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.
Related guides and the full platform hub.