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The Complete Guide to Buy from 1688 Outside China

Last update: August 18, 2025

Contents

Navigate the ins and outs of buying from 1688 beyond China’s borders

Key takeaways

1688.com offers a vast catalogue of affordable wholesale products, making it ideal for businesses looking to expand their product range globally.
Payments on 1688 require a local Chinese bank account, but solutions like WorldFirst simplify international transactions for non-Chinese buyers through World Pay
Suppliers on 1688 are verified and often manufacturers, ensuring businesses access reliable and cost-effective sources for bulk orders.
Buyers can directly negotiate with suppliers to customize orders, fostering long-term relationships and bypassing intermediaries.

1688.com is one of China’s leading online B2B marketplaces preferred by global businesses for product sourcing. It has over 10 million* suppliers across 1,700 categories. Businesses worldwide source from 1688 to expand their SKUs and establish a stronger market presence.

But the marketplace does not support international payments. Buyers need a local Chinese bank account to pay suppliers.

WorldFirst helps overseas 1688 buyers overcome this challenge through World Pay. By signing up with WorldFirst, businesses in Australia can pay 1688 suppliers directly without dealing with unreliable payment processes or worrying about excessive conversion fees.

Let’s take a closer look at the 1688 marketplace. The in-depth guide covers everything buyers need to know before sourcing products from 1688.

What is 1688?

1688 is a B2B wholesale marketplace in China, part of the Alibaba Group. Established in 1999, it is a popular marketplace for global businesses wanting to source products directly from China.

When comparing prices on other B2B platforms in the Chinese market, the products on 1688.com are typically 4% to 15%* lower, and in some cases, they are up to 40% lower. One of the platform’s biggest advantages is its ability to take small orders of as few as two pieces.

*Numbers provided by 1688

Benefits of sourcing products from 1688?

Cost-effective and transparent pricing

Most suppliers on 1688.com are factory owners and wholesalers, offering bulk product pricing. The more units you purchase, the cheaper the unit price becomes.

Low minimum order quantity

The minimum order quantities are generally low. It helps businesses evaluate product quality before placing a large order. Smaller businesses can also purchase limited product quantities as they slowly scale their operations.

Reliable suppliers

Suppliers on 1688.com are required to have a Chinese business license. Each supplier provides details about their company’s date of incorporation, registered capital, and company address on their store page. Buyers can also procure from 1688.com’s cross-border site, global.1688.com, which exclusively promotes reliable suppliers selling trending products in the global marketplace.

Vast variety of products

As the largest local wholesale platform in China with dozens of categories listed, 1688.com offers countless options for products and suppliers. Most factories in China are listed on 1688.com, giving buyers various choices.

Original sources

Buyers have direct access to manufacturers and suppliers based in China. They can contact sellers directly, communicate their exact requirements, discuss the possibility of customizing orders, and even negotiate prices. This directly leads to stronger business relationships based on trust. Moreover, working directly with manufacturers without any middlemen ensures businesses get the best prices for the products they are sourcing.

Types of sellers on 1688

Wholesalers: Make up most shops on 1688.com, offering low MOQs and minimum spending. They hold more stock than factories
Factories and manufacturers: Specialise in bulk production, sometimes requiring 1,000+ MOQ. They produce on order and keep minimal inventory
Direct factory orders: Bypasses middlemen, reducing costs for bulk buyers. The 1688 app has a “Find a Factory” option which makes it easy to find factories directly
Brand owners: Offer low MOQs like wholesalers but sell under their own brand name instead of white-label products
Sourcing agents: Act as middlemen, helping with supplier selection, negotiations, and quality control. They charge a 1-3% commission.

How to purchase products on 1688: Step by step guide

Step 1: Open an account on 1688

1. To register on 1688, you must first create an account. There are two ways to do that:

Via Taobao mobile app: To register for an account on a mobile device, you must sign up via Taobao. As both 1688 and AliExpress are subsidiaries of the Alibaba Group, Taobao and 1688 accounts can share the same login details. If you already have a Taobao account, you can use those details to log in to 1688.
Via 1688.com on PC: To register via the website, visit www.1688.com and click the 免费注册 tab, which means ‘Sign up for free.’

Note: If you can’t read Chinese, use Google Translate to convert the page into English. If you’re using Chrome as your browser, right-click and select ‘Translate into English.’

2. A pop-up will appear for a user agreement.

Please select ‘register as an individual’ and open a 1688 personal account. (Again, use Google Translate to change the text into English if necessary.)

Registering for a company account on 1688.com is meant for domestic suppliers and sellers only. Foreign companies or non-local individuals are required to register as individuals, even if they are doing so on behalf of a company.

3. Fill in your information on the registration page and click 同意并注册, which means ‘Agree and register.

4. Enter the verification number sent to your mobile phone to verify your 1688 account

Step 2: Verify your account

To verify and activate your 1688.com, you will need an Alipay account. If you don’t have one yet, you can create one by downloading Alipay from your App store and following the below steps.

Set up an Alipay personal account

1. Register for an Alipay personal account (not a business account).

2. Enter the verification code that is sent to you on your mobile phone.

3. Next, complete the verification process, which involves uploading your passport and picture. You will also be required to take a live picture during real-time verification.

Now, your Alipay personal account is ready and you can continue setting up a 1688 account.

Connect your Alipay account to your 1688 account

Go to Alipay account management ‘支付宝账户管理’
Select ‘现在去认证’ to verify your account

Once your status has been authenticated ‘已绑定已认证’, you can start to authorise your 1688 account with WorldFirst to make 1688 payments

That’s it. Your 1688 is ready to use and send payments to suppliers

Step 3: Pay 1688 suppliers from outside China using World Pay

Currently, 1688.com only allows direct payments through local payment methods like WeChat, Alipay, and direct bank transfers through Mainland bank accounts. Also, Chinese suppliers only accept CNH.

Buyers based outside China can use World Pay to securely pay 1688 suppliers.

World Pay is the official cross-border payment provider of 1688.com. Supported by WorldFirst, it helps you securely pay suppliers on the marketplace at competitive exchange rates. No need for sourcing agents or a Chinese bank account – everything is instant, secure and completely compliant.

Here are some of the many benefits of registering with WorldFirst to pay suppliers on 1688

100% safe and seamless: Even if your business is set up in Australia, you can pay Chinese suppliers in AUD, and they will receive the payments in CNH through WorldFirst
Instant payments: Payments to 1688.com suppliers are instant and the fee is up to 0.8% of the total amount.
No limits: There are no threshold limits for yearly foreign exchange payments. There’s also no minimum transfer amount

How to pay on 1688 with World Pay

1. Register on WorldFirst and create an account. Take a look at the complete steps for signing as a sole trader or a company

2. To make purchases on 1688.com with your WorldFirst balance, go to “Payments” > “World Pay.” At the top of the World Pay (跨境宝) page, you’ll see the available CNH balance you have to make purchases at 1688.com. If you don’t have sufficient balance, you can top up from an external bank account or convert your balances in other currencies into CNH.

3. Now, link your 1688.com account to WorldFirst. To do so, click on “Manage linked 1688.com accounts“

4. Next, fill in the phone number you used to sign up for your 1688.com account and click on “Next.” By following the prompts, you’ll be able to authorise your 1688.com account.

5. Read and agree with the terms. Click on next.

6. Enter the 6-digit code send to your mobile number to securely authorise your 1688 account

And you’ve successfully authorised your 1688 account to WorldFirst!

7. Go back to 1688.com to place an order. On the checkout page, check custom border logistics and click on custom order.

8. On the next page, select the currency as RMB and select Cross-border treasure. Tap on the ‘agree to the agreement and pay’

9. To confirm the order, enter your Alipay password and that’s it! Your order will be directly placed and the order amount will be deducted from your World Account’s CNH balance.

Finding products and suppliers on 1688

Searching products

Searching for products on 1688 can seem daunting, as the marketplace has over 50 industries and 1,700 subcategories. There’s no lack of products to search for. Top categories include fashion, accessories, sports equipment, home décor, office supplies, automotive supplies, food and beverage, and raw materials.

Since the entire 1688 website is in Chinese, there are two ways to search for your desired products.

1. Use Google Translate

You can use Google Translate to convert the desired product name from English to Chinese and copy/paste the Chinese word into the search bar to find similar product listings. Alternatively, you can also use Google Translate to convert the entire website into English and then search the categories available on 1688.

2. Search by image

A quick way to find products on 1688 is to conduct an image search. If you have images of the products you want to source, you can use the image search feature on the website. Start by clicking on the camera icon, visible on the right side of the search bar, and upload the product images.

The website will then display all the product listings that match the uploaded image.

Finding reliable suppliers

The quality of the product you receive will depend significantly on the suppliers you choose, so it is crucial to find reliable suppliers.

To ensure the reliability of a new supplier, consider the following factors:

Years of operation: You can check how many years the supplier has listed products on 1688
Response rate: It indicates how quickly you can expect the supplier to respond to your queries
Delivery time: The metric indicates how fast the supplier can dispatch products based on past performance

Some suppliers can dispatch within 24 hours of the order being placed. It is indicated by the label checkbox 24⼩时发货. However, it is not available for cross-border delivery.

Trustworthiness: The label is only available to suppliers who have achieved a certain standard in quality and timely delivery (You can tick the checkbox 实⼒商家 to view suppliers that have the trustworthiness label)
Location: You can filter suppliers based on their proximity to your logistics provider to save shipping costs and delivery time. (It is represented by the 所在地区 label)
Repurchase rate: This is a crucial metric that indicates the percentage of buyers who make repeat orders with the seller after their initial purchase. Even if the supplier has many years of experience, a low repurchase rate could indicate issues with product quality.
Minimum order quantity (MOQ): MOQ indicates the smallest number of products a supplier can make for any given order. Each supplier sets their MOQ based on their order capabilities. Setting an MOQ helps suppliers ensure they can earn profits even on small orders. Small quantity orders can be expensive on 1688. If possible, consider larger orders to get the most value and save on shipping costs.
In-depth inspection: You can check on factory details of a supplier by going to their company profile and clicking on 工厂档案 label, which translates to factory files. You can find a lot of information on the supplier factory, including the number of employees, fulfilment rate, factory address, contact information, list of products manufactured in the factory, and pictures of the factory.

Note: You can also find dropshipping suppliers on 1688 to kickstart your e-commerce journey. Though the process might not be as direct as AliExpress or Alibaba dropshipping.

Communicating with suppliers

Communication with suppliers is one of the most important yet difficult aspects of buying products on 1688.

1688 allows you to communicate directly with factories and wholesalers. You can message suppliers through their shop profile using Aliwangwang, the official chat tool of 1688.com. The majority of suppliers will also offer the option to chat via WeChat. Chinese suppliers on 1688 have a limited understanding of English or other languages, so it’s essential to keep communication simple, professional, and concise.

Alternatively, a sourcing agent can help with translations and requests. Without one, you will have to rely on digital translation tools or hire a trusted translator.

Some questions you can ask suppliers include:

Can products be sent outside of China, or are they for domestic sale only?
What is the return policy?
What is the delivery timeframe?
What is the inventory and/or manufacturing timeframe?
Product certifications (if your product requires these)

Note: You can negotiate prices and terms with your supplier. It is a common practice and highly recommended.

Managing shipping

International shipping can be complex and often expensive. Your shipment costs can make or break your product margins. That is why taking the time to consider a shipping provider is important.

Here are some of the most common shipping solutions for product delivery from China to Australia:

You might also need the assistance of a freight forwarder who can handle customs clearance and delivery for your shipment. Freight forwarders are intermediaries specialising in international shipping. They take the headache out of getting your cargo from the factory to your warehouse with services that include documentation preparation, insurance, customs clearance, and storage options. They can also advise on the best international shipping method for your cargo.

Top tip: Learn how to reduce shipping costs with our handy guide.

1688 dropshipping: Is it possible to dropship directly from 1688?

No, 1688 doesn’t support dropshipping for overseas buyers. Most suppliers on 1688 cater to domestic Chinese businesses and often lack expertise in international dropshipping.

If you’re a foreign buyer, you’ll need a reliable dropshipping agent to handle sourcing and shipping.

How to find a 1688 dropshipping agent

Google: Search for agents experienced with your local market.
LinkedIn: Look up and vet agents based on their background and client history.
Facebook Groups: Join eCommerce and dropshipping communities to find recommended agents.

1688 vs Alibaba vs AliExpress: Which is the best platform for sourcing Products from China?

If you’re planning to source products from China, there are several B2B marketplaces that you can choose from. The right one will depend on your requirements and the type of products you plan to source. Take a look at the direct comparison between 1688, Alibaba, and AliExpress

	1688	Alibaba	AliExpress
Target Audience	Primarily serves buyers in China, wholesalers, businesses, dropshippers	Global B2B platform catering to international wholesale buyers	Small businesses, individuals, dropshippers
Product Pricing	Lower prices due to direct access to Chinese manufacturers and wholesalers	Competitive pricing, often higher than 1688, due to a global focus	Higher pricing, focused on retail
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ)	Varies by product, but low MOQ available	Varies by product, low MOQ possible	No minimum order quantity
Payment Methods	International buyers can make payments through World Pay	Supports various international payment methods (credit cards, PayPal, bank transfers)	Supports credit cards, PayPal, Alipay, bank transfers, and third-party payments
Shipping	Domestic shipping only; international buyers must arrange logistics	Offers worldwide shipping through various logistics partners	Worldwide shipping available
Language Support	Primarily in Chinese, limited English; English translation possible via web browsers	Supports English and multiple other languages	Multi-lingual support
Product Range & Quality	Extensive range with varied quality, mainly wholesale	Extensive range with varied quality, catering to global markets	Wide range with varied quality, focused on retail
Dropshipping	Only domestic dropshipping	Supports international dropshipping	Fully supports international dropshipping
Contacting Sellers	Buyers can contact sellers directly	Buyers can communicate directly with suppliers	Buyers can message sellers via the platform

→ For a more detailed comparison, take a look at our 1688 vs Alibaba and 1688 vs AliExpress guides.

Securely pay 1688 suppliers from outside China with World Pay

1688 website features one of the biggest catalogscatalogues of wholesale products at competitive prices. By allowing you to contact sellers directly, 1688 helps expand your network of sellers and build long-term business relationships.

Australian businesses can easily source high-quality and affordable products from 1688 and confidently streamline international payments with World Pay

FAQs

Is 1688 website for Chinese Only?

No. International buyers can purchase products from 1688 from around the world. Though the website is in Chinese, you will have to translate it into English.

Is it safe to buy from 1688?

Yes, 1688.com is one of China’s biggest online B2B marketplaces that connects suppliers, wholesalers, and factory owners directly with other businesses looking to source products.

How do I place an order on 1688 from Australia?

To place an order on 1688, start by shortlisting products and contacting suppliers. You should verify the product quality, payment terms, and delivery timings before placing an order. Buyers in Australia cannot directly make payments as the platform doesn’t accept international payment methods. Instead, they can use World Pay to quickly make payments in AUD while the Chinese suppliers get paid in CNH.

Do 1688.com suppliers speak English?

Since 1688 started as a B2B marketplace for domestic businesses, most suppliers on 1688 majorly speak Chinese and have a limited understanding of English.

Disclaimer: 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 judgment 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.

Based in Sydney, Jim is responsible for the WorldFirst business across Australia and New Zealand. He brings with him over 25 years of experience helping Business Owners, CFO’s and Treasury Managers overcome the challenges with cross border payments and navigating volatile foreign exchange markets.

Jim Vrondas

Author

Country Manager ANZ at WorldFirst

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