How to Buy from 1688.com: China’s Domestic Wholesale Platform

If you’ve spent time sourcing on Alibaba, you’ve probably noticed that prices seem high compared to what Chinese buyers pay. That’s because Alibaba is built for international buyers who expect English support, buyer protection, and supplier accountability. All of that costs money.

1688.com is where Chinese businesses actually buy wholesale. It’s the domestic version of Alibaba, owned by the same parent company, Alibaba Group. Prices run 20% to 40% lower than Alibaba for the same products. But it comes with real barriers for foreign buyers.

What Is 1688.com?

1688.com is China’s largest domestic B2B wholesale platform. It launched in 1999, before Alibaba.com itself. It serves Chinese businesses: retailers, small factories, traders, and resellers buying from manufacturers within China.

The platform is entirely in Mandarin Chinese. Payment methods are China-domestic only: Alipay and bank transfers in RMB (Chinese yuan). There’s no international checkout, no English customer support, and no buyer protection system for overseas buyers.

Suppliers on 1688 aren’t set up to deal with foreigners. Most don’t speak English. Their listings often don’t include export-ready information like CE certification, English labeling, or international shipping options.

Despite all of that, 1688 is worth knowing about. The prices are real, and the products are the same ones you’d find on Alibaba.

Why Prices Are Lower on 1688

Suppliers on Alibaba charge more because they’re covering the cost of international business. That includes English-speaking staff, Alibaba membership fees ($2,000 to $10,000 per year), Trade Assurance compliance, international packaging, and the time to manage foreign buyer communication.

On 1688, none of those costs apply. Suppliers list for domestic buyers who pay in RMB, ship within China, and don’t need hand-holding. The platform fees are lower too.

The result: a phone case that costs $1.20 per unit on Alibaba might cost $0.70 on 1688. An LED bulb priced at $2.80 on Alibaba could be $1.60 to $1.90 on 1688. These aren’t small differences at volume.

But the listed price is only part of the story. To get goods from a 1688 supplier to your door, you need to add agent fees, domestic China shipping to a warehouse, and international freight. The total cost advantage depends heavily on your order size.

The Language Barrier

1688 is Chinese only. The interface, product listings, supplier messaging, and customer service are all in Mandarin.

Google Translate or Chrome’s built-in translation can get you through basic browsing. You can search in English (Chrome will translate your search) and read translated listings. But communicating with suppliers is another matter. Most won’t respond to messages in English, or will use machine translation that loses important details.

You also can’t pay directly. Alipay requires a Chinese bank account linked to a Chinese phone number. International credit cards don’t work on 1688’s checkout.

These barriers are real. They don’t make 1688 impossible, but they do mean most foreign buyers need help.

Using a Sourcing Agent for 1688

A 1688 sourcing agent solves the language and payment problems. The agent is a China-based person or company who:

• Translates your product requirements into Chinese
• Searches 1688 on your behalf
• Contacts suppliers and negotiates prices
• Pays the supplier in RMB from their Chinese account
• Receives the goods at their Chinese warehouse
• Consolidates multiple orders if needed
• Ships internationally to your address

Agent fees typically run 3% to 10% of the order value, depending on the agent and services included. Some charge flat fees per order or per SKU instead. Basic sourcing and buying usually costs 3% to 5%. If the agent also does quality inspection, consolidation, and relabeling, fees can reach 8% to 12%.

That fee eats into your 1688 price advantage. On small orders, the math often doesn’t work out. On larger orders, you can still come out ahead of Alibaba prices even after agent fees.

Finding a good agent matters a lot. Look for agents who specialize in your product category, have verifiable reviews from international buyers, and communicate clearly in English. Avoid any agent who asks for a large upfront payment before doing any work.

Our verify suppliers guide includes general principles for vetting third parties, which applies to agents too.

How to Actually Buy from 1688 Step by Step

Step 1: Find the product. Use Chrome with translation enabled and search 1688.com for your product in English. Chrome will attempt to translate. Alternatively, describe the product to your agent and let them search in Chinese.

Step 2: Identify candidate suppliers. Look for suppliers with high transaction volume (shown as number of orders in the listing). Check their ratings (five-star scale) and look at how long they’ve been on the platform.

Step 3: Get quotes. Have your agent contact 2 to 3 suppliers with your specific requirements: product specs, quantity, packaging, any customization, and your destination country. Collecting multiple quotes is essential.

Step 4: Order samples. Always get a sample before committing to a bulk order. The agent pays the supplier, receives the sample at their warehouse, and ships it to you. Expect 2 to 3 weeks for this process. See our requesting samples guide for what to check.

Step 5: Place the order. Confirm specs in writing with the supplier through your agent. Pay your agent, who then pays the supplier in RMB. The goods ship to the agent’s warehouse in China.

Step 6: Quality inspection. Before international shipping, have a third-party inspector or your agent check the goods. A pre-shipment inspection typically costs $200 to $400 and can prevent costly mistakes. See our quality control guide.

Step 7: International shipping. Your agent arranges freight from their China warehouse to your destination. For large orders, sea freight is much cheaper than air. For smaller urgent orders, air or express is faster. Compare options in our sea vs air vs express shipping guide.

MOQs on 1688

MOQs on 1688 are often lower than on Alibaba international. It’s common to find minimums of 10 to 50 units on products that require 200 to 500 on Alibaba. This surprises many buyers.

The reason is that 1688 serves small Chinese retailers who buy frequently in modest quantities. Suppliers are used to smaller orders.

That said, pricing tiers matter more on 1688 than on Alibaba. The listed price at 10 units might be twice the price at 500 units. Always ask your agent to get the price at your realistic order quantity, not just the minimum.

When 1688 Makes Sense vs. Alibaba

1688 makes sense when:

• Your order value is large enough to justify agent fees (usually $2,000 or more)
• You have an established agent relationship you trust
• You’re buying the same product repeatedly and want to cut costs
• You’ve already verified the product through Alibaba samples and want to find a cheaper domestic source

Stick with Alibaba when:

• You’re sourcing a product for the first time
• You need English-language compliance documents (CE, FCC)
• Your order is small enough that agent fees eliminate the savings
• You need direct buyer protection on the order

For a full comparison, see Alibaba vs DHgate vs 1688.

Real Price Examples

Here are rough comparisons based on 2026 market research, before agent fees and shipping:

After adding a 5% agent fee and proportional domestic shipping, the savings shrink to 25% to 35%. Still meaningful on large orders.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can foreigners buy from 1688.com? Not directly. 1688 is a Chinese domestic platform with no international payment options and no English support. Foreign buyers typically use a China-based sourcing agent who handles payment in RMB, receives goods at a Chinese warehouse, and arranges international shipping.

How much cheaper is 1688 than Alibaba? Listed prices on 1688 are typically 20% to 40% lower than equivalent products on Alibaba. After adding sourcing agent fees of 3% to 10% and domestic China shipping, the net savings are usually 15% to 35%, depending on order size and product type.

What is a 1688 sourcing agent and how much do they charge? A 1688 sourcing agent is a China-based person or company who buys on your behalf, pays suppliers in RMB, consolidates goods at their warehouse, and ships internationally. Fees typically range from 3% to 10% of order value depending on services included.

Is 1688 safe? 1688 itself is a legitimate Alibaba Group platform. The safety risk for foreigners is mostly in not being able to vet suppliers directly or pay through a protected system. Using a reputable sourcing agent and ordering samples before bulk orders reduces your exposure significantly.

What is the minimum order on 1688? MOQs on 1688 are often lower than on Alibaba international. Many listings start at 10 to 50 units. However, pricing tiers mean the unit price at the minimum is much higher than at larger quantities. Always get quotes at your realistic order volume.

How do I pay a 1688 supplier? You can’t pay 1688 suppliers directly as a foreigner. Payment requires Alipay or Chinese bank transfers in RMB. The standard workaround is paying a sourcing agent in USD or another currency, and the agent pays the supplier in RMB on your behalf.