What Is 1688.com? A Practical Guide for Overseas Sellers
Last reviewed: September 23, 2026.
1688.com is Alibaba Group's domestic Chinese wholesale marketplace. It connects buyers with manufacturers, wholesalers and other suppliers across many product categories. Alibaba Group describes 1688 as an integrated domestic wholesale marketplace founded in 1999 and a product source for Chinese e-commerce. See Alibaba Group's official 1688 profile.
For an overseas seller, the important point is not simply that 1688 has wholesale listings. The practical challenge is completing the Chinese purchasing, domestic delivery, receiving, inspection, packing and international fulfillment steps after selecting a product.
1688, Alibaba.com and AliExpress Are Different Marketplaces
These platforms share the Alibaba name but serve different primary buying situations.
| Marketplace | Primary role | Typical buying context |
|---|---|---|
| 1688.com | Domestic Chinese wholesale marketplace | Sourcing from Chinese suppliers for resale, production or fulfillment |
| Alibaba.com | International B2B marketplace | Cross-border wholesale, manufacturing and trade enquiries |
| AliExpress | International retail marketplace | Consumer purchases and smaller cross-border orders |
A 1688 listing may show an attractive product price, but that number is not automatically the complete cost delivered to an overseas customer. The selected variant, quantity, supplier's domestic China freight, purchasing service fee, inspection, packing and international shipping all need to be separated and understood.
Do ZQ Customers Need Their Own 1688 or Alipay Account?
No. Customers using ZQ Solution's 1688 purchasing workflow do not need to open their own 1688 or Alipay account. ZQ is an official 1688 API-authorized partner. The customer submits the product and variant through ZQ, pays ZQ, and ZQ places the supplier order through the official API workflow.
This also means the customer is not limited to a personally accessible 1688 product pool. The purchasing workflow is handled through ZQ rather than requiring the customer to complete a separate 1688 checkout. For the account question in more detail, see Do Overseas Buyers Need Their Own 1688 Account to Use ZQ?.
What Does a 1688 Purchase Cost Through ZQ?
ZQ keeps the supplier listing link visible so the product source and selected listing can be checked. The purchasing commission depends on the customer's ZQ account level:
| ZQ account level | 1688 purchasing commission |
|---|---|
| Basic | 7% of the product purchase amount |
| Advanced | 3% of the product purchase amount |
| Enterprise | 0% purchasing commission |
The supplier's domestic China freight is a separate supplier charge. Therefore, the amount paid for a 1688 order can be higher than the displayed product amount even before international shipping is added. This difference should not be presented as a hidden product markup. See the 1688 agent fee and cost guide for worked product examples.
How the ZQ 1688 Workflow Works
- Choose the listing and variant. The customer imports or submits the real 1688 product link and confirms the required specification and quantity.
- Create the purchase request. ZQ calculates the product purchase amount, the supplier's domestic freight and the account-level purchasing commission.
- ZQ places the order. The supplier order is submitted through ZQ's official 1688 API workflow.
- The supplier ships to ZQ's Shenzhen warehouse. For ordinary non-custom products, many suppliers dispatch within 24–48 hours; weekends, distance, oversize goods and restricted goods can extend the domestic leg.
- ZQ receives and processes the goods. The standard receiving check confirms the ordered item or variant and visible condition. Detailed photos, closer defect inspection or functional checks require the selected paid QC service.
- The customer chooses the fulfillment path. Products can be fulfilled as individual Dropship orders or consolidated into a Bulk Ship order for larger transport or overseas warehouse replenishment.
Dropship and Bulk Ship Solve Different Needs
| Service | Best suited to | What happens after receiving |
|---|---|---|
| Dropship | Individual customer orders | ZQ receives, processes and sends each order through an international parcel route |
| Bulk Ship | Small-batch inventory, multiple suppliers, marketplace replenishment or oversize goods such as furniture | ZQ receives and consolidates products, prepares the shipment and arranges the selected freight route |
A seller can also combine the two models: test demand with dropshipping, then replenish proven products in small batches to ZQ's overseas warehouses for local fulfillment.
Returns Depend on the Business Stage
1688 purchasing after-sales rules and ZQ's international fulfillment after-sales window are not the same policy.
- Before the supplier ships: an order may usually be cancelled without losing domestic freight, subject to the supplier order status.
- After the supplier ships: return eligibility follows the listing, supplier terms and 1688 platform rules. Many eligible products use approximately seven days after warehouse receipt as the key return period. Domestic return freight may still be payable by the buyer.
- After ZQ fulfills and internationally ships the order: ZQ's 30-day after-sales request window applies from delivery for the fulfilled international order.
Custom products, opened sealed packaging and returns requested after a supplier's allowed period may not be accepted. When a quality problem is found, ZQ contacts or follows the customer's preset handling rule and helps communicate with the supplier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 1688.com legitimate?
Yes. It is an Alibaba Group domestic wholesale marketplace. Supplier quality and terms still vary by listing, so a legitimate marketplace does not remove the need to verify the exact supplier, variant and product quality.
Can an overseas buyer use 1688 without registering personally?
Yes, through ZQ's purchasing workflow. ZQ customers do not need their own 1688 or Alipay account because ZQ places the supplier order through its official API connection.
Are 1688 prices always lower than Alibaba.com or AliExpress?
No universal price claim applies to every product. Compare the same variant, quantity, domestic freight, service fee, inspection requirement and international destination. A low displayed unit price is not the same as the complete landed cost.
Does a 1688 listing price include shipping to ZQ?
Not necessarily. On 1688, the product amount and the supplier's domestic China freight are commonly calculated separately. Both need to be included when confirming the supplier order total.
Can ZQ buy a single sample if the supplier has an MOQ?
ZQ can ask the supplier whether it will sell one unit or a sample, but approval is not guaranteed. If the supplier refuses, ZQ can also look for a comparable listing with a lower MOQ and let the customer decide whether to switch.
What should a new seller read next?
Start with the complete 1688 dropshipping guide, then review how overseas payment works and the shipping timeline guide.