Wholesale products, factory-source items, bulk buying and low-price sourcing
1688 is a China wholesale marketplace known for supplier listings, factory-source products and competitive domestic pricing. Compared with Taobao it is more sourcing-oriented, so listings often include wholesale tiers, minimum-order quantities and supplier details. International buyers usually need an agent because listings, payment and shipping are designed for domestic business buyers.
1688 is a domestic wholesale platform in the Alibaba ecosystem, connecting buyers with suppliers and factories at wholesale prices. It is best for bulk or source-level buying rather than one-off retail. Because it is built for Chinese business buyers, communication, payment and logistics typically go through an agent for overseas shoppers.
Search 1688 for the product, check the wholesale tiers and any minimum-order quantity, and copy the link.
Paste the 1688 link into your agent, who handles supplier communication, domestic payment and consolidation.
The agent receives the goods, inspects them and takes QC photos — especially important for wholesale orders.
Combine into one parcel where possible, choose a line and ship internationally.
W2C helps you approach 1688 with the right expectations — wholesale tiers, MOQ and supplier checks — and then use the same agent flow as any other source: paste the link, get QC photos, consolidate and ship. Browse categories for product ideas before you commit to a bulk order.
1688 is a Chinese wholesale marketplace connecting buyers with suppliers and factories at source-level prices. It is oriented toward bulk and business buying rather than single-item retail.
Taobao is retail with single-item buying and huge variety; 1688 is wholesale, with lower per-unit pricing but minimum-order quantities and supplier-style listings. Many sellers appear on both, sourced from 1688 and resold on Taobao.
1688 is Alibaba’s domestic (China-facing) wholesale platform, while Alibaba.com is the export-oriented, English wholesale site. 1688 usually has lower prices but is built for domestic buyers, so overseas shoppers typically use an agent.
Yes, through an agent. The agent communicates with the supplier, meets any minimum-order quantity, pays domestically, inspects the goods and ships them internationally.
Many 1688 suppliers require you to buy a minimum number of units. Check the MOQ on the listing before ordering; an agent can confirm it and sometimes negotiate for you.
For international buyers, almost always. Between supplier communication, MOQ, domestic payment and consolidation, an agent makes 1688 practical to use from abroad.
Usually yes on a per-unit basis, because 1688 prices are wholesale and often tiered by quantity. The catch is MOQ and less buyer-friendly service, so 1688 wins on price when you buy several units and Taobao wins on convenience for single items.
Sometimes, but many listings set a minimum quantity, and single-unit pricing may not beat Taobao. If you only need one, compare the 1688 tier price against Taobao before committing; an agent can check the real MOQ for you.
No — 1688 is domestic and Chinese-first, with supplier-style listings. Overseas buyers rely on browser translation and, in practice, an agent who reads the listing, confirms specifications with the supplier and handles the order.
Through an agent. The agent pays the supplier domestically and consolidates your order, and you pay the agent with an international method. Direct 1688 payment expects Chinese banking, which is why the agent route is standard.
Yes, for anything beyond a small quantity. Because 1688 is source-level and quality varies by supplier, buying one sample first — then scaling up once QC photos confirm it — is the safe way to avoid a bad bulk purchase.
Your agent receives all units (and goods from multiple suppliers) at one China warehouse, inspects them, then repacks everything into consolidated parcels. This cuts per-item international shipping and lets you combine a 1688 order with finds from other sources.
A 1688 spreadsheet is a curated list of wholesale or factory-source products with agent-ready links. W2C’s catalog is Weidian-based today, but the same category browsing and agent buying flow apply to 1688 links you paste in for sourcing.
It is one of the most common sourcing platforms for exactly that. Tiered wholesale pricing, direct supplier contact and factory-style listings make 1688 well suited to resellers — paired with an agent to handle communication, QC and international logistics.
The main ones are MOQ surprises, variable supplier quality, communication gaps and shipping restrictions on some goods. Ordering a sample, using an agent for supplier communication, and reviewing QC photos before bulk shipping address most of them.
Yes. Because everything routes through the agent’s warehouse, you can consolidate a 1688 wholesale buy with Taobao items and Weidian finds into a single international parcel, which is often the cheapest way to ship a mixed order.
Related guides and the full platform hub.