In the last post, I offered a new perspective on finding cannabis packaging suppliers, i.e., trying those non-Alibaba websites in your Google searching results.
As I mentioned, in China, the “factory of the world” where most manufacturers focus mostly on materials, engineering, and production, the few who rank their own websites on the first page are brand conscious. And a professional manufacturer with brand awareness tends to get your cannabis products branded with their custom packaging solutions.
However, trying that new way doesn’t mean you should stop using Alibaba. Actually, at most times, we are using Alibaba, the world’s largest marketplace connecting Chinese suppliers with overseas buyers.
In this article, I’m going to show you how to pick up suitable packaging manufacturers on Alibaba.
STEP 1: Type in your keywords on the search bar. On the left of the search bar, select one of the three options to narrow down your searching results.
a. Products: The left sidebar lists multiple filters based on product features and supplier features.
b. Wholesaler: Filtered by Brands, Countries&Regions, and Product Features.
c. Suppliers: The left sidebar lists supplier-based filters, including Top 3 Markets (select those dedicated to providing products to your region), Total Revenue (The higher the better, of course), Management Certification (see if they got the certifications your market requires), R&D (for example, not every supplier is OEM-friendly), and Number of Employees (more employees indicates higher manufacturing capability).
STEP 2: Click the main image that attracts you. A good supplier always provides professional product images (clear, at least). Watch the video (if available) to learn more product details. At this point, you get the first impression on the potential suppliers.
STEP 3: Read the supplier information on the right sidebar, including the registration time, the transaction amount level, the response rate, etc. Generally speaking, a reliable supplier registers earlier, has larger the transaction amount and higher the response rate.
STEP 4: Try “City + keywords” for precise search. Take cannabis packaging as an example. The Pearl River Delta in southern China is one of its most developed industrial regions. Shenzhen is one of the largest city in this region. Thus, you can quickly locate industry-leading suppliers by searching “Shenzhen Packaging” or “Shenzhen Cannabis Packaging” instead of “Packaging” or “Cannabis Packaging”.
STEP 5: Use the “RFQ” to tell suppliers what you need. They will contact you if they think they could meet your demands. Remember to provide your information as specific as possible.
