How to Buy from 1688 Outside China: Agents, Payment & Cashback
Quick answer: You can buy from 1688 outside China in three ways: through a sourcing agent who pays suppliers in RMB and ships to you, directly with an international card where 1688's cross-border checkout appears, or via 1688's Cross-Border Pay for registered companies. Most overseas buyers start with an agent because 1688 has no built-in international shipping.
Key takeaways
- 1688 is Alibaba Group's domestic wholesale marketplace — Chinese language, RMB pricing, and factory-direct prices typically 20–40% below the same supplier's Alibaba.com listing.
- The platform doesn't ship internationally. Every overseas order needs a bridge: a sourcing agent, a freight forwarder address in China, or 1688's own cross-border program.
- Agents charge roughly 3–10% commission depending on order size — usually far less than the price gap you save by skipping Alibaba.com.
- Payment is the main barrier: standard checkout expects Alipay linked to a Chinese bank. International card checkout and Cross-Border Pay (跨境宝) close that gap for some accounts.
- Plan for consolidation: 1688 suppliers ship domestically to a warehouse first; your agent or forwarder then combines parcels into one international shipment.
What is 1688 and why do overseas buyers use it?
1688.com is Alibaba Group's business-to-business marketplace for the Chinese domestic market — the same company behind Alibaba.com and AliExpress, but aimed at buyers inside China. Because suppliers on 1688 pay lower platform fees and compete against price-sensitive domestic wholesalers, listed prices routinely run 20–40% below equivalent Alibaba.com listings, according to cost comparisons by sourcing firms.
That price gap is the entire reason the "how to buy from 1688" question exists. Many factories list identical products on both platforms — the Alibaba.com listing is the export storefront with English support and international logistics baked in; the 1688 listing is the domestic price. Experienced dropshippers and private-label sellers go to 1688 to capture that difference, and accept some extra friction to get it.
The friction is real, though. The site is in Chinese (browser translation works well enough for browsing), minimum order quantities are common, unit prices are tiered by volume, and — most importantly — 1688 assumes a Chinese delivery address and a Chinese payment method.
What are your options for buying from 1688 outside China?
Every workable setup answers two questions: who pays the supplier in RMB, and who gets the domestic parcel and puts it on an international shipment. The four realistic routes:
| Route | Who pays the supplier | Typical cost on top | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sourcing agent | Agent (you pay agent by PayPal/card/wire) | ~3–10% commission + QC/handling | First-time buyers, mixed orders from several suppliers | Agent receives, inspects, consolidates, ships DDP/air/sea |
| Direct — international card | You, at 1688's cross-border checkout | Card/FX fees | Buyers whose account shows the international payment option | Availability varies by account and region; still need a forwarder for shipping |
| Cross-Border Pay (跨境宝) | Your registered company | Program fees | Companies registered outside China | Requires business documents and Alipay compliance review — takes days |
| Just use Alibaba.com | You, normal checkout | 20–40% higher unit prices | Small trial orders, buyers who value English support and Trade Assurance | Simplest path; cashback of up to 9% partially offsets the higher price |
There's no single best answer. A useful rule of thumb: if your order is under a few hundred dollars or you're testing a supplier, the Alibaba.com premium is often worth paying. Once you reorder the same SKU at volume, the 1688 route usually wins even after agent fees — the 3–10% commission bands are small next to a 20–40% price gap.
How do you buy from 1688 step by step (agent route)?
The agent route is the one that works for everyone, everywhere, so here it is end to end:
- Find the product. Browse 1688.com with Chrome's built-in translation, or image-search with a product photo (the camera icon in the search bar) — it's often more reliable than translated keywords.
- Check the price tiers and MOQ. 1688 listings show unit prices that drop at quantity breakpoints (e.g. 2+, 50+, 500+ pieces). Confirm the tier you'd actually hit.
- Pick an agent. Established 1688 agents publish fee schedules — commission, QC, repackaging, storage. Compare at least two; transparent pricing is the main trust signal.
- Send links, get a quote. The agent confirms stock and price with the supplier in Chinese, then quotes you: goods + commission + domestic shipping + estimated international freight.
- Pay the agent. Typically PayPal, card, or bank transfer. The agent pays the supplier in RMB through 1688's normal checkout.
- Consolidate at the agent's warehouse. Suppliers ship domestically (often 2–5 days). The agent inspects, photographs, and combines multiple parcels into one shipment.
- Choose international shipping. Express (5–10 days), air freight, or sea freight for bulk; DDP options exist to most major markets. You pay actual weight/volume after consolidation.
Registration note: you can create a 1688 account by logging in with existing Alibaba.com or Alipay credentials, which is the smoothest path for foreigners, as covered in registration guides. An account lets you chat with suppliers and save listings even if an agent handles payment.
How do payments work if you want to buy direct?
Direct payment is where most self-serve attempts die, so know the terrain before trying:
- Standard checkout expects Alipay linked to a mainland Chinese bank card. Without one, this path is closed.
- International card checkout — some accounts accessing 1688 from abroad see an option to pay with Visa/Mastercard at checkout. When it appears it's the simplest direct route, but it isn't shown to every account or region, so treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
- Cross-Border Pay (跨境宝) is 1688's official program for overseas companies: you submit company registration documents to Alipay's compliance team, and after verification you can pay suppliers directly, as described in payment guides. Built for registered businesses, not individuals.
Even when payment works, remember the second half of the problem: the supplier still ships to a Chinese address. Direct payers pair checkout with a freight forwarder who provides a warehouse address and handles the international leg.
Can you get cashback on 1688 orders?
Yes — 1688 has an affiliate program, which means cashback tools can return a slice of qualifying orders, the same mechanism that pays up to 11% on AliExpress and up to 9% on Alibaba.com. Refundy supports 1688 alongside those platforms; rates vary by product, so check the live 1688 cashback page rather than assuming a flat number.
Two things are specific to 1688:
- Activation is manual. 1688 cashback isn't switched on automatically for every account — you request access through Refundy's support (send your account nickname), and the team enables it. Do this once, before your first order.
- Click before you pay. As on the other platforms, the cashback button must be clicked before submitting payment — eligible items show their status in the cart. This matters most if you pay direct; if an agent pays on your behalf through their own account, the order won't be tagged to you.
For a sense of how this compares across Alibaba Group's platforms, see our AliExpress vs Alibaba vs 1688 vs Taobao comparison and the AliExpress cashback guide.
Is 1688 worth it compared to Alibaba.com?
Run the numbers on your actual order rather than the folklore. A quick worked example on a $2,000 goods order:
- 1688 via agent: $2,000 goods + 5% commission ($100) + QC/handling (~$30) = ~$2,130 before freight.
- Alibaba.com direct: same goods at a 25% premium = $2,500, minus up to 9% cashback (~$225 back) = ~$2,275 net before freight.
In this example 1688 still wins by roughly $145, and the gap widens as order size grows and commission tiers drop. But flip the inputs — a 15% price gap, a small order where fixed fees bite, a supplier who only honors Trade Assurance on Alibaba — and Alibaba.com comes out ahead. The honest answer is that 1688 rewards volume and repeat orders; Alibaba.com rewards convenience and small tests. If you're sourcing on Alibaba.com first, our step-by-step Alibaba sourcing guide covers that path.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy from 1688 without an agent?
Yes, if two conditions hold: you can pay (your account shows international card checkout, or your company is verified for Cross-Border Pay) and you have a Chinese delivery address from a freight forwarder. If either is missing, an agent is the practical route.
Is 1688 legit and safe for international buyers?
1688 is owned and operated by Alibaba Group, so the platform itself is legitimate. Risk sits at the supplier level — quality variance and no English dispute flow — which is why agents bundle inspection and photos before international shipping.
Do 1688 prices include international shipping?
No. Listed prices cover the goods and sometimes domestic shipping within China. International freight, agent consolidation, and import duties are all added afterward — always compare landed cost, not listing price.
How do I get 1688 cashback with Refundy?
Install the Chrome extension, register, then request 1688 activation via support with your account nickname. Once enabled, eligible cart items show cashback status; click the cashback button before paying. Withdrawals go to PayPal from $5, released about 90 days after approval, with no withdrawal fees.
What does a 1688 sourcing agent cost?
Industry-standard commissions in 2026 run about 10% on orders under $10,000, 5–8% up to $50,000, and 3–5% above $100,000, plus per-service fees for QC, repackaging, and storage. Get the full fee schedule in writing before committing an order.
Update, August 2026: the new EU parcel duty changes the maths
Since 1 July 2026 the EU has applied a temporary flat customs duty of €3 per item on consignments worth up to €150, replacing the previous duty exemption. The charge is assessed per item by tariff classification rather than per parcel, so a single consolidated shipment holding several distinct product types is charged several times over. The European Commission's own worked example puts one silk blouse and two wool blouses at €6, because they fall under two different tariff sub-headings.
That detail matters more for 1688 than for most platforms, because consolidation through an agent is the normal route and a consolidated box is exactly where distinct tariff classifications accumulate. Two practical adjustments: consolidate fewer distinct product types per shipment where your order allows it, and model the duty per item type rather than per parcel before comparing a 1688 quote against Alibaba.com. Destination rules are covered in our guide to import tax and VAT in the UK and EU, which applies to any China-origin parcel regardless of platform. The flat fee is scheduled to run until 1 July 2028.
Images: Photo by David Vives on Unsplash · Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Refundy is a free Chrome extension that gives cashback on AliExpress (up to 11%), Alibaba.com (up to 9%), 1688, and Taobao. 1688 cashback requires one-time activation via support. Cashback excludes shipping, fees, taxes, and split payments — see the cashback terms for details.