In the latest episode of B2B Breakthrough, host Ciara Cristo sits down with Justin Liu, US Country Manager for Alibaba.com, to explore how U.S. businesses can build stronger, more resilient supply chains in today’s unpredictable business environment. With over a decade of experience connecting buyers and suppliers globally, Justin reveals why successful businesses are focusing on diversification and fundamental business practices rather than getting caught up in external uncertainties.
The conversation opens with a powerful insight that challenges conventional thinking about marketplace priorities. “If I am going to summarize what Alibaba.com has done in terms of helping buyers, it comes down to our commitment to really sit down, understand the US buyer’s experience … and be committed to fixes and improvements that actually provide a better experience to our buyers,” Justin explains. This customer-obsessed approach has led to significant platform improvements that directly address the unique needs of U.S. business buyers.
Table of Contents
Understanding the B2B Buyer Experience
The Local Stock Revolution
Focus on Fundamentals Over Fear
Key Takeaways for Business Leaders
Understanding the B2B Buyer Experience
One of the most fascinating revelations from this discussion is how fundamentally different B2B buying behavior is from consumer shopping patterns. Justin points out that business buyers aren’t “just regular B2C e-commerce buyers that place an order of 30 bucks and wait to receive it three days after the order was placed.” Instead, they’re dealing with complex purchasing decisions that impact their entire business operation.
The key difference? Catalog-based discovery versus keyword searching. “Business buyers or retailers, they tend to look at the catalog from one manufacturer, from one brand,” Justin notes. This insight explains why forcing B2B buyers to use individual keyword searches creates friction in their purchasing process. When you operate a gift shop, you want to see a complete product catalog – water bottles on page one, accessories on page two – rather than spending hours searching individual product categories.
The Local Stock Revolution
Perhaps the most exciting development Justin discusses is Alibaba.com’s focus on U.S. local stock. But this isn’t just about avoiding tariffs or shipping delays. “I believe in the US local stock because I believe the core competitiveness is the differentiation of this product. The branding, the thinking that goes behind this local stock or this local US brand,” he explains.
American brands excel at creating compelling products in categories like fashion streetwear, AI-powered electronics, and lifestyle-focused home furnishings. These products reflect the creativity and design thinking that US companies do exceptionally well. By connecting these emerging brands with retailers across the country, local stock helps level the playing field between Dallas-based retailers and their counterparts in major trading hubs like LA or New York.
Focus on Fundamentals Over Fear
What practical advice does Justin offer to business owners navigating uncertain times? Stop getting distracted by external factors you can’t control. “As a brand owner, you should focus on – am I creating the right product to my consumers? Am I fixing or solving someone’s pain points?” he advises. For sellers, the focus should be on sourcing from the right places, maintaining competitive pricing, and ensuring reliable shipping.
This approach applies whether you’re building a new brand or expanding your retail operations. The worst outcome, according to Justin, is “be overly concerned or worried about something that you just don’t have control over, which forbids you from spending time and efforts and focused on what actually creates value to your business.”
Key Takeaways for Business Leaders
This conversation delivers several crucial insights for anyone involved in sourcing, manufacturing, or retail. First, understanding your buyers’ actual workflow and decision-making process is essential for creating better experiences. Second, diversifying your supplier network isn’t just about risk management – it’s about accessing different types of value, from cost savings to unique product differentiation. Finally, maintaining focus on core business fundamentals will serve you better than constantly worrying about external market forces.
Ready to explore how these insights can transform your sourcing strategy? Tune in to the full episode of B2B Breakthrough with Ciara Cristo and Justin Liu for an in-depth look at building resilient supply chains in today’s dynamic business environment.
