
Setting up a store on Alibaba involves several key steps, primarily focused on establishing your business presence on their B2B platform. Here’s a general overview:
Key Steps:
- Account Creation and Business Verification:
- You’ll need to register for a seller account on Alibaba.com.
- A crucial step is business verification, which establishes your company’s legitimacy and builds trust with potential buyers. This often involves providing documentation to confirm your business’s status.
- Choosing a Membership Plan:
- Alibaba offers various membership options, some with associated fees. These plans provide different levels of features and visibility.
- Consider your business needs and budget when selecting a plan.
- Creating Your Storefront:
- You’ll design your online store on Alibaba, including uploading your company logo, images, and videos.
- This is where you showcase your brand and create a professional online presence.
- Listing Your Products:
- Add your product listings with detailed descriptions, images, and specifications.
- Optimizing your product listings with relevant keywords is essential for visibility in search results.
- Managing Inquiries and Orders:
- Respond promptly to inquiries from potential buyers.
- Utilize Alibaba’s tools for managing orders, payments, and shipping.
- Utilizing Alibaba’s Tools:
- Alibaba provides various tools to help sellers, such as:
- Trade Assurance: For secure transactions.
- RFQ (Request for Quotation) market: To find potential buyers.
- Advertising tools, to increase product visability.
- Alibaba provides various tools to help sellers, such as:
Important Considerations:
- Business-to-Business Focus: Alibaba primarily caters to B2B transactions, so your business model should align with this.
- Verification: Alibaba places a high priority on verifing business, so be prepared to provide neccessary documentation.
- Product presentation: High quality images and detailed product descriptions are very important.
By following these steps, you can establish a presence on Alibaba and reach a global audience of business buyers.

The primary founder of Alibaba is Jack Ma. However, it’s important to understand that Alibaba was founded by a team of 18 people.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Jack Ma:
- He is the most recognizable figure and the driving force behind the creation of Alibaba Group.
- He, with 17 friends and students, founded Alibaba.com in 1999.
- It is important to remember that Alibaba was created by a team of 18 founders.
Therefore, while Jack Ma is the key figure, Alibaba’s founding was a collaborative effort.