Sourcing from 1688 directly can save Malaysian businesses on agent fees and give more control over supplier relationships. This guide covers the full process, from setting up an account to paying suppliers.
1688.com is a Chinese B2B wholesale marketplace built for domestic buyers, with product prices often below other Chinese platforms
International buyers can register and use 1688 without a sourcing agent, though the website and supplier communication are almost entirely in Chinese
Suppliers only accept payment in CNH through local Chinese methods, so international buyers need a cross-border payment solution
World Pay is the authorised international payment provider for 1688.com and allows Malaysian businesses to pay suppliers in CNH from a World Account
Shipping to Malaysia and Malaysian customs are handled separately from the purchase itself, so plan freight and duties in advance
Sourcing agents can make the 1688 experience easier for buyers who don’t speak Chinese, but they add a commission of one to three percent on top of the product cost and put a middleman between you and your supplier. For Malaysian businesses ordering regularly or in higher volumes, buying direct from 1688 is worth the extra effort.
This guide walks through how to buy from 1688 without an agent, covering account setup, product search, supplier vetting, payments, and shipping to Malaysia.
What is 1688.com?
1688.com is a Chinese B2B wholesale marketplace with over 10 million suppliers across 1,700 product categories. It was built for domestic Chinese buyers, which is why the platform is in Chinese and doesn’t natively support international payments.
Product pricing on 1688 is typically 4% to 15% lower than other Chinese B2B platforms, and in some cases up to 40% lower. Minimum order quantities can be as low as a few pieces from wholesalers, which makes the platform accessible even to smaller Malaysian businesses testing product-market fit.
Can Malaysian businesses buy from 1688 without an agent?
Yes. There’s no requirement to use a sourcing agent, and international buyers can register directly with 1688 and place orders themselves. The main practical challenges are
The Chinese-language interface
Supplier communication (most suppliers have limited English)
International payment support (most suppliers only accept CNH through local Chinese payment rails. International credit cards are now supported but only a limited suppliers accept them)
Step-by-step: How to buy from 1688 to Malaysia
Step 1: Register a 1688 account
You can register in two ways.
Via the 1688 website: Go to www.1688.com and click 免费注册 (“Sign up for free”). If you can’t read Chinese, use Google Translate or right-click in Chrome and select “Translate to English”.
Via the Taobao mobile app: Taobao and 1688 are both part of the same group, so a Taobao account can be used to log in to 1688.
Foreign buyers must register as an individual, not a company. Company account registration on 1688 is restricted to domestic Chinese entities. Registering as an individual is not a workaround — it’s the official process for overseas buyers, even when purchasing for a Malaysian business.
Fill in your details, agree to the user agreement, and complete the mobile verification. Your account is now created.
Account verification is required before you can complete purchases as an international buyer. Verification is done by linking a personal Alipay account.
To set up Alipay, download the app or visit alipay.com, register with your mobile number, and complete identity verification (usually a passport upload and a live selfie). Once your Alipay account is verified, go to your 1688 account settings, navigate to 账户管理 (account management), and link your Alipay account under the verification section.
Once linked, your 1688 account is fully active.
Step 3: Find products
There are two practical ways to search on a Chinese-language platform.
Google Translate for keywords. Translate the product name from English to Chinese, then paste the Chinese term into the 1688 search bar. This gives you the widest range of results.
Image search. Click the camera icon next to the search bar and upload an image of the product you want. The platform returns visually similar listings, which is often the fastest route when you know what a product looks like but not what it’s called.
Popular categories on 1688 include fashion, accessories, home goods, electronics, office supplies, automotive parts, sports equipment, and raw materials.
Step 4: Vet suppliers before ordering
Choosing the wrong supplier is where most first-time buyers get burned. Before placing an order, check these credibility signals on each supplier’s page:
Years on 1688: How long they’ve been active on the platform
Response rate: How quickly the supplier responds to buyer messages
Trustworthiness badge (实力商家): Awarded to suppliers meeting quality and delivery standards
Repurchase rate: The percentage of buyers who order again
Factory files (工厂档案): Supplier-uploaded details including factory size, employee count, production capacity, and photos
Location (所在地区): Filter by region if you already work with a freight forwarder in a specific Chinese port area
For higher-value orders, ask suppliers directly for a business licence, request product samples before committing to bulk, and where the order size warrants it, arrange a third-party factory inspection.
Step 5: Negotiate with suppliers
Negotiation is standard practice on 1688 and suppliers expect it. Communicate through Aliwangwang (1688’s built-in chat) or WeChat–most suppliers offer both.
Here are the main points you can negotiate on:
Unit price
MOQ
Payment terms
Shipping to international ports
Step 6: Pay suppliers with World Pay
Payment is the step where international buyers most often get stuck. 1688 suppliers typically accept CNH through domestic Chinese payment methods, including Alipay, WeChat Pay and Chinese bank transfers. 1688 now supports international cards at checkout, but only a limited number of suppliers accept them. Card payments may also involve foreign transaction fees and FX markups charged by the card provider, which vary by region and card currency.
WorldFirst is an international payments provider that offers the World Account, a multi-currency account for Malaysian businesses. The World Account lets businesses hold funds in USD and MYR, and convert between USD, MYR and CNH when needed.
For 1688 payments specifically, World Pay is the authorised international payment provider for 1688.com and integrates directly with the 1688 checkout. This means Malaysian businesses can pay 1688 suppliers in CNH straight from the CNH balance converted within the World Account, without a Chinese bank account.
Here’s how it works:
Open a World Account with WorldFirst
Fund the account by depositing MYR or USD, then convert to CNH within the World Account
Link your 1688 buyer ID through the World Pay section of the WorldFirst dashboard
Authorise the linkage by verifying with a mobile code
Pay at 1688 checkout by selecting 担保交易 (secured transaction), then choosing 跨境宝 (World Pay) as your payment method
The supplier receives the payment in CNH, and 1688 buyer protection remains in place through the secured transaction system.
1688 suppliers rarely handle international shipping directly. The platform is built for domestic Chinese trade. You’ll need to arrange freight separately.
There are three main approaches:
Ask the supplier to ship to a consolidator. Have the supplier deliver to a Chinese freight forwarder or consolidation warehouse, then arrange shipping from there to Malaysia. This works well if you’re ordering from multiple suppliers and want to combine shipments
Use a freight forwarder. Freight forwarders handle pickup from the supplier, consolidation, customs clearance, and final delivery to your Malaysian address. Air freight from China to Malaysia typically takes 5 to 10 days; sea freight takes 20 to 35 days
Use a courier for small orders. Services like DHL, FedEx and UPS can pick up directly from 1688 suppliers and deliver door-to-door in Malaysia within 3 to 7 days, but at a significant per-kilogram premium
Whichever route you choose, factor in Malaysian import duties, sales and service tax (SST) where applicable, and any category-specific permits. Malaysian customs applies duties based on the product’s HS code and CIF value (cost, insurance, freight). Check current rates before ordering high-volume shipments.
FAQs
Do you need a Chinese bank account to buy from 1688?
No. Malaysian buyers can pay 1688 suppliers through World Pay, which handles the CNH settlement to the supplier without you needing a mainland Chinese bank account.
Is 1688 the same as Alibaba?
Both are part of the same Chinese e-commerce group but serve different audiences. Alibaba.com is aimed at international buyers with an English interface and supports international payment methods directly. 1688 is aimed at domestic Chinese buyers, with a Chinese-language interface and no direct international payment support.
The information contained is general only and largely our views. Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from your reliance of such information. Information on 1688 and its products/services are sourced from and can be found at 1688.com.
