If you are sourcing from China, you have likely used Alibaba. But many experienced buyers also talk about 1688.com. What is the difference, and how can you use it to avoid overpaying?
Alibaba.com is a global B2B platform designed for international trade. Suppliers here have English-speaking sales reps, export licenses, and accept USD payments. However, because of high platform fees and an "export premium," prices are often significantly higher.
1688 is Alibaba's domestic sister site designed for Chinese buyers. Everything is in Chinese, payments are in RMB, and suppliers rarely hold export licenses. This is where Chinese trading companies go to buy the products they later resell to you on Alibaba.
Even if you cannot buy directly from 1688, you should use it to check the "real" factory price. Simply save the product image from your Alibaba supplier and use the image search function on the 1688 app.
If an Alibaba supplier quotes you $5.00, but the exact same product sells on 1688 for $2.00 (converted from RMB), you immediately know the supplier's margin is huge—or they are just a trading company acting as a middleman.
Many sellers on Alibaba claim to be factories but are actually just flipping products. Before you negotiate your final price, use our Safety Shield Check to verify their official Chinese business scope and prove whether they are a real manufacturer.