Watch out for Alibaba! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
While I do know a few folks who've gotten business contacts by obtaining information from Alibaba, you need to realize that it's a site meant for making contacts with manufacturers and suppliers overseas.
I was tinkering with producing some equipment about 2 years ago, hadn't decided if it was logistically possible yet, and decided to make some inquiries overseas while speaking with some American manufacturers as well.
You also need to look at how many units each individual supplier wants you to buy. 10,000, more often than not, is typically the lowest number they want you to purchase.
To make a long story short, I still have people emailing me out of the blue, from the far corners of the globe, in horribly broken english, asking me if I'm ready to go with the project... All they need is a credit card number to get started... LOL
"No" doesn't translate too well for some reason. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
On the upside if you're good at digging, you can find initial producers, read their profiles, get their website info if it's there, and link hop your way to an online site where their products are sold to the consumer.
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"Learn survival skills when your life doesn't depend on it."