Maple Sourcing Ltd.
Maple Sourcing Ltd.
We Make Your Sourcing Easy!
Need help? sales@maplesourcing.com
English
Maple Sourcing Ltd.
Maple Sourcing Ltd.

Utilize 1688 Sourcing to Boost Your Product Purchasing

2023-12-26
271 Views

How to Utilize 1688 to Boost Your Product Sourcing?

The basic reason for the popularity of Chinese products is due to their low cost. Any business company that wants to be more competitive in the market will prefer to directly source from China. However, language barriers and the different business culture make China product purchasing uneasy for many foreign buyers.

You must have heard of Alibaba, but do you know 1688.com? It is a wholesale platform owned by Alibaba mainly serving domestic businesses. While Alibaba was designed as an export machine for international trade, 1688 has a wholly China focus, and does business in the local currency RMB.

Overview of 1688 sourcing

1688.com is another well-known brand of B2B e-commerce that belongs to the Alibaba Group. It is almost like Alibaba.com, from where you can find different products, suppliers, and factories.

However, the complete website of 1688 is written in the Chinese language, and hence this platform can serve China's domestic markets.

Pros of 1688 sourcing:

   - Full category of Chinese products.

   - The best way of finding real manufacturers in China.

   - The lowest price for your products.

Cons of 1688 sourcing:

   - Language barrier.

   - Payment security.

   - Difficult to return.

What are the prices like on 1688?

If you want to buy directly from 1688 factories, you probably will have factory direct prices. They're cheaper than what you might find on Alibaba or other China wholesale websites.

If the prices are better, why not buy from 1688 rather than Alibaba?

As 1688 was created for the domestic market, sellers on it are not equipped to serve international buyers. They do not have an export license so are unable to ship their products overseas. They're also not as experienced as their Alibaba counterparts when it comes to understanding the design requirements of Western buyers. It is a bit risky, especially if your product needs to meet stringent quality or safety standards. It doesn't imply that sellers on 1688 offer inferior products, rather, their understanding of acceptable quality is limited to the expectations of the local markets.

What's the use of visiting 1688 sourcing for Amazon sellers?

A way in which 1688 sourcing can potentially work is in comparing the price of a product on this site against what you're charged on Alibaba or another wholesale website. You'll see the markup applied for importers versus the price for the domestic market. As prices on the website are in Chinese currency, you'll need to convert to your currency for the evaluation.

Yet another reason to have a look at 1688 is to find more suppliers for your product or industry. On Alibaba, you and your competitors have access to the same suppliers. Your supplier may also be selling to your competitors, making it difficult for you to differentiate your product on Amazon. Suppliers on 1688 are usually not on Alibaba, and this creates the opportunity to find something different in terms original design and price of product.

Should you buy from 1688?

You can buy from 1688 as long as its suppliers meet the standards of your market and deliver a good experience to your customers. But the actual sourcing process can be complex. Back and forth communication with suppliers is likely to be challenging as they normally don't have English-speaking staff.

Pay Chinese supplier on 1688 will also be a hassle as they only accept domestic payment modes like Alipay and WeChat. You'll need to open an account in a Chinese bank for this or make bank transfers in RMB.

Unless you've been sourcing in China for many years and can speak passable Chinese, you're better off looking elsewhere. There's another way to make the most of the low prices and numerous product categories on the site - use a reliable sourcing agent in China for assistance with procurement.

What's it like to buy products on 1688?

1688 sourcing is different from what you can expect on Alibaba despite their connection. Alibaba is tailor-made to appeal to buyers from all over the world. It has a decent user interface and offers a comfortable navigation experience for the English-speaking buyers.

Your browsing experience on 1688 will depend on how comfortable you find using the English version of a website. Generally, the translations on multi-lingual websites are done poorly and you'll need to grasp what is inferred. Moreover, as prices on the website are in RMB, you'll need an online converter handy when you must crunch the numbers. As already mentioned, the language barrier and suppliers' Chinese-speaking sales staff also make communicating on 1688 difficult.

What to look for when buying products on 1688?

Pretty much the same things you'd review on a China wholesale website. On 1688.com, you can search for products by typing their names in the search box and filtering them based on your exact requirement. Or you can upload product photos on the website and a collection of similar products will come up.

For example, if you saw a hot-selling selfie stick tripod on AliExpress or Amazon, you can save the image on your desktop and upload it to 1688.com. Searching by image is faster than searching by name on bilingual websites. The other thing to note is that 1688 isn't exactly a fast-loading website. So, don't expect a super-fast browsing experience.

Like Alibaba, 1688 also provides supplier profile metrics. You can see the company size and select suppliers based on their reputation for quality, timely deliveries, and sales volume. You can filter suppliers by various criteria, including:

Now, you have got 3 options for buying from 1688.

1. Directly contact the supplier on 1688.com

Pros:

   - You can bypass any middleman and directly buy from China factories.

   - Since most sellers here sell only to China domestic buyers hence the price will be lower than Alibaba.

Cons:

   - Most suppliers cannot speak English.

   - Many suppliers in this platform have no PayPal account.

   - Their bank cards can only accept RMB.

   - You need to find a certain alternate payment method that is acceptable to your supplier.

2. Buy through a shopping proxy website

Pros:

   - The procedure is much simple and easy, and the shopping experience is great.

   - The whole process is like shopping on AliExpress.

   - They can offer PayPal and credit card payment options.

Cons:

   - They will not provide product purchasing service.

   - Will not help you to check product quality.

   - You need to find your products and suppliers all by yourself.

   - Their shipping method is meant for small orders only and will not offer shipping options like air/ocean for your bulk orders.

3. Hire a 1688 sourcing agent

Pros:

   - You will get more services such as product purchasing, finding manufacturers, getting samples, quality control, customs clearance, also shipping, etc.

   - Their service will be one-to-one; hence you can get quick and personalized service.

   - Many of them are fluent in English, so you can easily communicate with them.

Cons:

  1. They may prefer big customers and big orders.

  2. For small orders, they will charge a relative high commission.

What can a 1688 sourcing agent do for you?

A 1688 sourcing agent provides a full range of procurement services, so you can focus on your business while they handle factory inspection, order monitoring and quality monitoring. The importance of these services is greater when you want a tight control over product quality and delivery times. Chinese and western notions of quality differ quite a bit, making it vital that you stay on top of your order and ensure that you get what you paid for.

A sourcing agent can also be assistance when you have specific shipping requirements, such as combining orders into one and ensuring secure packaging. Combining orders is a common way to save on shipping costs, but it will require proper coordination at the manufacturing destination, which the agent can handle quite easily.

Finally, having an agent on your side can make certain the rules of return and exchange you wish to negotiate and establish with your supplier. You can define which circumstances will allow you to return or exchange products.

How to find a 1688 sourcing agent?

1688.com has manufacturers, wholesalers, agents, and business services. So, you can search for a sourcing agent directly on the platform. But you'll need to do your due diligence by finding out more about the agent online or making inquiries offline.

If the agent has a website, go through it to check their expertise, product and industry specialization, scope of services and fee. A China sourcing agent with five or more years of experience is preferable to one that has been in business for less than a year.

All Articles
Tips for Sourcing Chinese Products without Visiting China
Proven Effective Insights for China Sourcing Process
Advantages of QC Inspection Services for China Importers
Step by Step Process for Manufacturing Products in China
Things to Consider when Contacting Chinese Suppliers
Why Need Product Sourcing Services for China Importing?
How to Select the Right Quality Inspection Company in China?
How Can You Directly Buy Products from China?
Grow Overseas Business with a China sourcing consultant
How to Effectively Source Products from China?
How Do Product Inspection Services Work in China?
Why Importers Work with Chinese Purchasing Agents?
Ways to Protect IP when Manufacturing a Product in China
Grow your Business with a Shenzhen Sourcing Agent
Guide to IQC Inspection for Sourcing in China
Common Mistakes to Avoid for Successful China Sourcing
A Guide on Budgeting for China Sourcing Services
Key Factors Influencing China Sourcing Agent Fees
Risk Mitigation Excellence: The Role of Factory Audit in China
A Comprehensive Guide to Hardware Import from China
Revolutionizing Supply Chains with China Direct Sourcing
Efficiency Unleashed: The Power of Smart Order Monitoring
Importance of Reliable Quality Control Companies in China
Key Benefits of Choosing a Sourcing Company in Asia
Complete Guide to Find Chinese Manufacturers
Why do You Need an Alibaba Sourcing Agent?
Suggestions about Doing China Quality Inspections
Valuable Tips of Global Procurement from China
Strategic Sourcing with Supplier Consolidation in China
How to Find Reliable Online Sourcing Companies?
Ensuring Quality and Compliance with Factory Audit in China
Find Cost-effective Products with Procurement Agents in China
Reasons to Buy Promotional Products from China
Valuable Tips for Direct Sourcing in China
Quality Inspection Agency - Benefits Beyond Cost Savings
Guide for New Importers on China Global Sourcing
Proven Effective Strategies to Find Suppliers in China
What is a Strategic Sourcing Process and How It Works?
Effective Supplier Management Strategies for Success
A Beginner’s Guide to Direct Product Sourcing in China
Valuable Insights on Procurement from China
Why Do You Need Reliable China Manufacturing Agents?
Ways to Do Quality Control in Production Management
How to Effectively Find High-quality China Outdoor Products?
Streamline Imports with Support of China Sourcing Companies
Practical Steps for Sourcing from China Directly
Analysis of Manufacturing and Quality Control in China
How to Import Quality Products from China to the UK?
Why More Businesses Choose Global Sourcing from China?
Practical Ways to Work with Asian Wholesale Suppliers
Reasons to Hire a China Inspection Agency for Quality Checks
How to Contact a Chinese Manufacturer Effectively?
Why Do You Need a Reliable China Buying Agent?
Benefits and Challenges of Manufacturing Items in China
Benefits of Pre-Shipment Inspections for Importing from China
Tips about Finding a Suitable Procurement Agent in China
How to Find Reliable Prototype Manufacturers in China?
Reasons to Hire a Chinese Buying Agent for Your Business
How to Do China Company Verification for Electronic Products
All You Need Know about How to Find Manufacturers in China
Effective Strategies for China Sourcing Process Control
Things You Should Know about Shenzhen Sourcing Agents
Importance of Product Quality Assurance in China
How to Effectively Manufacture Outdoor Products in China?
Tips about Global Product Sourcing from China Suppliers
Why Is Procurement Outsourcing in China Important?
Main Benefits of Directly Sourcing Products from China
How to Effectively Verify Chinese Companies?
Wholesale Quality Products by Using a Reliable 1688 Agent
Everything to Know about Sourcing China Metal Products
How to Assure Quality for Manufacturing Products in China?
Why Is China Sourcing Agency Helpful for Amazon Sellers?
Knowledge about Calculating Import Duty from China to USA
How to Find Suppliers for Importing Chinese Products?
Advantages of In Process Quality Inspections in China
Guide for Procurement Outsourcing to China
Tips on Negotiating Price with Suppliers in China
Ways to Hire Verified Sourcing Companies in China
How to Effectively Manage Your Quality Control in China?
How Can You Buy Consumer Goods in China?
How to Build Your China Purchasing Strategies?
How to Choose Factories in China for Consumer Products?
How to Assure Quality for Products Made in China?
Buying Bulk Items from China - Mistakes to Avoid
Key Things to Know about Direct Sourcing in China
Advantages of Sourcing Promotional Products from China
Importance of Incoming Quality Control in China
How to Start Product Importing from China to the UK?
How Can China Product Sourcing Benefit Your Business?
Practical Ways to Find Reliable Suppliers in China
Things to Consider for Importing Chinese Products
Everything About Using OEM Factories in China
Hiring a Buying Agent to Help Your Manufacturing in China
How a Sourcing Agency Helps Your Procurement in China?
Tips about Sea Shipping from China to the US
All You Need to Know about Quality Inspections
Things You Need to Know about Direct Sourcing from China
What You Need to Know about Product Sourcing for Amazon?
How to Successfully Negotiate Prices with China Suppliers?
Why is Shenzhen the Best Place for Sourcing Consumer Electronics?
A Guide for New Importers about China Shipping
Why Are QC Inspectors Important for Your China Sourcing?
11 Reasons to Hire a Sourcing Agent in China
Things to Know About Bulk Importing from China
How to Work with Metal Fabrication Factories in Shenzhen?
Why Do You Need Product Sourcing Services in China?
How to Ship Products from China to Amazon FBA?
Tips for Sourcing Products for Amazon Sellers
Challenges in Sourcing Products from China to Europe
How to Find and Hire a Buying Agent in Guangzhou?
Tips for Maintaining High Quality Supply Chain in China
How to Understand and Save International Freight Costs?
How to Choose Items and Buy in Bulk from China?
A Guide for Choosing Quality Inspection Services in China
Good Practices for Importing Products from China
Utilize 1688 Sourcing to Boost Your Product Purchasing
Why China Factory Audits Are Key to Your Success?
How to Create Mockups in China Successfully?
Important Steps Involved in Global Sourcing from China
Things You Need to Know About LCL Shipment
Key Advantages of Global Sourcing from China
A Guide for Importers on Quality Inspections in China
Everything You Need to Know about China Sourcing Agent
How to Source Custom Products Made in China?
Why Factory Audits Are Important for Importers?
Valuable Tips for Sourcing Consumer Products from China
What You Need to Know about Shipping from China?
Facts about Making Rapid Prototypes in China
Key Factors to Find a Reliable Sourcing Company
How to Negotiate Lower MOQ with China Suppliers?
Read More
Our Features
Custom Products
Turn concept to reality
Quick Response
Within 24 hours
Detail Oriented
Strive for perfection
Assured Quality
100% Guarantee