Hi soteldomail,
Welcome to SaleHoo! :)
I haven't personally used Link hidden: Login to view and to answer your question on it's reliability, I will have to cite the major issues raised in our blog about Alibaba. You can read the full expose here - Link hidden: Login to view
Alibaba.com is a b2b business directory, a meeting place for buyers and sellers. There can be genuine manufacturers and suppliers listed but unfortunately, a lot of scammers can also join, and they do! You need to do deep research on any particular supplier you want to do business with within the site. And if you cannot get honest assurance from persons who have already purchased, any purchase is a risky gamble. :(
Also, Alibaba suppliers with a Gold and Trustpass membership do not guarantee safety, they are just labels granted to suppliers willing to pay a bit more for a better membership package.
As suggested from the blog, here are a few steps you need to do in carrying out a thorough background research:
Visit the Alibaba forums and search for feedback about the supplier
Check the supplier’s contact details and give them a call
Spend a while asking lots of questions and chatting before placing an order
Ask for a sample at first, and then place only a small initial order. If they turn out to be fraudulent, you won’t have lost too much.
Let us know if you need help looking for suppliers. We have verified ones listed here at our directory. :)
Have a great day!