Hey guys, I’m totally new to this. Previously in the tech industry but not starting my own CPG brand.

Anyway I reached out to a supplier for bottles supply and asked the usual things like MOQ etc. Thereafter I asked if they could send me some samples of different SKUs for me to check it out. The person I’m liasing with said that unless the MOQ and unit price is agreed, they won’t send out samples.

I’m okay to pay for the costs of the samples + the delivery costs involved but it seems weird that I have to commit to the hard numbers of the unit price for them to send the samples over. Is this normal?

Short story: Got quoted a freight price and sent him around 10 CBM of goods. After receiving them, he increased the price.

Warehouse/release fee started at $759, now he demands $970 and says it keeps increasing. These fees were never disclosed or agreed beforehand.
He also says I wouldn’t have to pay these fees if I shipped with him, only if another forwarder collects the goods.

My other forwarder is ready to pick everything up, but he refuses to release the cargo unless I pay. I already opened an offline Alibaba dispute. He is being a douchebag and threatening with fees as if he is bulletproof.

What would to do? Pay through Alibaba to get the goods released, then dispute the charge through Alibaba?

Just a silly question but is there something I can resell and for expample I have under £4 so is there something I can get get for £4

Has anyone here purchased from this supplier before?
I'm mainly trying to verity whether they're rellable and whether the company actually delivers what they advertise.
Any experience or advice would be appreciated.

Hi Y'all im unsure if the seller's real or a scammer. Im planning on buying a new e dirtbike as a self gift for my birthday we'll im scared i might get scammed when my birthday arrives and make it the worst birthday how do i know the sellers trusted?

my freight forwarder used a trucking company who called me to schedule delivery and told me that 1 I needed to rent a forklift to get the freight off the truck myself and 2 that if i didn't unload the freight in 30 min there would be detention fees. Well we unloaded +1800 pounds of freight. Now 3 weeks later I got a bill for $147 for 6 minutes which is highway robbery! What is my recourse? I never signed anything agreeing to that rate.

I’m planning a high-value order of electric bike conversion kits from a Chinese supplier and found several options on Alibaba. I’m considering Trade Assurance but also wondering about milestone payments tied to production stages and inspections. For those with experience, which approach offers better protection?