# Alibaba AI Product Search (`devcake/alibaba-ai-search`) Actor

Alibaba AI product search for wholesale sourcing. Describe what you need and find matching products, prices, MOQs, supplier details, and AI recommendations.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/devcake/alibaba-ai-search.md
- **Developed by:** [devcake](https://apify.com/devcake) (community)
- **Categories:** AI, E-commerce
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 96.7% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## 🔎 Alibaba AI Product Search for Wholesale Sourcing

**Alibaba AI Product Search** turns a plain-language sourcing brief into organized product matches. Describe the item, target price, MOQ, features, certifications, or supplier preferences you need. Compare wholesale prices, minimum orders, supplier details, and Alibaba AI recommendations in one place.

Use it as an **AI product sourcing tool** for supplier discovery, ecommerce product sourcing, private-label research, and finding low-MOQ wholesale products—without guessing the perfect search keywords.

> 💡 **Describe what you want to source. Review matching products. Refine the search with a follow-up prompt.**

### 🚀 Find wholesale suppliers in three steps

1. ✍️ **Describe your ideal product** — include the budget, quantity, materials, features, certifications, or supplier preferences that matter.
2. 🌍 **Choose the delivery country and currency** — prices are shown in the currency you select.
3. 📊 **Start the search and compare results** — review products, prices, minimum orders, suppliers, and the reason each match was recommended.

You can add several sourcing requests to one run. Each request receives its own Alibaba AI product search and a separate set of matches.

### 💬 Product sourcing prompt examples

Start with one of these examples and adapt it to your business.

#### 💵 Find low-MOQ wholesale products

> Wireless earbuds under $5 per unit, minimum order below 100 pieces, from verified suppliers

#### 🏷️ Source a private-label product

> Reusable stainless-steel water bottles with custom logo packaging, 500-piece maximum order, food-grade certification, and suppliers with at least 5 years on Alibaba

#### 📦 Find products for ecommerce resale

> Lightweight pet travel accessories under $8 per unit, low minimum order quantity, neutral colors, and customization options for an online store

### 📦 What does the Alibaba product search return?

Available product details can include:

- 🖼️ Product title, image, product link, and selling points
- 💰 Price, currency, bulk price tiers, and minimum order quantity
- 🏢 Supplier name, country, type, rating, and years on Alibaba
- ✅ Supplier verification and Verified Pro signals when available
- 📈 Recent sales, delivery rate, and reorder rate when available
- 🎯 Why the product matches your sourcing request
- 🤖 Alibaba AI’s answer, suggested searches, and follow-up ideas

#### 📊 Example product result

This shortened JSON example shows the fields that are easiest to compare first:

```json
{
  "mainImage": "https://s.alicdn.com/example-wireless-earbuds.jpg",
  "title": "Wireless Earbuds",
  "price": "$2.99-4.85",
  "currency": "USD",
  "minimumOrder": "10 pieces",
  "unit": "piece",
  "supplierName": "Shenzhen Audio Ltd.",
  "supplierVerified": true,
  "supplierRating": 4.8,
  "supplierCountry": "CN",
  "supplierYearsOnAlibaba": "8 yrs",
  "productUrl": "https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/example.html",
  "productId": "16001",
  "priceTiers": [
    {
      "quantityMin": 10,
      "price": "$2.99"
    }
  ],
  "query": "wireless earbuds under $5",
  "country": "US"
}
```

#### 🤖 Example AI recommendation

```json
{
  "status": "SUCCEEDED",
  "query": "wireless earbuds under $5 with a low minimum order from verified suppliers",
  "conversationId": "conversation-1",
  "answer": "I found matching products.",
  "followUp": "Would you like to focus on the lowest minimum order?",
  "suggestedQueries": [
    {
      "title": "Lowest MOQ",
      "query": "Focus on the lowest MOQ"
    }
  ],
  "productsReturned": 2,
  "newProducts": 2,
  "previouslyReturnedProducts": 0,
  "country": "US",
  "currency": "USD"
}
```

The results also keep the original sourcing request beside every product, so products from several searches remain easy to identify.

### 🔁 Refine results with follow-up searches

Continue an earlier search with a new instruction instead of starting over.

Try follow-up prompts such as:

- 📦 “Focus on the lowest minimum order.”
- ✅ “Only show verified suppliers.”
- 🏭 “Prioritize manufacturers with at least five years on Alibaba.”

Copy the conversation ID from the earlier result, add your new prompt, and run the Actor again. Products already returned in that conversation are left out, helping you review fresh matches. Conversation state is isolated to this Actor; ordinary product searches still run and return results even if that saved state is unavailable.

### 🎯 Popular wholesale product sourcing use cases

- 🛒 **Ecommerce product sourcing** — discover products for Shopify, Amazon, marketplaces, or independent online stores.
- 🏷️ **Private-label research** — search for customizable products, packaging, logo options, and experienced manufacturers.
- 💵 **Wholesale price comparison** — compare prices, bulk tiers, and MOQs before creating a supplier shortlist.
- 🤝 **Supplier discovery** — find wholesale suppliers and review the trust signals available with their listings.

### 🧭 What should I include in a sourcing request?

| Include | Example |
|---|---|
| 🛍️ Product | wireless earbuds, glass bottles, pet accessories |
| 💰 Budget | under $5 per unit |
| 📦 Quantity or MOQ | minimum order below 100 pieces |
| 🧱 Materials | stainless steel, organic cotton, recycled plastic |
| ⚙️ Features | waterproof, rechargeable, foldable, customizable |
| 📜 Certifications | CE, RoHS, FDA, food-grade |
| 🏢 Supplier preference | verified supplier, manufacturer, 5+ years on Alibaba |
| 🌍 Market needs | delivery country, plug type, packaging language |

You can write sourcing requests in many languages. English generally provides the most consistent product-matching experience.

### 🔗 Related Actors for China product research

Explore more of our marketplace research Actors:

- 🖼️ [**Scraper by Image**](https://apify.com/devcake/scraper-by-image) — run reverse image search across 1688, Alibaba, and AliExpress to find visually similar products, compare marketplace prices, and discover alternative suppliers from a photo.
- 🏭 [**1688.com Products Scraper**](https://apify.com/devcake/1688-com-products-scraper) — search 1688 wholesale products for factory-direct prices, bulk pricing tiers, supplier badges, specifications, and product demand signals.
- 🌐 [**Alibaba Products Scraper**](https://apify.com/devcake/alibaba-products-scraper) — collect Alibaba product search results with wholesale prices, MOQs, Trade Assurance, Alibaba Guaranteed, and verified supplier filters.
- 🛍️ [**AliExpress Products Scraper**](https://apify.com/devcake/aliexpress-products-scraper) — research AliExpress products, prices, discounts, ratings, reviews, order counts, and best-selling items for dropshipping or retail analysis.
- 🐟 [**Goofish (闲鱼) Data Scraper**](https://apify.com/devcake/goofish-scraper) — search Goofish and Xianyu second-hand listings, then compare product prices, sellers, public reputation signals, and buyer interest.

### ❓ Frequently asked questions

#### How do I find legitimate wholesale suppliers?

Start with a detailed product brief and ask for verified or experienced suppliers. Compare the supplier name, country, verification status, rating, years on Alibaba, and other available signals beside each product. These details help build a shortlist, but they are not a guarantee. Verify the company, product specifications, samples, payment terms, and certifications before ordering.

#### What does low MOQ mean?

MOQ means minimum order quantity—the smallest quantity a supplier is willing to sell in one order. A low MOQ lets a buyer test a product with less inventory and upfront cost. Include your maximum acceptable MOQ directly in the request, such as “minimum order below 100 pieces,” to focus the Alibaba product search on suitable listings.

#### How can AI be used in sourcing?

AI can turn a detailed sourcing brief into product matches, explain why products fit the request, and suggest ways to narrow the search. This Actor combines that guided discovery with comparable product, price, MOQ, and supplier information. It supports research and shortlisting; the final supplier review and purchasing decision remain with you.

#### Is it safe to buy from Alibaba?

Buying decisions require due diligence. Use available verification, rating, supplier history, and product information as starting points, then confirm important details directly with the supplier. Request samples, check certifications, agree on specifications and payment terms, and use appropriate buyer protections. This Actor helps with research but does not verify suppliers or guarantee a transaction.

### ⚠️ Before placing an order

Product availability, pricing, minimum orders, and supplier information can change. Always confirm current details with the supplier before paying or ordering. This Actor is an independent research tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Alibaba.

# Actor input Schema

## `queries` (type: `array`):

Describe each product in your own words. Include details such as price, quantity, or supplier preferences for more relevant matches.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Choose how many unique matching products to collect for each query. The allowed range is 24–50. The Actor creates one Alibaba AI search and follows its product-result pages, removes duplicates, and stops when this limit is reached. Availability is not guaranteed for very narrow queries.

## `conversationId` (type: `string`):

Paste the conversation ID returned by an earlier successful run in your account. The Actor verifies it in this Actor's isolated saved conversations before using a proxy. Fill this together with New prompt. When both fields are filled, the Actor runs the follow-up instead of the standard search requests above.

## `newPrompt` (type: `string`):

Enter one follow-up request, such as: Focus on products with the lowest minimum order. Conversation ID is required when this field is used.

## `followUpMaxResults` (type: `integer`):

Set the maximum number of new products to save from this follow-up. This is a limit, not a guaranteed quantity: Alibaba may return significantly fewer products, including none. Products already saved by earlier turns of this conversation are excluded from the default Dataset and are not charged again.

## `country` (type: `string`):

Choose a popular delivery country from the dropdown. API users can provide the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code directly, such as <code>US</code>, <code>GB</code>, or <code>DE</code>.

## `currency` (type: `string`):

Choose your preferred currency for product prices. API users can provide the ISO 4217 three-letter currency code directly, such as <code>USD</code>, <code>EUR</code>, or <code>GBP</code>.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "queries": [
    "Wireless earbuds under $5 per unit, minimum order below 100 pieces, from verified suppliers"
  ],
  "maxResults": 24,
  "followUpMaxResults": 24,
  "country": "US",
  "currency": "USD"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Open matched products, prices, minimum orders, and supplier details.

## `conversations` (type: `string`):

Open AI answers, conversation IDs, follow-up text, and suggested queries. There is one row per search request or follow-up turn.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Open totals for completed requests, saved products, and any searches that could not be completed.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "queries": [
        "Wireless earbuds under $5 per unit, minimum order below 100 pieces, from verified suppliers"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("devcake/alibaba-ai-search").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "queries": ["Wireless earbuds under $5 per unit, minimum order below 100 pieces, from verified suppliers"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("devcake/alibaba-ai-search").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "queries": [
    "Wireless earbuds under $5 per unit, minimum order below 100 pieces, from verified suppliers"
  ]
}' |
apify call devcake/alibaba-ai-search --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,devcake/alibaba-ai-search"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/hdxNbYBI9dfO7A9ny/builds/CbGPZ0Do1qJAPe1FA/openapi.json