How to Choose a 1688 Dropshipping Agent: Fees, QC and Return Questions

How to Choose a 1688 Dropshipping Agent: Fees, QC and Return Questions

The most useful test of a 1688 agent is a quote for one real listing and one specific SKU. Ask the agent to separate the supplier's product price, domestic China freight, purchasing fee, inspection, packing and international shipping. Then ask what happens if the item arrives damaged at the China warehouse. A low advertised percentage means little if the supplier link, inspection scope or return costs are unclear.

Can you verify the supplier's actual listing?

Ask for the original 1688 product URL and the exact variant, quantity and supplier price used in the quote. A listing price is not necessarily the amount paid to obtain the item: 1688 suppliers commonly charge domestic delivery to the China warehouse separately. If the agent provides only one bundled product figure, ask which costs it contains before comparing it with another provider.

ZQ bases 1688 purchasing on the real, publicly checkable supplier listing. Customers submit and pay for purchases through ZQ's authorized 1688 API workflow, so they do not need their own 1688 or Alipay account. ZQ's purchasing commission depends on the account plan: Basic 7% of the purchase amount, Advanced 3%, Enterprise 0%. Supplier domestic freight remains a separate cost. See the 1688 agent fees guide for a product-by-product comparison.

What does the agent actually inspect?

Ask for a written difference between a receiving check and paid inspection. At ZQ, the free receiving check is a quick visible check of the ordered item or variant, size label and obvious external damage. It is not a detailed functional or internal inspection, and it does not automatically produce photos. This is suited to products and suppliers you already know; a first order from an unfamiliar supplier or a high-value item is a stronger candidate for paid QC.

ZQ's paid QC is selected per SKU on the purchase order, not per unit. Basic QC costs $0.50 per selected SKU and includes three photos; electronic products also receive a basic electronic function test. For non-electronic products, the check focuses on visible appearance rather than testing every fastener or moving part. Advanced QC costs $1.00 per selected SKU, includes Basic QC, adds two close-up photos and checks for minor visible defects. A request to open sealed packaging or power on a product needs explicit customer authorization. The quality-inspection guide explains what each level covers and where customers can see the photos.

Can the agent explain every timing stage?

A useful timeline separates supplier dispatch, domestic delivery, warehouse receiving and international transit. A single number labelled 'shipping time' may refer only to the international carrier's ETA. At ZQ, the shipping calculator's ETA begins after the international carrier receives the parcel; it does not include the supplier's handling, transit to Shenzhen or warehouse work. Actual elapsed time depends on the supplier's dispatch, origin, parcel type and service selected. See the 1688 shipping timeline for the stage-by-stage explanation.

Who pays when a product must go back?

Ask the agent to explain both the source platform's return rules and its own fulfilled-order after-sales rules. They are not interchangeable. For ZQ purchases from 1688, the listing, supplier and platform determine the purchasing-stage return terms; many items have a return or exchange arrangement around seven days after receipt, but the exact terms vary. If the supplier accepts a return but does not cover domestic return freight, ZQ deducts that freight from the customer's account. ZQ's separate 30-day after-sales process concerns internationally fulfilled orders, not an extension of the 1688 supplier's return window. Read the 1688 returns guide before placing a time-sensitive order.

A short comparison checklist

Ask each agent	What a usable answer should show
Which product is being quoted?	Original listing link, SKU, quantity and supplier amount.
What is the full purchase cost?	Supplier amount, domestic freight and purchasing fee separately identified.
What does QC include?	Receiving check versus paid inspection, photo count, testing and charging unit.
When does the delivery estimate start?	Supplier, domestic, warehouse and international stages stated separately.
What happens after a defect?	Who contacts the supplier, the applicable return deadline and who pays return freight.

Before committing a high-volume order, use the same SKU and quantities for every quote. Ask for a small first purchase when you need to test a new supplier or inspection setup. No agent can guarantee a supplier will approve a return or ship at a fixed speed, so compare the process and the evidence you will receive, not just the headline rate.