Alibaba.com is one of the world's largest online commerce platforms, founded in 1999. It is a business-to-business marketplace that connects buyers with manufacturers and suppliers.
Range: products in over 40 major categories, including consumer electronics, machinery and apparel.
For whom: businesses looking to source goods in bulk and import them.
How it works: an online marketplace where buyers find manufacturers and order products.
What sets it apart: a global reach linking merchants and buyers in a huge number of countries.