How to order on Alibaba and get delivery in Abidjan 📦

Alibaba is an e-commerce site in the same category as Amazon, but it’s ideal for bulk purchases at low prices. Unlike eBay, Amazon and others most people use daily, Alibaba feels more like a marketplace where sellers and buyers meet. This site was founded by Jack Ma and generated $49 billion in revenue in 2019 alone.

This article will help you order on Alibaba like a pro.

Creating your Alibaba account

Creating an Alibaba account is simple. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play. Once installed, follow these steps to create your account. You have several options:

• You can create an Alibaba account by tapping the Facebook icon. Your account will be linked to your Facebook profile. It’s fast and you don’t have to enter any password.

• You can also choose to create the account with email. You’ll be asked to enter your email address and a password. Once that’s done, you’ll receive an email to finalize the process.

Placing your first order

After creating your account, you’ll be asked to personalize Alibaba. That means picking the product categories you’re interested in from a list. From clothing to electronics to sporting goods, you’ll be spoiled for choice. After this step, the app interface is tailored to you and you can start searching for products.

Search by product

On Alibaba, you can search for the products you want to order by tapping the search bar. Type the name of the product and confirm - a list of products will appear.

Search by supplier

When you tap the search bar at the top of the screen, you’ll see the “Suppliers” option. Tap it and search for a supplier you know, or simply a product name, and a list of suppliers will appear.

Search by RFQ (Request For Quotes)

Go to your profile at the bottom left of the screen and tap “Request for Quote”, then “Post”. A form will appear - fill it in. Submit the form and later, suppliers will send you their prices, minimum order quantities, and shipping fees.

Chatting with the supplier

Whichever search method you choose, you can chat with the supplier. During this conversation, make sure you’re confident about product quality, the unit and total price, shipping fees, and how the parcel will be tracked to its final destination.

Before contacting the supplier, do a quick internet search to see if there are any complaints about them. Also check whether they hold a verification badge issued by Alibaba. This will really help with your choice.

To contact the supplier, tap on the product you want. At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see the “Chat Now” or “Inquire” button. The product, along with a pre-filled message, will be sent to the supplier automatically. During your conversation, you can ask about:

• Whether they provide samples in case you want to order a large quantity
• The name of the shipping company
• The delivery timeline after payment
• Any fees you’ll pay outside the Alibaba platform (typically, shipping is included in your Alibaba invoice and you pay customs fees in Côte d’Ivoire directly to customs)
• The shipping method (sea or air)
• Parcel tracking (make sure you’ll be notified when it leaves the supplier’s country and when it arrives in Côte d’Ivoire)

You can chat with the supplier in French by letting them know you don’t speak English.

Adding Djamo as a payment method

To add your Djamo card as a payment method:

• Go to “Manage Orders”
• Tap the product you ordered, then “Make Payment”
• You’ll be redirected to a payment page
• Select “Pay with debit card” (the Visa logo is shown) and at the bottom tap “Add a new card”
• A payment form appears asking for your card details:

1. If you have a virtual card, tap the “Cards” tab and then “View details”

2. If you have a physical card, you’ll find your full name as shown in the left menu of the app, the card number on the front of the card, the expiration date, and the 3-digit security code on the back.

Finding a shipping service in Côte d’Ivoire

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of shipping, you can use a middleman (Jexport, Easy Delivery, La Poste, DHL, Upela, UPS, etc.) who will track your parcel and deliver it to your home or office, whether you’re in Abidjan or upcountry. Before you pay on Alibaba, talk to a shipping service based in Côte d’Ivoire to learn their rates, shipping method, and any other useful details.

On Jexport, you can calculate the shipping cost.

On Easy Delivery, it works like this:

You run a simulation on their site to see how much shipping will cost.

Then comes the registration step: sign up and choose the delivery warehouse in China, France, or the United States.

Parcel simulation on Upela

Note: The following items are prohibited: firearms, pressurized containers (sprays, aerosols, perfumes…), dangerous goods (flammable, explosive, poisonous…), lithium batteries, live animals…

Shipping methods and fees

Parcels ship by sea or air depending on the product type. You pick up the parcel in person at the post office or customs, and you’ll pay clearance fees directly to customs or the postal service.

If you use a middleman, they’ll give you the address of their warehouse in the supplier’s country (China), which you’ll add to your profile. They then take care of tracking the parcel to Côte d’Ivoire. You’ll pay all fees through the payment method they provide and they handle the rest. So in your profile, tap “Shipping Address” and update it with the middleman’s address.

Confirming your order

Once you have all the details, double-check the quality and quantity of the items before confirming your order and paying.

Paying

You absolutely need to top up your card before adding it to Alibaba to avoid rejection fees. Also check the dollar exchange rate and Alibaba’s 2.99% transaction fee on the amount. After entering your card details, tap “Pay Now”.

If your card isn’t topped up, the payment will fail.

You’ll receive a confirmation email and you can track your order’s progress in the app. You’ll be notified when the goods leave and when they arrive in Abidjan.