Once you have found promising products to sell on Amazon, the next step is choosing a reliable supplier.
The good news is, you do not need to travel to China to find one.
This entire process can be done online. In other words, you can run your Amazon business from anywhere in the world.
In this article, I will walk you through a 4-step process for finding the right supplier. Read carefully, take notes, and most importantly, put it into practice.
Create a List of Reliable Suppliers
If you’ve already explored product research and identified a solid idea to sell on Amazon, you’re on the right track.
If not, I recommend checking out other articles in the Amazon category on this website. You’ll find step-by-step guidance to help you choose the right product before moving forward.
When it comes to Amazon, don’t be afraid of competition.
Experienced sellers—with more capital and deeper knowledge—often operate in highly competitive markets because the rewards are bigger.
But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for beginners.
There are always smaller, less competitive segments where you can start, build your capital, and gain real experience step by step.
So if you’re new, don’t let competition hold you back. Focus on finding a suitable entry point and keep moving forward.
Once you’ve chosen your product, the next step is to build a list of 5–10 reliable suppliers—ones that are experienced, consistent in quality, and ideally have experience exporting to the US or European markets.
Find Suppliers on Alibaba.com
This is where most Amazon sellers go to find suppliers.
However, not every supplier on Alibaba is trustworthy.
You need to apply a few important filters to eliminate low-quality options early.
Start by going to Alibaba and searching for your product idea.
Before reviewing any listings, open the filter panel and enable these three key filters:
- Alibaba Guaranteed
This means the product is backed by Alibaba with on-time delivery guarantees and refund protection if something goes wrong. - Trade Assurance
A protection policy from Alibaba that ensures product quality, secure payments, and on-time shipping. - Verified Supplier
These suppliers have been inspected and verified by third-party agencies.
Together, these filters help you focus only on suppliers that meet basic standards in reliability, product quality, and fulfillment.
Next, filter by your target market.
For example, if you plan to sell in the US, select “United States” under the “Previously exported to” filter.
This step is critical. It ensures you’re working with suppliers who already understand the requirements of that market—reducing risks related to product standards, compliance, and customs documentation.
Below that, you’ll also see filters related to product certifications.
More experienced sellers sometimes choose more complex products to reduce competition. These products often require specific certifications or compliance standards, so pay attention to this section if your product falls into that category.
Once your filters are set, start reviewing suppliers.
Focus on those with at least a few years of experience. You’ll usually see this information displayed near the pricing section.
That said, don’t rely on it blindly. Some suppliers may exaggerate or misrepresent their experience.
To verify this, you can use tools like Jungle Scout.
Go to the Supplier Database inside Jungle Scout, enter the supplier’s name, and click “Search.”
You’ll then see detailed information about that supplier.
Scroll down and click “View more” to access their shipment history.
This data shows when they started exporting and how frequently they ship products—especially to the US.
How does Jungle Scout have this information?
They collect and aggregate import records from the US, including shipment data and supplier details.
This makes it extremely powerful. You can quickly see whether a supplier has real export experience.
If they have multiple shipments over time, it’s a strong signal that they are reliable and experienced.
On the other hand, if there’s little to no shipment history, it may indicate that the supplier doesn’t have as much real experience as they claim on Alibaba.
How to Find Your Competitors’ Suppliers Using Jungle Scout
This is one of the most effective ways to find suppliers.
The logic is simple: if your competitors have products with a large number of positive reviews, it’s a strong signal that their supplier is delivering consistent quality.
To find their supplier, start by installing the Jungle Scout extension.
After logging into your account, go to your competitor’s product page on Amazon. There, you’ll find the product’s ASIN.
Copy that ASIN and paste it into Jungle Scout’s search tool, then click Search.
Jungle Scout will then show you a list of suppliers associated with that specific product.
This gives you a huge advantage—you’re not guessing anymore. You’re looking at suppliers that are already producing successful products in your niche.
Once you’ve identified potential suppliers, create a shortlist of around 10 options.
From there, you’ll be ready to move on to the next step.
Find Contact Emails for Your Suppliers
The next step is to reach out to all the potential suppliers you’ve identified with a detailed email.
To do that, you first need their contact information.
On Alibaba, this is quite straightforward.
Go to the supplier’s profile page, open the “Contacts” section, and click the contact button to start a conversation.
That said, Alibaba’s messaging system can feel a bit messy and hard to manage—especially when you’re talking to multiple suppliers at once.
A more efficient approach is to use Jungle Scout.
Search for the supplier inside Jungle Scout’s database, then click on “Search for Contact Info.”
The tool will help you locate the supplier’s contact page via Google.
For more professional suppliers, you’ll usually find that they have their own website, where their email address is listed.
Reaching out via email gives you much better control.
You can keep conversations organized, track responses easily, and manage multiple suppliers without confusion.
Emailing Suppliers and Requesting a Partnership
Below, I’ll share a ready-to-use email template. But first, let’s go through the key points you should include in your message.
Once you understand what needs to be written, you can simply outline your requirements and use tools like ChatGPT to generate a clean, professional email in English.
A strong supplier outreach email should include the following:
1. Introduce yourself professionally
Position yourself as a sourcing or purchasing representative for a company. This creates a more serious and credible impression.
Avoid introducing yourself as a beginner learning Amazon FBA—this can reduce your chances of getting a response.
2. Clearly explain the product you’re looking for
Describe the product you want to manufacture. Include:
- A link to a similar product on Amazon
- Product images
- Any customization requests (e.g., size changes, color variations)
If you need to illustrate changes, you can create simple visuals using tools like Canva.
3. Mention your expected order quantity (after testing phase)
You don’t need an exact number—just provide an estimate.
The goal is to signal that you’re serious about building a long-term business. You can also mention that you plan to sell through online channels.
4. List all your requirements
Be as specific as possible. This may include:
- Product specifications
- Packaging requirements
- Bundles or additional accessories
The idea here is to differentiate your product from competitors right from the manufacturing stage.
5. Ask whether they are a manufacturer or a trading company
A trading company acts as a middleman. They source products from different factories and resell them to you.
In most cases, working directly with a manufacturer (factory) is better—you’ll usually get better pricing and more flexibility for customization.
On Alibaba, if you see the label “Manufacturer”, it means they are a factory. If you see “Custom Manufacturer”, it means they also support product customization.
That said, trading companies do have one key advantage: lower MOQ.
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) is the minimum number of units you must order.
Factories typically prefer large orders. For example, they may require 500 or even 1,000 units per order.
For sellers with strong capital, this isn’t an issue. But for beginners with limited budgets, MOQ can be a major barrier.
In contrast, trading companies often offer lower MOQs and can negotiate with multiple factories on your behalf—since they already have established supplier networks.
6. Ask for the best price per unit (based on 500 units)
Here, you should request quotes under three different Incoterms. This is very important, as it directly affects your total cost and logistics strategy.
Ask for pricing under the following terms:
- FOB (Free On Board): The supplier handles delivery from the factory to the port and loads the goods onto the vessel. You take over from there and pay for shipping from China to your destination market.
- EXW (Ex Works): The supplier is only responsible for making the goods available at their factory. You handle everything else—pickup, domestic transport, export, and international shipping.
- DDP (Delivered Duty Paid): The supplier manages the entire shipping process, delivering the goods directly to your destination, including duties and taxes. This option is less common but very convenient.
Don’t worry if this sounds complex right now—I’ll cover how to work with freight forwarders in later articles.
7. Ask about sample cost and lead time
A sample is a unit produced by the factory and sent to you for inspection. You’ll need to pay for it, but it’s essential for checking product quality before placing a bulk order.
Lead time refers to the time required to manufacture your order after it’s confirmed.
Make sure you ask both:
- The cost of the sample
- The production lead time for bulk orders
8. Ask additional important questions
You should also clarify a few more details, such as:
- Payment terms and methods
- Packaging options they provide
- Costs for customization (packaging, branding, adding your logo)
Finally, ask if they have faster communication channels.
In practice, suppliers often respond much quicker on messaging apps like WhatsApp, which makes ongoing communication smoother and more efficient.
Email Template You Can Use
To make things easier, here’s a ready-to-use email template you can send to suppliers.
Make sure to adjust it (you can use AI tools) so it fits your specific product and situation.
Hello,
My name is [FULL NAME], and I’m the Purchasing Manager for [COMPANY NAME].
We are looking to manufacture a product similar to the following:
[AMAZON LISTING LINK] (with some modifications) for the US market. Please see the attached images for reference.
Our primary sales channels will be online marketplaces.
We estimate an annual purchase volume of up to 10,000 units, following a trial order of 500–1,000 units and a sample evaluation.
Product specifications:
- [DIMENSIONS]
- [CUSTOMER RESEARCH / PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT DETAILS]
- The following accessories should be included in the packaging (if you are able to manufacture them):
[LINK TO ACCESSORY PRODUCTS, IF ANY]We are currently evaluating new suppliers and would like to ask a few questions:
- Are you a manufacturer or a trading company? If you are a manufacturer, are you able to produce a product similar to the listing above and the attached images?
- What is your best price for this product? Please provide three separate quotations for an initial trial order of 500 units:
- FOB
- EXW
- DDP
- What is your lead time for samples and for the trial order?
- What is the cost of the sample, including express shipping to [YOUR ADDRESS]?
- We plan to pay for the initial sample via PayPal. Could you please provide your PayPal details?
- What type of packaging is included with this product? Does your quoted price include packaging customization?
- Does your price include adding our logo to the product? If not, what would be the additional cost?
- What is your preferred method of communication?
[Add any additional questions if needed]
This template is designed to position you as a serious buyer, while still being clear and easy for suppliers to understand and respond to.
Important Note:
Do not copy and send this email template exactly as it is.
If too many people use the same or very similar message, it can easily get flagged as spam—and your email may be ignored.
Instead, use this template as a foundation.
Then slightly adjust the wording using AI tools to make it more natural and unique to your situation.
Even small changes in phrasing can significantly improve your chances of getting a response.
Place Orders and Purchase Samples
Once you start receiving replies from suppliers, your next step is to narrow them down to your top 3 options.
You can evaluate them based on a few key factors:
- How well they communicate
- Whether their pricing is reasonable
- If they allow packaging customization
After that, move forward with ordering samples to test product quality.
Typically, a sample will cost around $50–$150.
For payment, it’s recommended to use PayPal, as it offers buyer protection in case something goes wrong.
Alternatively, you can place the order directly on Alibaba using Trade Assurance for added security.
Once you receive samples from your top 3 suppliers, take your time to:
- Test the product
- Evaluate build quality
- Compare them side by side
From there, you’ll be in a strong position to choose the supplier that best fits your standards and long-term goals.