Alibaba.com’s biggest sale of the year is here! Super September is a month-long sales event that offers great discounts on a variety of products across dozens of industries.

In this guide, we will discuss everything you need to know about smart sourcing during Super September. We’ll cover all of the essential sourcing resources that buyers can take advantage of during this event.

Table of contents
● What is #SuperSeptember?
● Dropshipping via Alibaba.com: What you need to know
● Sourcing tools from Alibaba.com’s #SuperSeptember
● Supplier spotlight
● Stock up now

What is #SuperSeptember?
Super September is an annual event that Alibaba.com hosts geared towards buyers, including eCommerce retailers, service providers, manufacturers, and wholesalers who are looking for the best deals to stock up for the busy holiday season.

This sales event offers discounts of up to 40% on a variety of products from different industries. There are also promotions for shipping that offer discounted rates and faster delivery times.

Some of the Super September deals are geared towards niche audiences, including country-specific and festival-specific buyers. These niche offers focus on buyers from 17 different countries that celebrate Christmas, Diwali, Loy Krathong, and New Year.

Dropshipping via Alibaba.com: What you need to know
Before we dive into the smart sourcing tools available during Super September, it is important to mention some of the benefits of dropshipping via Alibaba.com.

Dropshipping is a business model that operates by outsourcing order fulfillment. Since fulfillment is outsourced, dropshippers don’t have to invest in or hold any inventory. This setup makes it possible to start or scale a dropshipping business without much capital.

Alibaba.com offers a feature called Dropshipping Solutions, which allows entrepreneurs to streamline the dropshipping start-up process. Our Dropshipping Solutions helps dropshippers automatically products to their digital storefronts, which helps save a lot of time, eliminating the need to negotiate deals and work out partnerships with fulfillment services.

Since this solution allows dropshippers to automatically add items to their storefronts, it is possible to test out new product offerings both quickly and easily. With over 10,000 dropshipping suppliers on Alibaba.com, dropshippers can access the most competitive rates on the market.

Sourcing tools from Alibaba.com’s #SuperSeptember
The great prices are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Super September. There are many other perks and promotions within Super September that make it easy for buyers to connect with the perfect supplier.

Let’s look at a few of the sourcing tools that you can take advantage of during the Super September sales event.

1. Visual sourcing tools
Within Alibaba.com, many visual sourcing tools are geared towards helping buyers and sellers connect on a deeper level.

These tools go beyond the traditional product listings and digital storefronts that you’d usually find on Alibaba.com and other online marketplaces. They allow buyers to interact with potential suppliers in a way that is more hands-on and personal.

Super September’s visual sourcing tools include live streams, “True View,” and our innovative virtual reality showroom.

Live streaming
There are many virtual events throughout Super September that are all live-streamed to create an environment for buyers to interact with suppliers in a more lifelike way. The live streams during Super September make up one of the world’s largest B2B live streaming pool.

Some of the streams include factory tours, product demos, and Q&As. These smaller events allow buyers to interact with suppliers located both near and far, all in real-time.

By engaging in these live streamings, buyers get a behind-the-scenes look at suppliers. It gives them more insight into how the companies operate. It also offers potential buyers a better idea of whether or not their brands align.

True View
The Super September portal features a “True View” section to help buyers discover trending products via short-form video content, similar to the “stories” features that many social media platforms have.

Over 20,000 videos about hot products are updated daily, providing buyers an easy way to browse offers more engagingly.

Virtual reality showroom
Another interesting aspect of Super September is the virtual reality showroom. Access to the world’s largest virtual showroom makes it possible for buyers to inspect factories and source directly from factories online.

These immersive sourcing experiences help buyers get a more hands-on look at products without the need to travel to the factory’s physical location. It also allows buyers to research products and suppliers with greater ease and transparency than they’d have simply by reviewing static product postings.

By implementing the relatively new virtual reality technology, Alibaba.com can bring a more futuristic sourcing experience to its buyers.

2. Trade Assurance
Trade Assurance is another major sourcing perk of Super September. With Trade Assurance, buyers can order and pay with confidence for orders on Alibaba.com.

Trade Assurance is a built-in protection service that covers orders placed on and paid for through Alibaba.com. Trade Assurance protects the buyer in the event that that the supplier fails to ship on time or the product quality varies from what has been agreed upon.

We recommend you sourcing from suppliers who offer Trade Assurance service to protect your order and payment made through Alibaba.com.

3. Enhanced logistics from Alibaba.com
Super September uses enhanced logistics to elevate the buying experience and to help ensure on-time delivery. In addition to discounts on shipping, Super September features transparent pricing and shipment delay insurance.

On-time delivery
On-time delivery is very important for retailers, especially those stocking up to prepare for the busy fourth quarter. On-time delivery is one of the most notable perks of Super September.

Most purchases made through the Super September sale are eligible for accurate end-to-end delivery time estimates. If an order does not arrive on time, buyers are entitled to compensation of 10% of the order value, up to USD＄100.

The on-time delivery guarantee is applicable on select products only and subject to terms and conditions. Check with suppliers to learn more.

Delivery Duty Paid (DDP)
Many supplies also offer Deliver Duty Paid (DDP) throughout Super September. This is a door-to-door logistics solution with greater certainty of the end-to-end total costs.

DDP helps to keep pricing transparent so buyers know the total cost before they buy. It also helps buyers avoid paying any unpredicted fees after placing their order.

4 September’s Elite Partner Event
Alibaba.com’s Elite Partner Event (EPE) is a monthly event designed to help buyers seeking OEM/ODM find quality suppliers more efficiently.

Each month, a group of global suppliers who have either quality products powered by innovative technologies or have established their own brands participate in EPE. These suppliers from various industries are equipped with:
• Multiple industry certifications and technologies.
• The ability to conduct research and development.
• Production line open for inspection.
• Advanced branding solution for worldwide distributors

We make sure that all EPE suppliers are equipped with innovative technologies or outstanding brand agent solutions to make a difference in your business. With access to a group of EPE suppliers, you can find the perfect sourcing partner for your business at ease.

Stock up now!
Super September is full of great opportunities for dropshippers and other eCommerce retailers. Whether you’re looking to get discounts on dropshipping products or you want to stock up for the upcoming holiday season, Super September has deals for you.

Head over to our #SuperSeptember page to browse trending sales and get in on the action.