After ordering from 1688, there is one step that is easy to overlook: telling your 1688 warehouse what is coming.
Do not wait until the courier shows “delivered.” Before the package arrives, send the warehouse your customer reference, 1688 order number, supplier name, domestic tracking number, expected parcel count, a short description of the goods, and any inspection or packaging instructions.
For a single parcel, missing one detail may only cause a small delay. For buyers ordering from five or ten suppliers, poor information quickly becomes a problem. A box can arrive at the correct China warehouse and still be difficult to identify if nobody knows whose order it is or what should happen next.
A useful rule is:
Your warehouse should know who owns the parcel, which order it belongs to, and what you want done after it arrives.
Why Your 1688 Warehouse Needs the Details Before Delivery
1688 purchasing and warehouse receiving are two different parts of the process.
You place and pay for the order on 1688. The supplier then sends the goods through a Chinese domestic courier.
Your 1688 warehouse handles the physical parcel after that.
The warehouse may receive packages from many suppliers and many customers on the same day. Staff normally cannot see everything inside your 1688 account. What they have in front of them is a physical box, a courier label and whatever information was submitted before arrival.
That creates a simple problem.
If the warehouse knows:
- who the customer is;
- which supplier sent the parcel;
- which tracking number to expect;
- how many cartons should arrive;
- what should be inside;
- what checks are required;
the package is much easier to register and process.
If this information is missing, warehouse staff may need to trace an unidentified package manually.
That is why the best time to organize your information is after the supplier ships but before the parcel reaches the warehouse.
1. Start With Your Customer or Warehouse Reference
The first job is not identifying the product. It is identifying you.
If your 1688 warehouse gives you a customer ID, account code, initials or another receiving reference, use that reference consistently.
Whenever possible, include it in the recipient information when placing the 1688 order.
For example, instead of giving the supplier only a warehouse contact name, the receiving details may contain a customer code together with that name.
This matters because warehouse staff may have several boxes in front of them with similar sender information.
A unique warehouse reference gives them another way to match the parcel.
Do not rely entirely on your personal name. Names can be entered differently, shortened or misspelled. A warehouse reference is usually easier to match consistently.
2. Save the 1688 Order Number
Next, record the 1688 order number.
This identifies the purchase transaction and helps connect the physical shipment with the goods you ordered.
It can be useful when checking:
- supplier;
- product;
- quantity;
- color;
- size;
- model;
- unit price;
- order history.
But there is one important distinction:
Your 1688 order number is not your domestic courier tracking number.
The order number identifies the transaction.
The tracking number identifies the physical shipment.
For warehouse receiving, you normally want both.
If tracking numbers are already becoming difficult to manage across several suppliers, our guide to matching 1688 tracking numbers with China warehouse packages explains how to keep the two records separate.
3. Tell the Warehouse Which Supplier Is Shipping
Supplier information becomes much more useful as the number of orders grows.
Imagine buying from three 1688 sellers:
| Supplier | Product | Expected Parcels |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier A | Phone cases | 2 |
| Supplier B | USB cables | 1 |
| Supplier C | Retail boxes | 3 |
That is already six incoming parcels.
Simply telling the warehouse, “I have three orders coming,” does not provide enough information.
For each shipment, give your 1688 warehouse a recognizable supplier or store name together with a short product description.
If a courier number later turns out to be incomplete or incorrect, the supplier information gives the warehouse another reference when checking the package.
4. Send the Domestic Tracking Number as Soon as the Supplier Ships
This is the most important parcel-level reference.
After a 1688 seller dispatches your goods, a Chinese domestic courier number should normally become available.
Send it to your warehouse once the supplier has shipped. There is little benefit in waiting until delivery.
China’s express-delivery rules require courier operators to manage waybill codes together with user and parcel information so that shipments can be tracked. You can review the relevant requirements in China’s official Express Delivery Market Management Measures.
For the buyer, the practical lesson is simpler: the tracking number is the strongest link between the courier movement and the physical package arriving at the warehouse.
It should not, however, be the only information you send.
One 1688 Order May Have Several Tracking Numbers
This catches many first-time buyers.
One order does not always equal one parcel.
For example, you may buy 300 pieces from one supplier. Because of carton size or stock availability, the seller may ship:
- carton 1 today;
- carton 2 today;
- carton 3 tomorrow.
That may create three different tracking numbers.
If you submit only the first number to your 1688 warehouse, two later cartons may be harder to match.
Whenever a supplier ships, ask:
How many physical parcels or cartons did you send?
Then collect every tracking number.
This is more reliable than assuming one supplier means one box.
5. Tell the Warehouse How Many Parcels to Expect
Parcel count is easy to overlook, but it can prevent an incomplete order from moving forward too early.
Suppose the supplier says:
4 cartons shipped
and your warehouse records:
3 cartons received
You immediately know there may still be another parcel in transit.
Without the expected carton count, those three boxes can easily look like a complete delivery.
This becomes important before inspection, repacking and especially consolidation.
If the supplier cannot confirm the final carton quantity when it first ships, write:
Parcel count pending — I will update after supplier confirmation.
That is still better than leaving the field blank.
6. Add a Short, Useful Product Description
You do not need to copy the full 1688 listing into every warehouse message.
A simple description is usually enough:
- 50 black phone cases;
- 100 jewelry boxes;
- 20 stainless steel bottles;
- women’s cotton T-shirts;
- machine spare parts;
- LED desk lamps.
Avoid descriptions such as:
- goods;
- accessories;
- samples;
- products;
- my 1688 order.
Those words do very little to help an 1688 warehouse identify an unknown package.
For similar products, add one or two useful details such as color, model, size or quantity.
A product screenshot can also help if the item is difficult to describe.
7. Do Not Write “Please Check Everything”
This is one of the biggest differences between simply receiving a package and using a warehouse properly.
If you want an inspection, tell the warehouse what actually matters.
“Please check the goods” sounds clear, but it leaves too much room for interpretation.
For clothing, you might care about:
- quantity;
- color;
- size;
- visible stains;
- printing;
- labels.
For packaging products:
- quantity;
- printing position;
- surface damage;
- color;
- dimensions.
For accessories:
- model;
- finish;
- scratches;
- obvious missing parts;
- quantity.
Your 1688 warehouse cannot know which defect would make you reject the order unless you explain it.
A basic visual check is also different from detailed quality inspection. If dimensions, function, materials or other technical requirements matter, confirm whether the warehouse can perform those checks before the goods arrive.
8. Tell the Warehouse What You Want Photographed
“Send me photos” can create the same problem.
You may receive general pictures when what you really needed was a close-up of one label.
A better request would be:
- one photo showing the full quantity;
- close-up of the product surface;
- photo of model label;
- photo of retail packaging;
- photo of any visible damage;
- photo of the supplier carton before opening.
For some products, a short video may be more useful than another set of photos.
The point is not to request as many images as possible. It is to request evidence that helps you make a decision.
9. Give Packaging Instructions Before Repacking Starts
A China warehouse may see several layers of packaging:
courier bag → supplier carton → retail packaging → product
Not all of these layers have the same value.
You might want to remove an oversized supplier carton but keep the retail boxes.
Or you may want the warehouse to keep everything untouched.
Tell them before repacking.
Useful instructions include:
- Keep all original retail boxes.
- Remove only the outer courier bags.
- Do not remove product labels.
- Keep manuals and accessories with each item.
- Contact me before discarding original packaging.
- Remove unnecessary outer cartons after I approve the inspection.
This is particularly important when repacking is being used to reduce unnecessary shipment volume.
10. Tell the 1688 Warehouse Whether Other Suppliers Are Still Shipping
Many buyers use a warehouse because they do not want every 1688 supplier shipped internationally on its own.
That means receiving is often followed by waiting.
Supplier A may arrive Monday.
Supplier B arrives Wednesday.
Supplier C ships late and does not arrive until the following Monday.
The warehouse needs to know whether the first two packages should move forward or remain in storage.
A clear instruction could be:
Receive and inspect this parcel, but hold it. Three other supplier orders are still coming. Do not consolidate yet.
That one sentence can prevent premature repacking.
If you are combining several supplier orders, the next stage is covered in our guide to package consolidation from China.
11. Say What Should Happen If the Inspection Finds a Problem
This is a detail many warehouse instructions miss.
Do not tell the warehouse only what to check. Tell it what to do if something is wrong.
For example:
- If quantity is short, stop and send photos.
- If the color is wrong, do not consolidate.
- If the supplier carton is damaged, photograph it before opening.
- If everything matches, hold the goods for the other suppliers.
- Do not ship internationally until I approve the inspection.
Clear instructions create a stopping point.
That matters because once several supplier packages have been unpacked, mixed and repacked together, resolving a supplier problem can become more complicated.
A Practical Example: Three Suppliers and Six Parcels
Here is what a usable warehouse record might look like:
| Information | Supplier A | Supplier B | Supplier C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Phone cases | USB cables | Printed boxes |
| 1688 order | Order A | Order B | Order C |
| Tracking numbers | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Expected parcels | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Inspection | Quantity + color | Quantity + visible condition | Printing + quantity |
| Packaging | Keep product bags | Remove courier bag | Keep retail boxes |
| After inspection | Hold | Hold | Hold |
| Consolidation | Wait | Wait | Wait |
Now compare that with sending your warehouse six courier screenshots with no explanation.
The first version tells staff what the parcels are, how many should arrive and what to do.
The second makes the warehouse work backward to reconstruct your order.
A Simple Message Template for Your 1688 Warehouse
For repeat purchasing, use the same format every time.
Customer reference:
[Your warehouse ID]
1688 supplier:
[Supplier/store name]
1688 order number:
[Order number]
Domestic courier:
[Courier]
Tracking number(s):
[All tracking numbers]
Expected parcels:
[Number of cartons/packages]
Product:
[Short description]
Quantity:
[Expected quantity]
Inspection:
[What should be checked]
Photos/video:
[What should be shown]
Packaging:
[Keep/remove instructions]
Other supplier orders:
[Still coming / all received]
After inspection:
[Hold / wait for approval / prepare for consolidation]
You do not need a long message. You need a complete one.
What If the Package Reaches the Warehouse Before You Send the Details?
It happens.
Start with the domestic tracking number.
Then provide:
- customer reference;
- supplier;
- 1688 order number;
- product description;
- expected parcel count;
- shipment screenshot if available.
The warehouse can compare those details with any unidentified parcels it has received.
The package may still be found quickly, but identifying it after arrival usually creates more manual work than registering it in advance.
For a closer look at what happens during check-in, see our guide to the China warehouse receiving process.
1688 Order Number vs Tracking Number vs Warehouse Reference
These three identifiers do different jobs.
| Reference | Main Purpose |
|---|---|
| 1688 order number | Identifies the purchase transaction |
| Domestic tracking number | Identifies the courier shipment |
| Warehouse reference | Identifies the warehouse customer |
A well-organized 1688 warehouse can use them together.
The order number tells staff what you purchased.
The tracking number tells them which physical shipment arrived.
The warehouse reference tells them who owns it.
None is a perfect replacement for the other two.
What Information Is Actually Essential?
If you are in a hurry, prioritize these seven fields:
- Customer or warehouse reference
- Supplier name
- 1688 order number
- Domestic tracking number
- Expected parcel count
- Product description
- Required warehouse action
The seventh field is important.
A warehouse does not only need to know what the parcel is.
It needs to know what you want done with it.
For example:
Receive only
is different from:
Receive → open → count → photograph → wait for my approval
and both are different from:
Receive → hold unopened → wait for three other suppliers
That distinction is what turns basic parcel receiving into an organized warehouse workflow.
FAQ
Should I Send My 1688 Order Number or Tracking Number to the Warehouse?
Ideally, send both. The 1688 order number identifies your purchase transaction, while the domestic tracking number identifies the physical parcel moving from the supplier to your warehouse.
When Should I Send the Tracking Number?
Send it as soon as the supplier dispatches the order and the domestic courier number becomes available. Waiting until the package has already been delivered gives the warehouse less time to prepare for receiving and identification.
What If One 1688 Supplier Sends Several Packages?
Send every tracking number and tell the warehouse how many parcels or cartons you expect. One 1688 order can be divided into several physical shipments.
Do I Need to Send the 1688 Product Link?
Not always. A short and specific product description is often enough. A product link or screenshot is useful when the item is difficult to identify or when you want the warehouse to check specific product details.
Should I Send Inspection Instructions Before the Package Arrives?
Yes. If you need quantity checks, photos, color checks, visible-condition checks or other inspection work, send those requirements before receiving whenever possible.
Should I Tell the Warehouse About Other 1688 Orders That Have Not Arrived?
Yes. If several supplier orders will later be consolidated, tell the warehouse which shipments are still expected and ask it to hold the received goods until you are ready for consolidation.
Can the Warehouse Remove Unnecessary Packaging?
Depending on the products and the service you request, unnecessary courier or transport packaging may be removed during repacking. Make it clear which retail boxes, labels, manuals or accessories must be kept.
Before the Package Arrives: Final Check
Before each 1688 supplier shipment reaches your China warehouse, ask three questions.
Can the Warehouse Identify the Owner?
Send your customer or warehouse reference.
Can the Warehouse Identify the Shipment?
Send the supplier, 1688 order number, tracking number, parcel count and product description.
Does the Warehouse Know What to Do Next?
Send inspection, photo, packaging, holding and consolidation instructions.
If the answer to all three is yes, receiving becomes much easier.
An 1688 warehouse is most useful when it is not just a delivery address. It becomes the point where supplier parcels are identified, checked and organized before the next stage of international shipping.
The process starts before the courier arrives.
Send the information early, record every tracking number and make your instructions specific. That gives the warehouse a much better chance of handling each parcel correctly the first time.