Thanks for pointing this out.
Yes, I knew that major changes had been made since I published my 2018 revision. This is a common problem in dealing with Alibaba. They have made numerous changes over recent years, sometimes as many as three significant changes in one year.
In fact the Assessed Supplier category no longer exists, although Alibaba's help section still contains copious references to the non-existent category. In some of their articles in the help section they encourage people to filter for Assessed Suppliers, but no such filter is any longer available.
The onsite check is still, as it has always been, a token gesture that is worthless in assessing suppliers. It only proves that they exist.
Their whole verification and assessment process that was already near useless has now become a shambles.
There is conflicting information on the site, and their explanation regarding the newest badge: "Gold Plus Supplier" is that in addition to the "Onsite checks and Trade protection" offered by ordinary Gold Suppliers, the Gold Plus Suppliers can boast of:
- Advanced trade protection with higher volume
- Assessed videos
- Panoramic pictures
- Factory inspection reports
- Verified production lines
The videos would never win any film festival awards, mostly showing images of buildings, signs, products being offered, people sitting at desks etc.
The panoramic pictures show bigger pictures of the buildings and sometimes even inside one of them.
I have read some of the new "Factory inspection reports" that include details of the
"Verified production lines", and they are a far cry from the old Assessed Supplier reports. They now provide very limited information. One that I read gave information that contradicted what appeared under a different heading elsewhere.
I am sorry to see SGS and TUV providing such reports.
The upshot of it all is that in my opinion, sourcing on Alibaba is now a very hit an miss affair.
Walter
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today
