How to buy from 1688 and ship overseas: a first-order guide

Alibaba Group describes 1688 as a domestic wholesale marketplace. That explains why a listing may focus on Chinese buyers rather than international delivery. Do not assume every seller can export, every foreign payment method is accepted or every item is available through search.

1. Save the product and chosen variant

Copy the product URL, selected SKU, colour, size, material and quantity. A photograph can appear beside several different variants, including a cheaper accessory or smaller pack. Check what the quoted unit means: one item, one pair, one set or one carton.

Use the original Chinese variant name alongside a translation. Add a screenshot showing your selection, but treat it as supporting evidence rather than the final agreement. For a technical item, include a specification sheet. For branded goods, establish authorization and destination suitability before purchasing.

JTLGO supports direct 1688 search. If a link or variant cannot be retrieved, submit it with the specification for manual review rather than choosing a superficially similar item. The platform guide explains direct-search and manual-quote routes.

2. Read quantity tiers and MOQ together

A price tier may depend on the total quantity or an individual variant. The minimum order quantity, MOQ, can follow a different rule. Ask whether colours or sizes may be mixed and whether the displayed price applies to your exact mix.

Hypothetical example: a seller quotes USD 12 each for 1–49 units and USD 10 each from 50 units, and explicitly allows mixing 20 red with 30 black of the same specified item. Product value is 50 × USD 10 = USD 500. If quoted domestic delivery is USD 28, goods plus domestic delivery are USD 528. Purchasing service, packing, international freight and destination charges are not included. These are invented teaching figures, not a live 1688 or JTLGO quotation.

If the seller requires 50 units of each colour instead, that mix does not qualify. Confirm the answer in writing before approving the order. Do not buy unwanted inventory just to reach a lower unit price.

1688 exception decisions

1688 exception decisions: Unit unclear / Pieces per set/carton and quoted quantity / Resolve before multiplying price; Mix uncertain / MOQ and tier per SKU, written seller reply / Confirm exact mix; SKU unavailable / Seller response and revised specification / Buyer approves change or pauses; Warehouse discrepancy / Ordered SKU versus received evidence / Resolve before dispatch

Situation	Evidence needed	Decision
Unit unclear	Pieces per set/carton and quoted quantity	Resolve before multiplying price
Mix uncertain	MOQ and tier per SKU, written seller reply	Confirm exact mix
SKU unavailable	Seller response and revised specification	Buyer approves change or pauses
Warehouse discrepancy	Ordered SKU versus received evidence	Resolve before dispatch

View full diagram

3. Send a request that can be quoted

For several links, use the Bulk 1688 Cart or submit a structured list. Keep a separate line for every supplier and SKU. Domestic freight may be charged by each supplier even if the goods are later combined into one export shipment.

4. Check the quotation before paying

Ask for product value, China domestic delivery, service fee, physical warehouse work, packing and international freight to be separated. Read the current fee scope and confirm what your order actually includes. Purchasing coordination does not make physical consolidation or materials free.

Confirm stock or production time, what happens if a variant is unavailable, and who may approve a substitute. Specify that no change is accepted without your agreement. A seller’s dispatch estimate is not the same as delivery to your overseas address.

If you buy directly, check the current account and payment options applicable to you, the contracting entity and the warehouse receiving details. If you use JTLGO, confirm its quotation before payment; do not assume Alibaba.com Trade Assurance automatically applies to a separate 1688 purchasing arrangement.

5. Review warehouse evidence before export

Compare received photos with the approved SKU, visible condition and requested details. Basic QC photos and videos do not certify authenticity, conformity, functionality or the absence of hidden defects. If you need unit counts, detailed SKU verification, testing or specialist inspection, agree scope and charges beforehand.

Raise a discrepancy with clear evidence before approving packing or shipment. Ask how supplier returns would work, including time limits, domestic return freight and any exclusions. Do not assume an international return will be free or that customized goods can be returned.

Hypothetical tier calculation

Hypothetical tier calculation: 20 red + 30 black / Mix explicitly allowed / 50 units qualify; 50 × USD 10 / Product value / USD 500; USD 500 + USD 28 / Goods plus domestic delivery / USD 528

Situation	Evidence needed	Decision
20 red + 30 black	Mix explicitly allowed	50 units qualify
50 × USD 10	Product value	USD 500
USD 500 + USD 28	Goods plus domestic delivery	USD 528

View full diagram

6. Confirm the packed shipment and route

Review measured carton weight and dimensions, handling and protection requirements, the available route and the final quotation. An early freight estimate may change when packing is complete. Batteries, liquids or other restricted attributes require a route check; a purchasable listing is not proof of transport eligibility.

Use Rate & Ship for shipping enquiries and retain the packing and dispatch records for tracking. Confirm destination duties, taxes and any stated DDP scope in writing rather than assuming every quote includes them.

Message to start the purchase

Please quote this 1688 link and the listed quantities by SKU. Confirm the unit, mixed-variant MOQ, applicable tier, stock or production time, domestic delivery and any separate handling. Please review shipment to the attached destination, identify restricted attributes and request approval before any substitution.

That gives the purchasing team enough information to resolve the order rather than guessing from a product photo.

Resolve exceptions before purchasing

A failed search does not identify an equivalent product. Save the URL and original SKU wording, selected screenshot and quantity; request a manual quote. If the SKU has disappeared, ask whether it is unavailable or renamed. Do not approve the nearest-looking substitute.

A staged approval record makes the costs readable. Purchase approval covers the exact goods and seller-to-warehouse terms. Shipment approval follows received goods and measured packing. Keep unknown freight, tax and handling lines marked pending; do not enter zero. If you buy directly, confirm the order-account payment options and deadlines currently shown rather than assuming a universal foreign-card route.

Copyable purchase approval

Link/SKU in Chinese: [ ]. Unit and pack count: [ ]. Quantity by variant: [ ]. Mixed MOQ/tier confirmed: [ ]. Stock/production deadline: [ ]. Product/domestic delivery/service amounts: [ ]. Pending costs: [ ]. No substitute without approval. Receiving label/order ID: [ ]. Inspection and seller-case deadline: [ ]. Destination/restricted attributes: [ ]. Approve purchase only after open fields are resolved.