change over time
- 00:13:05 Considering having different sources for successful products
- 00:14:08 Digitizing as you grow
- 00:28:22 How Alibaba.com can help you onboard your suppliers
- 00:31:06 How to get suppliers to be more compliant with your systems
There’s plenty more to hear in the episode. Enjoy!
Check out our three most downloaded episodes:For every brand that seems to be doing everything right, there are companies behind it, coaching it through every step of the process to get to those best practices.
Adam Weiler is the founder of one of those companies, performance-based marketing agency Sunken Stone, which has been helping brands perform on Amazon and other platforms since 2007. Host Mike Jackness has worked with Alibaba.com for many years, running a very successful sourcing business. Mike also has extensive knowledge and expertise in creating and launching e-commerce brands.
On the latest episode of Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights, Adam and Mike talk about important factors in a sourcing journey, including:
- 00:03:40 - 1. The danger (and distraction) of “too much opportunity”
- 00:06:16 - 2. Staying focused in niches rather than being all over the place
- 00:08:11 - 3. The importance of knowing the lingo
- 00:11:30 - 4. Different order goals at different stages of growth
- 00:17:24 - 5. The advantages of digital sourcing
- 00:20:22 - 6. How to negotiate favorable payment terms
- 00:23:15 - 7. Why you should grow a relationship with a factory
Anyone curious about getting started (and staying focused) in building a successful sourcing business with resources like Alibaba.com, should listen to this episode.
While there are more opportunities than ever to grow in ecommerce, there’s also a lot of ways to miss the mark when trying to reach new customers.
Dillon Carter, Co-Founder and VP of Operations at Vendrive, is passionate about connecting retailers and customers. He recently appeared on Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights and shared his expertise on:
- The opportunities in serving B2B customers
- How crises drive innovations in brands
- Adaptability and agility is key for brands facing challenges and competition
- Adding new employees too soon and chasing efficiency before finding effectiveness.
We also had a chance to discuss:
- The challenge of many small retailers not having websites (and why they soon will)
- The importance of matching your offerings with what your targeted retailer is offering already (and why this will drive sales)
- The importance of saving for a rainy day… like supply chain interruptions (and why sometimes those interruptions help drive needed changes in a brand)
The episode is packed with thoughtful insights, and any aspiring wholesaler will want to go back and re-listen to some parts several times.
Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Strong product differentiation could be the difference between a hot seller bringing in millions or a dud that just sits on the shelf. David Bryant, the owner of OFR Brands, has over a decade of experience in sourcing successful products. In this debut episode of Alibaba.com Sourcing Insights, he will share tips on battle scars to avoid and tips for success, including:
We also discuss:
You’ll also hear David’s old-school method for making changes to his products and why it remains effective ten years later...
Check out our three most downloaded episodes:
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