1688 is a well-known brand in global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce

1688 affiliated with the Alibaba Group. This platform primarily gathers numerous manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors, aiming to provide China's small businesses with the world's largest procurement and wholesale market.

Through 1688, buyers and sellers worldwide can conduct transactions conveniently and securely, effectively addressing the difficulties encountered by small businesses in the procurement and wholesale process, further enhancing their market competitiveness.

Features of 1688

Unlike retail e-commerce platforms such as Taobao and Pinduoduo, 1688 primarily caters to wholesale procurement. Overseas sellers can find a vast amount of wholesale sources here to purchase at more favorable prices.

Wholesale vs. Dropshipping

Generally, wholesale prices are cheaper than dropshipping prices, depending on the specific products. Dropshipping allows for single-item shipment, while wholesale often has a minimum order quantity requirement, ranging from one or two pieces to dozens or more. Naturally, the larger the quantity, the cheaper the price.

The differences between wholesale and dropshipping on 1688 are evident in several aspects:

Wholesale prices are typically more favorable than dropshipping prices. To attract bulk buyers, wholesalers offer lower unit prices. Dropshipping, on the other hand, involves higher costs due to single-item shipping and services, resulting in slightly higher prices.

Wholesale often has a minimum order quantity requirement, ensuring cost reduction through bulk sales and reflecting the seller's expectations for sales scale. Dropshipping, however, does not have such a requirement, allowing customers to purchase even a single item.

Shipping policies may vary between wholesale and dropshipping. Some wholesalers offer free shipping when customers purchase a certain quantity of goods. In contrast, dropshipping typically requires customers to bear the shipping costs due to single-item shipment.

Wholesale services are generally simpler, involving only order fulfillment. Dropshipping, however, involves more steps such as product inspection, packaging, and shipping, requiring more service support from the dropshipper.

Return policies may differ between wholesale and dropshipping. Wholesale transactions, involving larger quantities, tend to have stricter return policies, such as no unconditional returns or requiring customers to bear shipping costs for returns. Dropshipping, with smaller quantities, may have more lenient return policies.

Customers interested in dropshipping usually need to submit an application to the dropshipper. The application process may involve filling out personal information and submitting review materials. Wholesalers, on the other hand, do not require such a process, and customers can simply place orders according to the seller's requirements.

Large Number of Sellers

Both Taobao and 1688 belong to the Alibaba Group. Many sellers on the 1688 platform are also merchants on Taobao. These sellers have accumulated rich sales experience, customer resources, and product resources on Taobao, enabling them to quickly adapt to and meet the needs of overseas buyers on 1688. On the supply side, 1688 has attracted nearly a million sellers, including a large number of factories and traders. These sellers cover more than 70% of China's primary industrial zones, providing the platform with a wide range of product categories and quality sources. This also provides strong support for partners such as Taotian Group in expanding the下沉 market, helping them better meet the needs of merchants and consumers, enhancing overall market share and profitability.

Comprehensive Range of Products and Affordable Prices

Rich sources of goods

1688 covers a wide range of industries and categories, whether it is daily necessities or industrial production materials, you can find them here.

Cost-effective

Because it is a direct transaction with manufacturers or first-tier wholesalers, the middle link is saved, so the price is more advantageous.

How to Purchase Taobao Products at Lower Prices on 1688

If you find a Taobao store and want to locate its sourcing store on 1688, you can follow these steps:

• Enter the Taobao store page.
• Look for and click on options such as "Store Credentials" or "Enterprise Credentials" to view the company name of the store.

• Open the 1688 platform.
• Enter the company name of the Taobao store in the search box and select the "Search Factories" option.
• If the search results include suppliers with the same company name as the Taobao store, it is likely the sourcing store you are looking for.

• If there are no results from directly searching the company name, you can use enterprise information query tools like QCC.COM.
• Input the company name of the Taobao store on QCC.COM to find its related companies or subsidiaries.
• Input the names of related companies or subsidiaries into 1688 to search and see if you can find relevant suppliers.

• When browsing stores on the 1688 platform, pay attention to checking the factory information or product descriptions of the store.
• If the store information mentions "OEM brand" and that brand is the same or similar to the brand sold in the Taobao store, then this store is likely to have a supply chain relationship with the Taobao store.

Recommended purchase list

On the 1688 platform, you can confidently choose various daily necessities and fashion accessories, which are usually reasonably priced and reliable in quality.

Not recommended purchase list

Although there are many good-quality and inexpensive products on the 1688 platform, the following fast-moving consumer goods are recommended to be purchased during sales promotions to enjoy lower prices:

1. Snacks and fruits: These foods usually have a short shelf life and are not suitable for long-term storage. Buying them during sales promotions can ensure freshness and preferential prices.
2. Toilet paper and laundry detergent: These daily consumables usually have large discounts during sales promotions, so it is recommended to buy them at that time to save costs.