Buying from 1688 and shipping internationally can help importers access Chinese manufacturers, wholesalers and competitive domestic-market pricing. However, the process is different from ordering from an international retail website.
1688 is operated by Alibaba Group and is positioned as a major domestic wholesale marketplace in China. It primarily connects manufacturers and wholesale sellers with buyers operating in the Chinese market. International customers may therefore need help with Chinese communication, domestic delivery, warehouse receiving, inspection, consolidation, customs documentation and international transportation.
This guide explains how to buy from 1688, send orders to a China warehouse, check the products before export and arrange international shipping safely and efficiently.
What Is 1688?
1688.com is a Chinese wholesale marketplace offering products across categories such as:
- Clothing and accessories
- Packaging materials
- Electronics
- Home products
- Office supplies
- Tools and hardware
- Furniture
- Industrial components
- Beauty products
- Custom-manufactured goods
Unlike Alibaba.com, which is designed more directly for international trade, 1688 focuses on China’s domestic wholesale market.
This means listings, seller communication, payment arrangements, delivery addresses and product documents may be designed primarily for Chinese buyers.
Can International Buyers Purchase from 1688?
International buyers can source products from 1688, but the process may require additional preparation.
Common challenges include:
- A Chinese-language interface
- Suppliers communicating mainly in Chinese
- China domestic delivery requirements
- Chinese-format recipient information
- Payment or identity-verification restrictions
- Sellers with limited international-export experience
- No direct international shipping option
- Difficulty checking goods before export
A practical solution is to use a China warehouse.
You place the order yourself and ask the supplier to deliver the products to the warehouse. The warehouse can then receive, identify, inspect, photograph, consolidate and repack the goods before international shipping.
Step 1: Define the Product You Need
Before searching on 1688, prepare a clear product specification.
Include:
- Product name
- Material
- Dimensions
- Color
- Model
- Quantity
- Packaging requirements
- Logo requirements
- Target unit price
- Required certification
- Destination country
For customized products, prepare drawings, reference photographs, artwork or technical specifications.
A vague inquiry such as “I need this product at the best price” usually produces less reliable quotations than a detailed specification.
Consider the destination market
The cheapest product is not always the lowest-cost option.
A product may also need to comply with destination requirements related to:
- Electrical safety
- Product labelling
- Language
- Ingredients
- Radio frequencies
- Packaging
- Environmental standards
- Import licences
- Intellectual-property rights
Confirm these requirements before placing a large order.
Step 2: Search for Products and Suppliers
Searching with Chinese keywords generally produces more relevant results.
You can translate the product name into Chinese and try several variations, including:
- Product category
- Material
- Manufacturing process
- Model number
- Wholesale terminology
- Customization terms
Do not select a supplier based only on the lowest displayed price.
The listing price may depend on:
- Order quantity
- Product specification
- Material grade
- Packaging
- Color
- Customization
- Tax treatment
- Domestic delivery cost
Ask the supplier to confirm the final specification and price in writing.
Step 3: Compare Several Suppliers
Shortlist at least three suitable suppliers before making a decision.
Compare:
- Product specification
- Minimum order quantity
- Sample availability
- Unit price
- Production time
- Customization capability
- Packaging
- Domestic delivery time
- Return conditions
- Communication quality
Factory or trading company?
A factory may offer better customization and production control, while a trading company may offer a wider product range and smaller quantities.
Neither structure is automatically better.
The correct choice depends on:
- Your order size
- Product complexity
- Quality requirements
- Required lead time
- Number of product categories
Step 4: Verify the Supplier
Supplier verification reduces risk, but no single check guarantees that an order will be successful.
Consider requesting:
- Chinese business licence
- Company name
- Factory address
- Product catalogue
- Product photographs
- Production videos
- Sample invoice
- Certifications
- Test reports
- Export history, where relevant
Check whether the company name on the invoice, payment information and business documents is consistent.
For branded products, request evidence that the seller is legally authorized to manufacture or distribute the goods. Counterfeit products can be detained or seized during transportation or customs clearance.
Step 5: Order a Sample
A sample can help you evaluate:
- Material quality
- Size
- Color
- Workmanship
- Packaging
- Product function
- Supplier communication
- Domestic delivery time
A good sample does not guarantee that the full production batch will be identical. For larger orders, confirm the approved sample and production requirements in writing.
For customized goods, establish clear approval points for:
- Design
- Material
- Pre-production sample
- Packaging
- Mass production
Step 6: Arrange a China Warehouse Address
Before placing the order, contact your warehouse or shipping service provider.
Provide:
- Product link
- Product description
- Quantity
- Estimated value
- Destination country
- Destination postcode
- Battery information
- Liquid or powder content
- Magnetic content
- Required warehouse services
The warehouse should confirm whether the product can be received and whether an appropriate international shipping route is available.
You may receive:
- A Chinese warehouse address
- Contact name
- Chinese phone number
- Customer reference
- Package identification instructions
The supplier must include the correct reference. Otherwise, the warehouse may have difficulty determining which customer owns the package.
Step 7: Place the Order on 1688
Before making payment, confirm the following with the supplier:
- Exact product
- Quantity
- Unit price
- Total price
- Domestic delivery cost
- Processing time
- Packaging
- Warehouse address
- Customer reference
- Return conditions
Save copies of:
- Product listing
- Order confirmation
- Supplier conversation
- Payment record
- Invoice
- Domestic tracking number
These records may be needed for warehouse identification, supplier disputes, customs clearance or shipping claims.
Step 8: Track the Domestic Delivery
After the supplier dispatches the goods, send the domestic tracking number to the warehouse.
The warehouse can use it to:
- Identify the expected package
- Match it with your customer record
- Confirm arrival
- Check the visible condition of the outer package
- Record the supplier shipment
Warehouse receipt only confirms that a package arrived. It does not automatically confirm the quantity, quality or exact contents.
Those checks require a separate inspection process.
Step 9: Inspect the Goods at the Warehouse
After arrival, the warehouse may open the supplier package and perform an agreed basic visual inspection.
This can include checking:
- Quantity
- Product model
- Color
- Size markings
- General appearance
- Visible damage
- Missing accessories
- Packaging condition
A basic warehouse inspection is not the same as professional quality control.
It usually does not include:
- Laboratory testing
- Destructive testing
- Product authentication
- Internal-component inspection
- Long-term functional testing
- Regulatory certification
For technically complex or high-value orders, consider hiring an independent quality-control company for a detailed pre-shipment inspection.
Step 10: Review Photos or Videos
The warehouse can take product photographs or videos and send them through WhatsApp or another agreed channel.
Review:
- Product appearance
- Quantity shown
- Color
- Model number
- Packaging
- Accessories
- Visible defects
- Labels
- Damage
You can then decide whether to:
- Accept the goods
- Request more photographs
- Request measurements
- Return the goods to the supplier
- Ask the supplier for replacement
- Continue to consolidation and shipping
This step is valuable because correcting a supplier problem while the goods are still in China is usually easier than resolving it after international delivery.
Step 11: Consolidate Multiple Supplier Orders
One major advantage of a China warehouse is the ability to combine orders from different suppliers.
For example, a buyer may order:
- Packaging from Supplier A
- Accessories from Supplier B
- Finished products from Supplier C
- Labels from Supplier D
Instead of sending four international shipments, the warehouse can receive all four orders and consolidate them into fewer cartons.
Consolidation may reduce:
- Duplicate packaging
- Separate handling charges
- Empty carton space
- Number of international parcels
However, products should only be consolidated when they are compatible with the selected transportation and customs plan.
Step 12: Remove Unnecessary Packaging and Repack
Supplier packages are often designed for short-distance domestic delivery rather than international transportation.
A warehouse may remove:
- Courier bags
- Damaged outer cartons
- Excessive filler
- Duplicate cartons
- Unnecessary empty space
It can then repack the goods using:
- Stronger cartons
- Bubble wrap
- Foam protection
- Waterproof wrapping
- Reinforced tape
- Corner protection
- Wooden cases or pallets where necessary
Original retail boxes, product labels, manuals and accessories should normally be retained unless you provide different instructions.
Why repacking affects shipping cost
Many carriers compare actual weight with dimensional or volumetric weight and charge according to the higher figure. A lightweight but oversized carton may therefore cost more than a compact carton of the same physical weight.
Removing unnecessary space can reduce chargeable weight, although a specific saving cannot be guaranteed until the final package is measured.
Step 13: Choose an International Shipping Method
The best shipping method depends on the product, size, urgency, destination and budget.
Express courier
Suitable for:
- Samples
- Documents
- Small parcels
- Urgent goods
Advantages include fast transit and detailed tracking. Costs can be high for bulky shipments.
Air freight
Suitable for:
- Medium-sized shipments
- Higher-value goods
- Time-sensitive inventory
Air freight is generally faster than sea transport but more expensive.
Sea freight
Suitable for:
- Heavy goods
- Large orders
- Pallets
- Commercial inventory
Sea freight usually provides a lower cost per unit for large cargo, but transit and handling take longer.
Delivery to your own freight forwarder
You may ask the warehouse to deliver the completed shipment to your appointed freight forwarder in China.
Provide the correct:
- Warehouse address
- Contact name
- Phone number
- Customer code
- Receiving instructions
Responsibility for subsequent international transportation normally transfers according to your agreement with that freight forwarder.
DDP door-to-door shipping
DDP means Delivered Duty Paid under the ICC Incoterms® framework. Under the formal DDP rule, the seller carries extensive responsibility for transportation, export clearance, import clearance and applicable import duties up to the named destination.
In practice, always check the written quotation carefully.
Confirm whether it includes:
- Export handling
- International freight
- Customs-clearance coordination
- Import duty
- VAT or GST
- Brokerage
- Last-mile delivery
- Remote-area charges
Do not assume that every fee is included simply because the service is described as door-to-door.
Step 14: Prepare Customs Information
International shipments require accurate customs information.
Common information includes:
- Product description
- Material
- Quantity
- Unit value
- Total value
- Country of origin
- Intended use
- HS code
- Recipient details
- Invoice
- Import permit, where required
The Harmonized System is the international product-classification framework developed by the World Customs Organization and is used by more than 200 countries and economies as the basis for customs tariffs and trade statistics.
Do not use vague descriptions such as:
- Accessories
- Gifts
- Samples
- Parts
- General goods
Use an accurate commercial description, such as:
- Cotton T-shirts
- Stainless-steel kitchen utensils
- Plastic mobile phone cases
- LED desk lamps
Customs authorities may request proof of purchase, payment records or product information.
Step 15: Confirm Product Restrictions
Some goods require advance approval, special documentation or specialist transportation.
Examples include:
- Lithium batteries
- Power banks
- Liquids
- Powders
- Aerosols
- Perfume
- Cosmetics
- Food
- Medicines
- Chemicals
- Magnets
- Branded goods
- Drones
- Radio equipment
Lithium batteries are regulated as dangerous goods for air transportation and must comply with applicable testing, packaging, marking and documentation requirements.
Send complete product information to the logistics provider before purchasing restricted goods. Physical arrival at a warehouse does not guarantee that a compliant shipping route will be available.
Step 16: Receive Tracking and Shipment Updates
After dispatch, the shipping provider should provide the available:
- Tracking number
- Carrier information
- Shipment reference
- Dispatch date
- Major transit updates
- Local delivery number, where available
Some consolidated routes do not update at every stage.
A shipment may travel under:
- A China domestic reference
- An international freight reference
- A destination customs reference
- A local last-mile tracking number
A temporary absence of tracking scans does not necessarily mean the shipment is lost.
What Does It Cost to Buy from 1688 and Ship Internationally?
Your total landed cost may include:
- Product price
- China domestic delivery
- Warehouse receiving
- Inspection
- Additional photography
- Consolidation
- Packaging materials
- Storage
- International freight
- Customs duty
- VAT or GST
- Payment charges
- Insurance
- Last-mile delivery
Calculate the total cost before deciding whether a product is commercially viable.
A low unit price can become uncompetitive when the product is bulky, restricted, fragile or subject to high import duties.
Illustrative Buying Example
Consider an importer purchasing household accessories from four 1688 suppliers.
Each supplier sends separate packages to the same Guangzhou warehouse.
The warehouse:
- Registers the domestic tracking numbers
- Opens the packages
- Checks quantities and visible condition
- Sends photographs through WhatsApp
- Receives the buyer’s approval
- Removes unnecessary courier packaging
- Consolidates the goods into reinforced cartons
- Measures the final weight and dimensions
- Provides international shipping options
- Dispatches the shipment and sends tracking details
This example shows how a warehouse can provide visibility and coordination between the domestic purchase and international delivery stages.
It does not eliminate supplier, customs or transportation risk, but it gives the buyer an opportunity to identify visible problems before the goods leave China.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing only by price
An unusually low price may reflect different materials, specifications, packaging or quality.
Sending restricted goods without approval
Always disclose batteries, liquids, powders, chemicals, magnets and other regulated contents.
Using an incomplete warehouse address
Include the exact contact name, phone number and customer reference provided by the warehouse.
Skipping inspection
Once goods leave China, returns can become expensive and difficult.
Ignoring volumetric weight
Large lightweight packaging can significantly increase the chargeable shipping weight.
Using inaccurate customs descriptions
False or incomplete declarations can cause delays, penalties, reassessment or seizure.
Assuming DDP includes everything
Read the quotation and confirm which duties, taxes, customs charges and delivery fees are included.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 1688 ship directly to another country?
Some suppliers may offer export support, but 1688 is primarily a Chinese domestic wholesale marketplace. Many international buyers use a China warehouse or freight forwarder to manage domestic receiving and export shipping.
Can I combine orders from different 1688 suppliers?
Yes. A warehouse can receive different domestic parcels and consolidate compatible goods into fewer international shipments.
Can the warehouse check product quality?
A warehouse can perform a basic visual inspection. Detailed functional testing, factory audits, laboratory testing and professional quality-control services should be arranged separately.
Is DDP always the best shipping option?
No. DDP may simplify customs and delivery, but availability and cost depend on the product, destination and route. Compare it with express, air freight, sea freight and delivery to your own freight forwarder.
How can I reduce shipping costs?
Use compact packaging, consolidate compatible orders, remove unnecessary external packaging and compare suitable transportation methods. Final cost depends on both weight and package volume.
Should I buy commercial insurance?
Commercial cargo insurance should be considered for high-value, fragile or commercially important goods. Review the insured value, exclusions, deductible and claims procedure before dispatch.
Final Checklist
Before buying from 1688, confirm:
- The product specification is complete
- The supplier has been reviewed
- A sample has been checked where appropriate
- The product is legal to export and import
- The warehouse has approved the product
- The correct warehouse reference is included
- Domestic tracking information is saved
- Inspection instructions are clear
- Photos or videos are approved
- Repacking requirements are confirmed
- Shipping charges are based on final measurements
- Customs information is accurate
- Insurance has been considered
- Tracking details are available
Conclusion
Buying from 1688 and shipping internationally is most effective when the process is divided into clear stages.
Start with supplier and product verification. Send the goods to a reliable China warehouse. Inspect and photograph the products before export. Consolidate compatible orders, remove unnecessary packaging and select a shipping method based on the actual product, destination and budget.
A structured workflow gives international buyers better visibility before their goods leave China and helps reduce avoidable problems involving incorrect products, oversized packaging, customs documentation and transportation.
1688 Delivery is an independent warehouse and shipping service operated by VANTAGE WORLDWIDE TRADING LIMITED. It is not affiliated with or officially endorsed by 1688.com or Alibaba Group.