How to Use 1688 as a Foreign Buyer: Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

1688.com is China’s largest domestic wholesale marketplace — and for foreign buyers, it’s both the most valuable and the most frustrating platform to use. The prices are lower than anything you’ll find on Alibaba. The language barrier is real.

This guide walks you through the entire process: finding products, communicating with suppliers, and getting goods shipped internationally.

What You Need Before You Start

You have two options for accessing 1688 as a foreign buyer:

Option A: Use a sourcing agent (recommended for beginners) A China-based agent handles purchasing, QC, and shipping on your behalf. You get factory prices minus a 5–10% service fee. No Chinese required.

Option B: Use 1688 directly via a third-party platform Services like Yansourcing, Supplyia, or CNFans act as intermediaries — you browse their platform (which pulls 1688 listings), pay through them, and they handle the Chinese side.

Going fully direct (creating your own 1688 account, paying with Alipay) requires a Chinese mobile number and a Chinese bank account. It’s possible but not practical for most foreign buyers.

Step 1: Navigate to 1688.com

Go to 1688.com. The entire interface is in Chinese. Don’t let this stop you — Chrome’s auto-translate makes the site navigable, though product descriptions will be machine-translated and imperfect.

The homepage has:

Search bar at the top (搜索 = search)
Category browsing on the left
Featured supplier storefronts in the main area

Step 2: Search for Your Product

You have three ways to search:

Text search in Chinese This gets the best results. Use Google Translate to convert your product name to Chinese, then paste it into the 1688 search bar. For example: “silicone phone case” → “硅胶手机壳”

Image search (most powerful) Click the camera icon in the search bar. Upload a product photo — from Alibaba, Amazon, or anywhere else. 1688 will show you factories making the identical or very similar product. This is the fastest way to find the source factory.

Browse by category If you’re exploring a product category rather than a specific item, browse the category tree on the left sidebar. Useful for discovering what’s available at wholesale.

Step 3: Filter and Sort Results

After searching, use the filter panel on the left to narrow results:

Price range (价格): Set your per-unit price range in RMB
Minimum order quantity (起批量): Filter by MOQ if you want small quantities
Supplier location (发货地): Guangdong, Zhejiang, Fujian are major manufacturing provinces
Transaction volume (成交): Sort by sales volume to find established suppliers

Look for suppliers with:

High transaction counts (this appears as “成交X笔” — meaning X orders completed)
A verified badge (实力商家 or 诚信通 icons)
Multiple product photos showing actual goods, not renders

Step 4: Read the Product Listing

Key things to look for on any 1688 listing:

Price tiers — 1688 uses tiered pricing based on quantity. The table shows different prices at different MOQ thresholds. Buy more, pay less per unit.

MOQ (最小起订量) — Minimum order quantity. This is often negotiable, especially if you communicate in Chinese or through an agent.

Shipping (运费) — Domestic shipping cost to the supplier’s local logistics hub. This is NOT international shipping.

Stock (库存) — Available inventory. “现货” means in stock. If you need customization, look for “支持定制” (supports customization).

Step 5: Contact the Supplier

1688 uses Wangwang (旺旺), Alibaba’s messaging platform. On each listing, there’s a button to chat with the supplier.

If you’re using a sourcing agent, they’ll handle this in Chinese.

If you’re trying to communicate directly:

Use Google Translate to write your message in Chinese
Keep it simple: ask about price, MOQ, and whether they ship internationally
Most suppliers on 1688 are domestic-focused and won’t respond to English messages

Sample message template (in Chinese — copy and paste):

您好，我是外国买家，想购买[产品名]。请问最小起订量是多少？可以发货到[国家]吗？谢谢。

(Hello, I’m a foreign buyer and want to purchase [product name]. What is the minimum order quantity? Can you ship to [country]? Thank you.)

Step 6: Verify the Supplier

Before placing any order, check:

Storefront age — Look for suppliers operating for 3+ years. Newer stores carry more risk.

Transaction volume — High volume on specific products indicates real manufacturing capacity.

Reviews (评价) — Scroll to the review section. Look for patterns in complaints.

Return/refund rate — A high return rate (退款率) is a red flag.

Factory photos — Legitimate manufacturers show workshop photos, not just product shots.

If you’re placing a significant order, ask your agent to do a factory audit or use a third-party inspection service (Bureau Veritas, SGS, or QIMA).

Step 7: Place the Order

Via a sourcing agent: Share the 1688 product URL with your agent. They’ll confirm pricing, place the order with the supplier, and provide you with a payment invoice in USD or your currency.

Via a third-party platform: Paste the 1688 product URL into the platform’s search bar. Add to cart and pay through their checkout system.

Directly: This requires:

A registered 1688 account (Chinese mobile number needed)
Alipay connected to a Chinese bank account or international card (limited)
A Chinese freight forwarder’s warehouse address to receive the shipment

The direct route is practical for repeat buyers with established China operations. For most first-timers, use an agent.

Step 8: Quality Control Before Shipment

Never ship internationally before inspecting. Your options:

Ask the supplier for photos/video — Basic, free, but limited. Useful for confirming the right product and color.

Ask your sourcing agent to inspect — Most agents offer basic QC as part of their service. They’ll check quantity, packaging, and obvious defects.

Hire a third-party inspection company — For orders over $3,000–$5,000, consider QIMA, Bureau Veritas, or Asiainspection. They send a professional inspector to the factory. Costs $200–$400 per inspection.

Step 9: Arrange International Shipping

1688 suppliers ship domestically — to a Chinese address. You need to handle international freight separately.

Your options:

Your sourcing agent handles it end-to-end — they consolidate your goods and ship internationally via their freight network
Use a freight forwarder — give the 1688 supplier a Chinese freight forwarder’s warehouse address, then the forwarder handles international shipping
Express courier (for small orders) — some sourcing platforms integrate DHL, FedEx, or EMS for small parcels

For shipping terms, agree on whether the price includes domestic China shipping to the forwarder’s warehouse (ex-works vs. FOB pricing).

Step 10: Track and Receive Your Order

Once shipped internationally, you’ll receive a tracking number. For sea freight, expect 20–40 days transit time depending on your destination. For air freight, 5–10 days.

Clear customs in your country using the commercial invoice and packing list provided by your agent or freight forwarder. Make sure the declared value and HS codes are accurate to avoid customs issues.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Trusting price alone — The cheapest listing is often the lowest quality. Cross-reference with at least 3 suppliers.

Skipping QC — The most common horror stories in China sourcing come from shipping without inspection.

Not confirming MOQ flexibility — The listed MOQ is a starting point, not a hard rule. Always ask.

Ignoring domestic shipping costs — The product price doesn’t include getting the goods to your freight forwarder. Factor this in.

Using 1688 for first-time transactions with unknown suppliers — Build a relationship on Alibaba first, then move to 1688 for repeat orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to speak Chinese to use 1688? Not if you use a sourcing agent or third-party purchasing platform. Chrome’s built-in translation handles browsing. Direct communication with suppliers requires Chinese — most don’t speak English.

What is the minimum order on 1688? It varies by supplier. Many listings show MOQs of 10–50 units, lower than equivalent Alibaba listings. For commodities, some suppliers sell single pieces. For OEM/custom products, MOQs are typically 100–500+.

Is 1688 cheaper than AliExpress? Yes, typically 40–70% cheaper per unit than AliExpress — but you’re buying wholesale quantities, not single items. AliExpress is for retail; 1688 is for wholesale.

How do I pay on 1688 from outside China? Most foreign buyers pay through a sourcing agent or third-party platform that accepts international payment methods. Direct payment on 1688 requires Alipay tied to a Chinese bank account.