1688 Refunds and Returns: What Overseas Buyers Need to Know
1688 Refunds and Returns: What Overseas Buyers Need to Know
A purchase from 1688 has two distinct stages: the supplier's domestic sale to ZQ's Shenzhen warehouse, then any international order ZQ fulfills for your customer. A return request about the product while it is still in China follows the supplier's and 1688's applicable rules. A problem with an internationally fulfilled ZQ order belongs to ZQ's separate 30-day after-sales process. The 30-day period does not extend a supplier's 1688 return window.
First, identify which stage your order is in
| Stage | Whose rules apply? | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier has not dispatched the 1688 order | The supplier's order and cancellation terms | Ask ZQ to cancel before dispatch if you no longer want the item. Domestic return freight has not been incurred. |
| Supplier has dispatched; goods are in transit or at the Shenzhen warehouse | The 1688 listing, supplier terms and any applicable platform after-sales rules | Contact ZQ promptly with the purchase order, item, reason and evidence. Do not assume a cost-free return. |
| ZQ has fulfilled an international customer order | ZQ's separate international-order after-sales process | Report the order problem to ZQ with the customer order number and evidence. Do not treat the supplier's return window as ZQ's 30-day service window. |
If the supplier has already shipped
Many 1688 products have a return or exchange arrangement around seven days after receipt, but there is no single ZQ-wide seven-day guarantee for every listing. Check the actual listing and supplier's policy for the item. Other marketplaces used for purchasing can have different deadlines; their own rules apply to those purchases.
If the supplier accepts a return, confirm who pays the domestic return freight before sending anything back. Some suppliers agree to refund the product amount but do not cover the return shipment. When the buyer must pay that domestic freight, ZQ charges the corresponding amount to the customer's account. If the product has been opened, used or repacked, acceptance can become less likely. Keeping the original packaging and recording the condition on arrival helps ZQ discuss the case with the supplier.
After the applicable window, the supplier may accept or refuse a return. ZQ cannot create a new supplier return entitlement. For a wrong, damaged or defective product, ZQ can help present evidence and negotiate a return, replacement or other remedy, but the outcome depends on the supplier and the applicable platform rules.
How to raise a purchase-stage issue with ZQ
- Send the purchase order number and identify the affected SKU, quantity and supplier listing.
- Explain whether the item has been dispatched, received at the Shenzhen warehouse, opened or repacked.
- Provide clear photos or video of the wrong item, damage or quality problem, including the outer packaging where relevant.
- Ask ZQ to confirm the supplier's current return terms, deadline, proposed remedy and who bears domestic return freight before approving a return.
Customers who purchase through ZQ's authorized 1688 API workflow pay ZQ, not the 1688 supplier directly. They do not need to open their own 1688 or Alipay account for that workflow. ZQ therefore handles the supplier-side communication for those orders; a generic tutorial for clicking through a personal 1688 account would not describe this process accurately. If you placed and paid for an order directly on 1688 instead, use that order's current on-platform after-sales controls and the terms shown for its listing.
Common questions
Can I cancel without losing domestic return shipping? If the supplier has not dispatched, ask ZQ to cancel immediately. Once the supplier has shipped, return freight may be payable even if the product itself is refunded.
Does a quality problem always mean a full refund? No. ZQ helps present the issue and negotiate with the supplier, who may offer a return, replacement or another resolution under the applicable rules.
Does ZQ's 30-day after-sales period replace 1688's policy? No. The 30-day period concerns ZQ's internationally fulfilled orders. Purchasing-stage returns remain subject to the source platform and supplier.
For the purchasing workflow, see the 1688 dropshipping guide. For a problem after international fulfillment, contact ZQ with the relevant customer order number so the correct after-sales process can be applied.