Sourcing guide · China
Buying on 1688 from Europe, without getting caught
1688.com is the Chinese wholesale platform of the Alibaba group. It carries the prices closest to the factory, but everything is in Chinese, in yuan, and suppliers deliver inside China rather than to you. This guide explains what 1688 is, why it is cheaper, and how to buy from it from Europe, step by step.
In short
- 1688 = Alibaba’s Chinese wholesale side, for the domestic market. Factory prices, interface in Chinese.
- You cannot have goods delivered to Europe directly: you need an agent or a freight forwarder with a consolidation warehouse in China.
- Payment is in yuan (Alipay, Chinese account). In practice your agent pays the supplier.
- The real cost = product price + agent + inspection + consolidation + freight + customs.
- The main risk: mistaking a trading company for a real manufacturer. Checking the licence and visiting the workshop avoids it.
What is 1688?
1688.com (阿里巴巴 1688) is the Alibaba group’s B2B marketplace for domestic Chinese trade. It is where Chinese factories, wholesalers and traders buy from each other. The name comes from the pronunciation of the digits, “yao-liu-ba-ba”, close to “Alibaba”.
In practice 1688 addresses buyers located in China: prices are in yuan, listings and messaging are in Chinese, and sellers think in terms of domestic delivery. It is not a platform designed for export, and that is precisely what makes it interesting and slightly treacherous.
1688 vs Alibaba.com vs AliExpress vs the Canton Fair
The four serve different needs. The table below sums up who each channel is for.
| Channel | Who for | Language / price | Delivery | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1688.com | Experienced importers | Chinese, yuan, factory price | China only | You have an agent or you are on the ground |
| Alibaba.com | International buyers | English, USD, more expensive | International | You are starting out and want English |
| AliExpress | Small quantities | Multilingual, retail price | International, single units | Samples, very small runs |
| Canton Fair | Buyers in person | Interpreter, negotiated price | By agreement | Meeting hundreds of factories in a few days |
Why it is cheaper
Three reasons compound. First, you are buying at the domestic market rate, the one Chinese buyers pay, without the export margin. Second, many sellers are direct manufacturers, with no middleman. Third, the listed price includes no international service at all: no English, no logistics, no buyer protection. You pay for the bare goods, and you add those services yourself through an agent. That is what explains the gap with Alibaba.com, where everything is already priced in.
The five pitfalls to know
- 1
The language barrier
Everything is in Chinese, negotiation included. Machine translation reads listings but does not replace a Mandarin speaker for discussing price, lead times and defects.
- 2
Domestic delivery
Sellers ship within China. Without a consolidation warehouse there, your parcels have nowhere to arrive.
- 3
Payment
Alipay and Chinese bank transfer are the norm. A European card will not do, and paying a personal account presented as the factory’s is the first sign of a scam.
- 4
A trader dressed as a factory
Many accounts are trading companies reselling other people’s production with a margin. The business licence and a workshop visit settle the question.
- 5
Quality and MOQ
Quality varies from batch to batch. A sample, then a pre-shipment inspection, avoids unpleasant surprises, and the MOQ is often negotiable.
How to buy on 1688 from Europe, step by step
- 1
Read the interface
Open 1688 with browser translation on to find products and suppliers.
- 2
Shortlist suppliers
Compare several sellers, look at account age, volumes and reviews, and keep a shortlist.
- 3
Verify it is a manufacturer
Ask for the business licence, cross-check it against the official register, and tell a real workshop from a reseller.
- 4
Work through an agent or forwarder
They pay in yuan, receive the parcels at their warehouse in China, consolidate and prepare the shipment.
- 5
Check before shipping
Sample first, then an inspection of the production run: photographs, measurements, a functional test.
- 6
Ship and clear customs
The forwarder picks the incoterm, groups the orders and handles customs through to delivery in Europe.
There are two routes. Remotely, a sourcing agent does all of this for you. On the ground, you go and see the factories and wholesale markets yourself, with someone alongside you who negotiates in Mandarin. That is exactly what Source Canton does: we lead every trip in person and stay on the buyer’s side, never the factory’s.
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy on 1688 without speaking Chinese?
Yes, but rarely directly. The site, the messaging and the suppliers all run in Chinese, and payment goes through a Chinese account. In practice you work through a sourcing agent who speaks Mandarin, or you come in person with someone who does. Browser translation helps you read listings; it will not help you negotiate.
Does 1688 deliver to Europe?
No, not directly. 1688 sellers ship to an address in China. To receive goods in Europe you have them delivered to an agent or a freight forwarder with a consolidation warehouse in China, who groups your orders, handles export formalities and arranges international transport.
Is 1688 cheaper than Alibaba.com?
Often yes, on the listed price. 1688 is the Chinese domestic market: factory prices, in yuan, with no export services built in. Alibaba.com is the international-facing version, in English, with logistics and buyer protection included, and therefore more expensive. The real comparison happens once agent, consolidation and freight costs are added.
How do you pay a 1688 supplier from abroad?
Sellers expect payment in yuan via Alipay or a Chinese bank transfer, which a foreign card does not readily allow. The usual solution is to pay your agent, who settles with the supplier from their Chinese account. Never send money to a personal account presented as the factory’s.
How do you vet a 1688 supplier?
Check the age and status of the account, tell a real manufacturer from a trading company, ask for the business licence and cross-check it against the official register, order a sample, then have production inspected before shipping. A physical visit to the workshop remains the most reliable check of all.
What is the MOQ on 1688?
It varies by seller and by product. It is often lower than the export MOQ on Alibaba.com, and some suppliers in the wholesale markets accept small quantities. MOQ is negotiable, especially if you group several references with the same manufacturer.
Glossary
- 1688.com
- Alibaba group’s B2B wholesale platform for the Chinese domestic market. Factory prices, in Chinese and in yuan.
- MOQ
- Minimum Order Quantity required by a supplier.
- Alipay
- The Chinese payment wallet most 1688 sellers expect.
- Sourcing agent
- An intermediary in China who finds, vets, pays and follows up your suppliers on your behalf.
- Consolidation
- Grouping several orders in a warehouse in China before a single international shipment.
- Incoterm
- The rule that sets who pays for transport, insurance and customs, and at what point risk passes to the buyer (EXW, FOB, DDP and so on).
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