0:001688.com is Alibaba's other marketplace.
0:04It is built entirely for buyers and sellers inside mainland China.
0:11Prices on 1688 are often noticeably lower than the same products on Alibaba.com,
0:17because you buy at domestic wholesale rates, not an export price.
0:23The site is almost entirely in Chinese.
0:26And many sellers do not hold an export licence,
0:30so delivery is limited to Chinese domestic addresses.
0:34That is a structural catch, not just a language barrier.
0:39So a foreign buyer cannot simply order and have it shipped home.
0:43You need a Chinese delivery address,
0:46typically a sourcing agent's or forwarder's warehouse,
0:50and someone to handle payment in Chinese currency, through Chinese payment rails.
0:56Or you use a sourcing agent who does it all:
0:59finding the factory, negotiating, paying, inspecting,
1:04consolidating your order and arranging export shipping.
1:08Because a 1688 order almost always runs through an agent,
1:13the risk shifts.
1:14It is less about a fraudulent factory,
1:17since Chinese domestic buyers police sellers fairly well through ratings and
1:23disputes.
1:24It is more about the honesty and competence of your agent.
1:28A dishonest agent can misrepresent quality, inflate prices,
1:33or disappear with your payment.
1:35Vet a 1688
1:37agent the way you would vet a supplier.
1:40Check how long they have operated.
1:43Ask for, and verify, references from other foreign buyers.
1:47Start with a small trial order.
1:50And insist on photos or video of your actual goods before they ship,
1:54not stock photos.
1:56Keep records of every payment and instruction you send.
2:01Some agents also run storefronts on Alibaba.com,
2:05so you get Trade Assurance on goods from 1688 factories.
2:10That can be a reasonable middle ground.
2:12But vet the agent as carefully as you would a factory.