“Alibaba.com gives me overwhelming access to hundreds of thousands of suppliers that are flexible and customized in responding to my inquiries, while also offering a reasonable price point,” said Mark Cohen, president and co-founder of MRC Innovations. Mark, along with his brother Adam Cohen, launched MRC Innovations in 1994 to help companies solve a wide range of operational, supply, packaging, and product-related challenges.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, US, MRC Innovations utilizes Alibaba.com to streamline its business operations and deliver quality products to its global customer base efficiently and cost-effectively.

Mark began using Alibaba.com back in 2005 following a business trip to Asia. As part of his lengthy search to find the best manufacturers and suppliers to address his company’s needs, Mark quickly realized that Alibaba.com afforded him access to an extensive directory of about 200,000 suppliers and more than 200 million products – all online.

“My business is not the easiest to explain. I do a lot of different things for different clients around the world. I listen well and make sure I hear exactly what my client needs and the best way to fix that problem,” said Mark.

Around-the-Clock Access to Credible Suppliers

MRC Innovations works with international companies and runs its business 24/7. To support his customers professionally and efficiently, Mark checks the Alibaba.com platform several times throughout the day. He’s also very active on the Alibaba.com mobile app, which allows him to source buyers and send inquiries to suppliers.

“I love the app and how quickly it gives me what I need and the right people I need to speak to,” said Mark. “For example, if I’m looking for a specific request for a client, I’ll source 20 to 30 vendors, submit inquiries and head to bed. When I wake up, there’s usually more than 100 potential options waiting for me. I love it!”

In addition to real-time access to online suppliers, Mark also regularly sources Verified Suppliers on the Alibaba.com platform. Coupled with his own internal evaluation system, the Verified Suppliers on Alibaba.com ensure that Mark works with credible, pre-vetted, and honest suppliers overseas. This extra assurance from Alibaba.com gives Mark the confidence that the products he purchases on behalf of his clients are of high quality and meet their specific needs.

Small Samples to Start

“The minimum order quantity or MOQ feature on Alibaba.com is amazing for my business,” said Mark. “Being able to source many products and only purchase a small sample to test in-person is key to driving down costs for my customers.”

Mark’s clients often require very particular products with specialized and customized solutions. The MOQ feature on Alibaba.com means that Mark is able to provide more viable product options for his customers to evaluate without inflating costs or delaying product delivery.

Today, approximately 60 percent of MRC Innovations’ goods are developed outside of the United States, of which 30 percent on average are sourced through Alibaba.com annually. In the next year alone, Mark expects his sales overseas to grow by up to 50 percent of his total imports thanks to Alibaba.com.

“Alibaba.com allows me to source products more efficiently for my clients. I’m able to worry less, sell more – that’s business!”