Sourcing from China made simple
Empowering African SMEs to trade globally.
Joint efforts from WorldFirst, Ecobank and 1688
WorldFirst, Ecobank and 1688 are working together to unlock new possibilities for your sourcing journey from China
Top up your World Account using Ecobank
Connect your World Account and 1688 account
Start sourcing on 1688.com
Why choose this Ecosystem
Secure payment
Funds in your World Account directly via Ecobank.
Authorise payments directly to 1688 suppliers, and enjoy a fully compliant flow of funds to make 1688 supplier payments.
Seamless integration
As the official payment partner, your World Account connects with your 1688 account for instant payments.
No hidden charges - transparent FX conversion
Attentive support
Dedicated support for our customers.
Trusted by millions of SMEs
Speed up sourcing from China
With WorldFirst, you can eliminate the need for:
- Sourcing agents
- Chinese bank accounts and the paperwork that comes with them
- Relying on mainland partners to make payments on your behalf
Simply connect your World Account to your 1688 account and you're ready to shop. As soon as you check out on 1688.com, the payment is deducted from your World Account, making your global sourcing more efficient than ever before.
Why source on 1688.com?
What is 1688.com?
1688.com is China’s leading online wholesale and manufacturing marketplace designed to help SMEs source products at wholesale prices directly from millions of manufactures, the primary sources.
Start small and grow big
- The platform makes it easy for new entrepreneurs to find profitable products with lower price.
- Make small orders to test the market or bulk purchases to scale rapidly.
Wide selection of products
- 10 million suppliers and 1700 sub-categories in 1688.com.
- Direct contact with factories via 1688.com.
A shortcut from sourcing to marketplace selling
- Global selling on marketplaces such as Amazon, AliExpress, Lazada, Shopee supported.
- Direct delivery of orders to multiple major marketplaces’ warehouses in China.
FAQs
Sourcing from China via WorldFirst & 1688
WorldFirst-Related FAQs
WorldFirst enables secure and efficient cross-border payments in CNY directly to your Chinese suppliers on 1688. It serves as your trusted payment platform for supplier transactions.
Fund your WorldFirst account before making purchases on 1688 or paying suppliers.
Yes. WorldFirst supports supplier payments in 100+ countries, including China, the U.S., and the U.K.
1688-Related FAQs
Most 1688 products are importable. However, restrictions apply to food/fresh produce, second-hand goods, medical items, live livestock, and agricultural seedlings. For full details, please check 1688.com or contact the 1688 team via the QR code below.
Contact the seller immediately via 1688 to resolve issues. For unacceptable items, request a return/refund directly from the seller. 1688’s customer service will assist with returns. Please refer to 1688.com for further information or contact 1688 team via below QR code.
Expect end-to-end shipping in 2–4 weeks:
- Domestic (2–3 days): Seller to Guangzhou warehouse
- International & Clearance (~3 weeks): Export clearance, flight to Nigeria, import clearance
- Last-Mile Delivery: Few days to the recipient
