Product requirements
Share links, quantities, variants and materials. Confirm the exact requirements with the supplier rather than relying on a listing photo.
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Your 1688 buying agent in China.
Local coordination for product orders, supplier communication and purchasing — from your first link to warehouse receiving.
Prepare your requirements
A buying service built around your product brief.
Buying from 1688 involves more than choosing a listing. An overseas order needs a clear product specification, a workable supplier payment arrangement, a China receiving plan and a route to the final destination. When different people handle those steps without the same instructions, a small detail can turn into the wrong variant, an unmatched parcel or an unexpected handling charge. A buying agent brings that coordination into one purchase plan.
The starting point is the product you actually want to receive. A link is useful, but the selected colour, size, material, quantity and retail packaging should be recorded separately. If the listing changes or contains several variants, a screenshot and a written description help keep the intended order clear. Share any sample reference or acceptable tolerance before the supplier order is approved.
This service is useful for a first mixed order, replenishment from several sellers or a purchase that needs local supplier follow-up. It does not replace your decision about product suitability, supplier capability or requirements in your destination market. Start with the smallest practical set of requirements you can verify, then expand an order only when the specifications and complete costs make sense.
Turn a product shortlist into a clear purchase.
Supplier coordination
Coordinate product availability, minimum quantities and domestic dispatch. Keep important specifications and agreed changes in writing.
Order follow-up
Review the buying plan and cost breakdown before payment. Follow the supplier order through to warehouse receiving.
How the service works.
Use these decision points to keep the order, evidence and approvals connected.
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Send a purchase brief
Share product links, quantities, variants and destination details. Identify anything that must stay unchanged, such as materials, retail boxes or a required colour.
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Resolve supplier questions
Review availability, minimum quantities and unclear specifications. Agree how a substitute, price change or partial stock situation should be handled before proceeding.
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Approve the buying costs
Review product value, China domestic transport and the buying or payment services involved. Confirm the payment route and charges in the purchase plan.
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Match warehouse arrivals
Keep supplier order references and domestic tracking numbers together. Match packages to the order list so a delayed or missing package can be investigated.
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Review checks and packing
Approve any inspection scope, consider discrepancies and decide how goods should be combined or protected before international transport.
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Confirm the delivery plan
Review packed measurements, available routes, customs responsibilities and delivery scope. Approve dispatch when the shipment requirements are clear.
Buying directly or using a 1688 agent?
| Purchase task | If you handle it directly | With agent coordination |
|---|---|---|
| Specifications | You resolve listing and variant questions with the seller. | Your written brief is used to coordinate the intended purchase. |
| Payment | You arrange an accepted supplier payment route. | RMB payment arrangements and related charges are reviewed in the quote. |
| Receiving | You arrange a receiving address and parcel matching. | Order references and warehouse receiving can be coordinated. |
| Problems before shipping | You contact each seller and arrange any eligible return. | Evidence and supplier follow-up can be coordinated before dispatch. |
| International delivery | You connect the packed order to a freight service. | Inspection, consolidation and shipping can form one order plan. |
Costs and responsibilities
to confirm first.
See the pricing breakdown
Compare the full purchase, not only the agent charge. A quote should distinguish the product amount, supplier domestic transport, buying and payment charges, optional inspection, warehouse handling and international delivery. Ask which items are already included and which are charged only if requested.
A repeat order may still require a fresh confirmation. A supplier can change stock, packaging or price, and a revised destination can change the delivery cost. Keep the approved brief and the latest cost breakdown together rather than assuming an earlier order applies unchanged.
What to prepare
A complete brief helps you compare the service and costs before committing.
- 1688 links or product screenshots
- Quantity for each product and variant
- Required specifications and packaging
- Destination country, city and postcode
An agent helps coordinate a purchase. Supplier capability, product compliance and the final delivered cost still need to be assessed for each order.
About buying agent.
Can I use an agent without a Chinese account?
Yes. Send the product links and requirements so the agent can coordinate purchasing with the supplier.
Can I buy from different sellers?
Yes. Keep each supplier’s products and quantities clear in your request. Consolidation can be planned once the packages arrive.
Should I order a sample first?
For unfamiliar products, ask about sample availability and cost before committing to a larger order. Samples and bulk goods may have different terms.
Can you guarantee a supplier or product?
No purchase should be approved on that assumption. Define the specifications, ask about samples where useful and agree checks. Supplier performance and product suitability need to be assessed for the particular order.
Can I add products after the first order?
Ask how the addition affects purchasing, receiving, storage and dispatch. A new supplier or a delayed item may change the consolidation plan, so review the updated scope first.
Ready to plan
your next 1688 order?
Tell us what you want to source. Let’s map out the rest.
Prepare your sourcing requestThree things to start with.
- Product links or screenshots
- Quantities and specifications
- Destination country and city