How to Get the Best China Wholesale Prices on 1688 & Alibaba

Sourcing your products from China can unlock high profit margins, but you need to know how to navigate the right platforms. Although 1688 and Alibaba are two major wholesale e-commerce platforms in China, however, Alibaba mainly targets international buyers, while 1688 targets local Chinese businesses.

Over the years, both e-commerce platforms have been a source of high profit margin to many; however, some complain of being offered inferior quality products, while others complain of being scammed. Well, whether you have a good experience on these platforms or not depends on how you navigate the platform and interact with the suppliers.

In this article, we’ll discuss in detail how you can navigate and get the best China wholesale prices on 1688.com.

Is 1688 a Safe Website?

Yes, 1688 is a safe online business-to-business marketplace. The B2B platform is established primarily to cater to Chinese businesses. You can source your products at competitive factory prices on the platform. However, you need a local agent or export service to help you complete your purchase if you are an international buyer.

Can I Buy From 1688?

Yes, you can buy from 1688.com; it’s recommended if you want to get high-quality products at competitive prices; however, not everybody can buy on 1688.com.

The list below shows what you must have to navigate the 1688 platform:

You Must Be an Experienced Importer or Purchase Wholesaler: You can navigate 1688 if you have previous experience buying in bulk from overseas or importing goods in bulk.
You know Chinese Language and Culture: Having knowledge of basic Chinese language and culture is helpful to navigate because the platform is mainly in Chinese. However, you can use translation tools or agents if you don’t know the Chinese language.
Know how to do Product Research and Quality Control: Pay close attention to product descriptions, read reviews, and be conscious of supplier ratings. It’s also recommended that you first order samples to check product quality before ordering in bulk.
Be Willing to Invest Your Time and Effort: You need to spend more time on 1688 if you want to source the best product. Spend time researching and communicating with suppliers, and managing logistics.
Tolerate Risks and Challenges: You may face language barriers, quality issues, and shipping delays when you are buying from 1688; therefore, plan how to manage these risks and challenges by having a plan B if you want to buy on 1688.com.

Guaranteed Ways to Buy From 1688

In this section, you’ll learn the sure ways you can buy from 1688 without wasting time and cost:

Determine Who Will Handle Your 1688 Orders

There are three approaches to this, the first is:

Connect Directly with the Supplier on 1688.com

Connect with the supplier through their WeChat ID or mobile number displayed on their product page. Next, discuss with your supplier about the product details, samples, order quantity, discounts, payment methods, and so on.

Use the Shopping Proxy Website to Buy from 1688.com

The majority of Chinese purchasing agents’ websites guarantee you a buying service from well-known Chinese online stores like Taobao, 1688.com, JD.com, etc. You can begin the process by submitting a product link on their website. The purchasing agent then proceeds to 1688 to get them. Next, when the goods arrive at the purchasing agent’s warehouse, they consolidate and repack them for you and ship them to your country through the fastest shipping methods..

Hire 1688.com Purchasing Agent.

Purchasing agents handle your orders down to shipping to your country through international express service. To begin this process, you need to first find an agent on 1688 with your preferred product, color, size, and quantity, with your business information like your budgeted price, quality control, samples, how to pay, commission, etc.

Next, the purchasing agent then procures and bargains price with the 1688 supplier. Next, the purchasing agent will give you feedback on the discussion with the 1688 supplier and the product for you to make an informed buying decision. Next, when you make your decision, you then pay for your orders along with the shipping fee from China to your designated country.

Use the Search Bar to Find Your Products on 1688

Since the entire world of 1688 is written in Chinese, there are only two ways you can find products from 1688 if you are an English-speaking person.

Use Google Translate/Chrome Built-in Translation

Install the Google Translate Chrome extension feature to translate the page into your preferred language, or copy and paste the product keywords into Google Translate. Next, type the keyword of the product into the 1688 search bar or click on the camera icon to search for the product image.

You’ll find a variety of products with different qualities on 1688. Next, the same product from various suppliers will pop up, and then select the ones you want.

Search with Product Image

You can also utilize the image search option on 1688. You can do this by clicking on the camera icon. You’ll find the camera icon in the upper-right corner of the search bar. Using this option means you have to upload the picture of the product you intend to search for on the website to display all products related to your search.

Identifying a Trusted Supplier on 1688

In 1688, there were various paid membership programs for suppliers. The purpose is to give you an insight into the trust and credibility of the supplier you want to partner with. The subsequent headings outline the membership programs that help you identify a good supplier on 1688.

Chengxintong

Chengxintong’s annual membership fee is between ¥3,688 to ¥6,888, depending on service level. It’s the lowest membership fee you’ll find on 1688. The probability you’ll find a reliable supplier under this plan is low; therefore, you need to be more cautious.

Powerful Merchants

A powerful merchant is the next after Chengxintong. It has a Bull’s Head as a logo. The probability that you can screen a good supplier in this membership plan is around 60%.

Report on Factory Inspection

Some manufacturers apply for an in-depth assessment, while those that are not into manufacturing apply for an in-depth business inspection on 1688.com. The probability that you can screen a good supplier in this case is around 80%.

File Report

To get the business file report, click the file report of the company’s profile when you get to the in-depth factory inspection merchant. Next, check the scale of the company and the number of its staff. It’s important for you to choose suppliers with at least 50 people and above. The probability that you can screen a good supplier in this case is around 98%.

Well Seller Index

You’ll hardly find customer reviews on 1688 because it’s a B2B platform. Unlike Amazon, Etsy, or Taobao, where you can read reviews of a product before you purchase it, 1688 is not like that.

However, you can check the rating system of a 1688 supplier with four indicators, as it’s represented in the diagram:

Product description 3%
Response speed 8%
Lead time 3%
Purchase rate 36%

Choosing the Right Procedure on 1688

For you to buy a defect-free product on 1688, you need to consider the list below:

Don’t Buy The Cheapest Product: Before you buy, request quotes from 5 to 10 suppliers and choose the prices that resonate with your budget.
Order a Sample First: Ensure you get the final production unit of samples when you want to buy from 1688. Make sure you receive the final sample, and it should be up to your requirements.
Have an Actual Requirement in Mind: Prepare a detailed description of what you expect your product to look like. Some things to be specific about include product dimensions, materials used, product weight, function description, color, and so on.
Conduct Quality Control: Inspect all your product quality during the manufacturing stage to ensure you receive defect-free items. Do this by organizing a pre-shipment inspection when your products are still in the manufacturer’s custody.
Choose a Secure Payment Method: As an international buyer, you can pay for your orders directly. The list below shows the three ways you can pay on 1688.

Third-party Payment: Here, you can pay from overseas directly to 1688 suppliers.
1688 Agent: These are intermediaries. They are the middlemen between you (Buyer) and the supplier (Seller).
Cross-border Payment Service: This is restricted to only businesses with a registered company in China to pay for their orders on 1688.

How to Avoid Scams on 1688

This section discusses the most critical things you must do to avoid being scammed when you’re shopping on 1688.

Don’t Conclude with an Online Product Picture

Pictures can be enticing, but it’s important not to conclude or assume a product is high-quality because the product picture looks that way. Always ask for samples so you can judge the quality of the product.

Don’t Buy Big and Heavy Products

1688 is not an online platform you can buy big and heavy products from unless you have a reliable logistics plan, because shipping costs for heavy and big products are relatively high and complicated.

Read the 1688 refund/return policy before confirming your order

In 1688, you can request a refund if you feel the supplier is wasting time in processing your orders or if the product you ordered is out of stock. However, you need to ensure the policies are included in the final proposal before you place your order.

Receive Verification Proof From Supplier

Verify the legitimacy of the supplier before you place an order. Some things to look out for are the vendor’s blue verification check mark, fifty-plus employees, seller rating, etc.

Don’t Send Money to Personal Accounts

Make payment to the company bank account rather than the supplier’s personal bank account when you are buying on 1688. You can know the legit vendors because their bank is registered with their business name.

Prioritize Suppliers That Send Samples

Ensure you order a sample and pay for it, then you can proceed with placing your orders if the sample you receive meets your requirements. Scam suppliers will not agree to samples; the ones that are genuine will gladly offer you a sample since they have credibility.

Products Categories with High Risk on 1688

For electronics, you will deal with many defective products. For the sewing category, you’ll have a mismatched size, poor sewing quality, poor materials, etc. However, if you plan to source them, ensure you order samples and verify the supplier carefully.

How Procurement Agents Help You Source Efficiently on 1688

Sourcing your products from 1688.com is cost-effective. However, there are a lot of challenges attached. How do you bypass these challenges and even have more cost-effective options? That’s the work of the procurement agents. The list below shows the problems you’ll bypass when you hire a procurement agent to handle your orders on 1688.com.

Procurement agents help you navigate language barriers by communicating directly with the supplier. Plus, they help you translate your product details, negotiate terms with your supplier to ensure clarity.
They control your product quality and verify 1688 suppliers on your behalf.
With the help of procurement agents, product prices become cheaper because they are professional in negotiating prices. Plus, Minimum Order Qualities (MOQs) become lower, and custom packaging is certain.
You’ll get consolidated shipments that help you reduce costs to the bare minimum during international shipping. Plus, they manage warehousing, packaging, inspection, and ensure your products are properly arranged for international freight.
Payments become secured with Purchasing agents since you can pay the purchasing agents in your local currency.
Procurement teams help you save time and spot the best deals by handling all the back-and-forth in your orders.

Conclusion

Buying from 1688.com requires some level of expertise on the website to avoid scams and losing your capital. Therefore, you must consider all the dos and don’ts discussed in this article to have the best experience when shopping on 1688. However, to be on the safe side, you should consider hiring SourcingWise to handle all back-and-forths in your order to ensure you get the best products on 1688.