- Home
- HireDov vs Alibaba RFQ
HireDov vs Alibaba RFQ: one marketplace, or the whole market?
Alibaba RFQ and HireDov both turn one request into several quotes. The difference is where the quotes come from and who does the work afterwards. Here is an honest comparison to help you pick the right tool for each purchase.
By the HireDov teamUpdated 4 min readHow Alibaba RFQ works
On Alibaba.com you post a Request for Quotation describing the product, quantity and requirements. The request is published to suppliers on the marketplace, who send back quotes; the feature is free for buyers. Alibaba caps how many quotes a request receives and closes it after a set window.
It's fast and works well for standard products made in China and the rest of Asia. The trade-offs: you only reach sellers who are on Alibaba, many respondents are trading companies rather than factories, and the vetting, follow-up and comparison stay with you.
How HireDov works
With HireDov you describe the need once and Dov, your AI sourcing agent, goes to the suppliers instead of waiting for them:
- Searches the open web for manufacturers, distributors and service providers in the countries that make sense, often around 50 per request
- Shows you the list before anything is sent
- Writes each supplier a tailored RFQ in their language
- Follows up for 72 hours, then lines up every quote: price, lead time, MOQ, terms
- Negotiates with the shortlist if you ask him to
Side-by-side
| Alibaba RFQ | HireDov | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | You post, marketplace sellers respond | Dov finds and contacts suppliers directly |
| Who you reach | Sellers listed on Alibaba, mostly in Asia | Suppliers anywhere, including local and regional ones |
| Factory vs trader | Mix; you check each profile | Dov looks for the right type of supplier for your request |
| Language | Mostly English | Each supplier in their own language |
| Follow-up | You chase replies in the platform messenger | Automatic for 72 hours |
| Comparison | Quotes in different formats | One dashboard, normalized |
| Cost to the buyer | Free | Pro $299/mo or Business $799/mo |
When Alibaba RFQ is the better fit
- Standard, catalog-type products where Asian factories are the obvious source
- Small, low-risk orders where speed matters more than coverage
- You're comfortable vetting sellers and negotiating in the platform yourself
When HireDov is the better fit
- You want to compare offshore and nearshore or domestic suppliers in the same round
- The item is custom, technical or a service, where marketplace listings don't fit
- You don't have the time to vet, chase and compare dozens of replies
Using both
Many buyers run an Alibaba RFQ for a quick price benchmark and a HireDov mission to reach the rest of the market. With both sets of quotes in hand, you negotiate from the real market price instead of a single platform's.
Frequently asked questions
Is Alibaba RFQ free?
Yes, posting a Request for Quotation on Alibaba.com is free for buyers. The number of quotes per request is capped and the request closes after a set period.
Does HireDov only find suppliers in China?
No. Dov searches wherever suppliers for your request are, in any country, and writes to each one in their language. HireDov works for any B2B purchase: parts, materials, equipment, private label or services.
Can I add Alibaba suppliers to a HireDov mission?
Yes. Upload the suppliers you already have as a .csv or .xlsx and Dov contacts them alongside the ones he finds, so every quote ends up in the same comparison.
Who negotiates with the suppliers?
You choose. Once the quotes are in, you can pick a supplier yourself or ask Dov to run a negotiation round with the shortlist.
Put Dov on it
Describe what you need. Dov finds the suppliers, sends the RFQs, and compares the quotes. Plans from $299/mo, cancel anytime.
Hire Dov free