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1688 sourcing · Singapore
Buy from 1688 without a Chinese company
1688.com is Alibaba's domestic wholesale marketplace. A large share of what is sold on Taobao is bought there first, which is why the same item can cost noticeably less once you are past a handful of units. For a company ordering uniforms, fittings, packaging, event materials or spare parts in any quantity, that difference is usually worth the trouble of getting at it.
Getting at it is the problem. 1688 was never designed for buyers outside China, and it shows in four places at once.
Why 1688 is hard to buy from
It is entirely in Chinese
Not just the listing. The specification tables, the seller's terms, and the chat window where the actual price and the actual specification get settled. Machine translation handles the listing title and falls over on the detail that decides whether the goods are usable.
Sellers are set up for domestic trade
Most 1688 sellers ship within China, quote domestic freight, and expect a Chinese business on the other end. Many will simply not engage with an overseas buyer, because export is not their business and it is not worth their time.
Payment expects a Chinese method
The platform is built around Chinese payment rails and RMB settlement. A Singapore corporate card is not the instrument it is waiting for.
Minimum order quantities are the norm
Listings carry minimums because these are wholesale sellers. Those minimums are frequently negotiable, but only in Chinese, and only by someone who knows which ones move.
What we actually do about it. We hold the Chinese-language relationship with the seller, negotiate the price and the minimum, pay in RMB, consolidate the goods, handle the export and the Singapore import, and deliver to you. You see one quotation and one invoice, both in Singapore dollars.
1688 or Taobao for your order
| Taobao | 1688 | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Consumers buying retail | Chinese businesses buying wholesale |
| Typical seller | A shop or reseller | Often the factory or its agent |
| Unit price | Higher | Lower at quantity |
| Minimum order | Usually one | Usually stated, often negotiable |
| Customisation | Rare | Common: logo, colour, packaging |
| Best for | Small quantities, one-offs, samples | Repeat orders, bulk, branded items |
We look at both. The right answer depends on quantity, how bulky the goods are, and how much of the saving survives the freight. There is a longer comparison in Taobao vs 1688.
How an order runs
1. Send links, a description or a sample
1688 links if you have them, and Taobao or Pinduoduo links if that is where you found the item. If you do not, a photograph and a specification is enough for us to start looking, and finding candidate suppliers is part of the service rather than an extra.
2. We negotiate and quote
We talk to sellers in Chinese about price, minimum quantity, lead time and specification, then put one quotation in front of you: goods, freight, consolidation, import charges and our service fee, each on its own line. Quotations hold for 14 days.
3. Sample, then production
For a first order in any quantity we will usually suggest a sample before the full run. It is the cheapest insurance available on this kind of purchase.
4. We buy, import, deliver and invoice
We pay the supplier, consolidate the shipment, import it, deliver to your premises and invoice you in SGD. One vendor, one payment, one set of paperwork.
What it costs
10% of the value of the goods, or 15% where the supplier makes or alters the item to your specification, which on 1688 usually means printing, a logo or an OEM run. The first two suppliers on an order are included and each additional supplier is S$10; the minimum fee per order is S$30. Goods at the supplier's price converted to SGD at the rate we obtain when we pay; freight, consolidation and import at cost. No GST is charged, as we are not GST-registered.
Questions we get asked
Can I buy from 1688 from Singapore?
Not straightforwardly. 1688 is built for buyers inside China: the site is in Chinese, sellers quote and ship domestically, and payment expects a Chinese method. Most sellers will not arrange export or deal with an overseas buyer at all. In practice you either need a Chinese entity and address, or an agent who has both.
Is 1688 cheaper than Taobao?
Usually, at quantity. 1688 is the wholesale arm of the same group, and many of its sellers are the factories that supply Taobao shops. The saving is real but it is not automatic: it depends on the item, the quantity and how well the price is negotiated, and it can be eaten up by freight if the goods are bulky. We check both platforms and quote whichever is genuinely better for your order.
Is there a minimum order quantity on 1688?
Most listings show one, and it varies from a handful of pieces to several hundred. Listed minimums are often negotiable, particularly if you are willing to take a slightly higher unit price, and that negotiation is part of what we do. Where a minimum cannot be moved and the quantity does not suit you, we will say so and look at Taobao instead.
Do 1688 suppliers speak English?
As a rule, no. Listings, specification tables and the seller chat where the real detail lives are all in Chinese. We handle that side, including the back-and-forth on specification and price.
Can you get samples first?
Yes, and for anything you are ordering in quantity for the first time we would suggest it. Tell us at enquiry stage and we will quote the sample separately, then the production order once you are satisfied.
Do I need a company to use this service?
Yes. Onevendor sells to businesses in Singapore, not to consumers. You will need a company that can approve a quotation and pay an invoice.
Tell us what you need and the quantity, and we will price it from 1688.
Request a quotationWe reply within one working day. No commitment until you approve the quotation.