Finding actual Chinese manufacturer for bulk ordering

[phil from seattle]

I see a lot of modules for sale from various AliExpress stores.  Often times many stores have exactly the same modules for sale, offered at single unit pricing.  If I wanted to buy more than a few, say 100, they offer a 1 or 2% discount.  How do I go about finding the actual manufacturer or upstream distributor to get a better price at higher volume?  I've tried messaging the various stores for pricing on a larger number of units but never get any response. TaoBao or similar? Maybe I'm not asking the right way? Any pointers on how to go about doing this would be greatly appreciated.

[Microcheap]

I think you are looking for some site like Alibaba: www.alibaba.com or Made in China: www.made-in-china.com those are focused on wholesale and are the easiest way to find manufacturers and a lot of trading companies to order in volume from China.

Just bare in mind that these kind of sites don't work quite the same way as Aliexpress or eBay, normally the prices listed there are just to grab your attention. You will have to contact the company for a quotation as the real prices will depend on a number of factors (volume, personalization and so on).

[edavid]

I think http://www.icstation.com may be close to what you want.  They do offer quantity discounts on the standard modules.

[Kean]

Often the actual manufacturer is not setup or able to deal directly, so a middleman/distributor is needed.

Alibaba is the best place to start as mentioned above, but is not a simple shopping cart site but rather a way to negotiate and setup a trade agreement with escrow facility.  I have used it a few times with no problems, but often I find it is just easier to find a good seller on AliExpress and after a trial order or two chat with them about bulk pricing.  Other times, I've managed to find the original manufacturer based on the markings/labels on the device, tracked down their website and contact details, and then negotiated directly typically using PayPal for a little extra security.

[phil from seattle]

Thanks for the suggestions.  Very helpful.

[stone]

What module are you looking for. Many online sales are not factories.