How to buy products on 1688:The Definitive Guide
1688.com the predecessor of Alibaba,was founded in the year of 1999 by Yun Ma,the founder of Alibaba group.
It’s the leading domestic trade e-commerce platform for small enterprises in China, as a subsidiary of Alibaba group, 1688 provides business opportunity information and convenient&safe online transactions for tens of millions of buyers and suppliers around the world.
1688 now has covered 16 industry categories such as raw materials, industrial products, clothing, household general merchandise and small commodities, the enterprises on 1688 had already provided services for Aliexpress, Amazon, Wish, EBay, Lazada and other platforms through 1688 cross-border platform which covering 220 countries and regions around the world.
1. What is the difference between 1688.com and Alibaba.com?
The difference between the two is that 1688 is mainly for the domestic market where Chinese can buy&purchase products,and Alibaba is mainly for international business trade where foreigners can buy&purchase products.
1688.com only has Chinese and can only paid by RMB,also it only ship goods in China,it’s a business website is for domestic business.
Alibaba.com is an international platform and can be transfer to many different languages worldwide,and can ship goods worldwide,it’s a business website for all the countries that out of China.
2. Why do people want to buy products on 1688.com?
As a wholesale&manufacturer business website,the products on1688.com is with relative lower price.Most Aliexpress store purchase products on 1688 and then resell on Aliexpress,also many trading companies buy products through 1688.com and sell them on alibaba.com
3. How can I communicate with the suppliers of 1688.com?
Most of the suppliers speak Chinese as it’s regarding a chinese website. You will need to have an agent with you who can act as your translator or take some quick Chinese lessons for you to order from the business directly. It’s better to find an agent to help you to buy the products, and then send the goods to your address. We are your Agent in China. You can contact us directly.
4. How can I pay suppliers on 1688.com?
The form of payment is through Alipay or in some cases bank transfer between banks in China.
The payments are in Chinese Yuan renminbi, for which it is necessary to have a CNY account in order to transfer the money.
Within the platform of 1688.com there are no shipments abroad, all quotations of shipments are domestic.
You can ask an agent to help you with the payment if you want to pay by dollars. We can accept US dollars and then pay in renminbi (RMB) currency to your suppliers directly. We also accept bank transfer (T/T), Western Union or PayPal.
5.Is it reliable to buy at 1688.com?
If you live within China and place orders directly, it is totally reliable as there is buyer protection that 1688.com provides to their customers,only you have confirmed receiving the goods,the payment will be remitted to seller’s account.
6. How can I find a 1688.com Agent for my products?
We are your agents in China and have over 10 years of agency experience in this business. We purchase products in China and also do USD currency exchange to RMB, goods inspection before shipment, and ship to your address,It will save your time and cost with our professional souring agent,so you can focus on marketing to boost your business.
7. How can I translate 1688.com website into English?
The best browser to use to access this website is Google Chrome browser as it can directly translate webpage content into your preferred language,so you can check the price of your products.
8.How can I know the quality of a product?
You can request photos of products from vendors and mainly by physically checking the product through asking samples.
9.Is there any quality guarantee?
For our part, there is no guarantee of quality since we are not the producer, it is important that you ask for samples to verify that your quality requirements meet your expectations.
10.Can I order custom products?
It is necessary to send a request or question to the seller with the specifications that you require, in case the seller can manufacture it, we can gladly provide the purchase and shipping.
Conclusion
1688.com is a very good procurement platform that offers relatively low prices for their products. The main challenge is that is China-based and most, if not all, of the sellers only speak in the Chinese language. But otherwise, their services are pretty good.
You can use a sourcing agent or a Chinese friend to help you communicate with the suppliers in order to make and finalize sales.
We also offer free procurement services which you can try for free. Here are some benefits of our services:
- Help you to get samples before max purchasing.
- Checking your goods before shipment according to your requirements.
- Bundle different products into one package for you.
- Mark your labels on products if you request.
- Offer foreign currency exchange services.
- Handle your shipment in China to your address by sea, air or express… etc.
