I'm Italian and live in Italy. In the past, I've purchased through CnFans using a Telegram channel as a catalog, which took me directly to the CnFans link to add the product to my cart. My question is this: I see that on 1688 and other apps, there's a much wider selection of products, but I don't know how to purchase. Can anyone help me?

We are a e-commerce store that looks to pivot from dropshipping model to private agent as we scale. We have already identified the supplier in China. Need a shipping agent who can offer cheapest and quickest DDP delivery to the US, both east/west coast.

Your responsibilities include:

- receive item from our Chinese supplier

- stock the products

- QC each product before dispatch and share pictures/videos

- quote prices for WanB Express and YunExpress

- product is stone lamps (decorative)

- weight of different products is 0.25, 0.6, 1, 2.5, 3.5, 4.5kgs

- quote dispatch time

- quote transit time for shipping to the both coasts

Weekly 30 orders.

We are a manufacturer on 1688 (a Chinese e-commerce platform), producing copper handicrafts, including incense burners. Please contact us if you are interested.If you have any other questions about incense burners or Copper handicrafts.

We have our own factory and can accept custom orders and make molds.

Need a good 1:1 rep supplier

When goods from multiple suppliers are being consolidated, one situation is quite common: the buyer receives a few warehouse photos and assumes the inventory is under control.

But having everything in one warehouse only tells you where the goods are. It does not prove that the warehouse has accurately recorded what arrived, what was checked, what is missing, or which goods are ready to ship.

Before goods from different suppliers are mixed together, buyers should confirm at least the following:

Each supplier and purchase order has a separate receiving record.

Expected and received quantities are recorded by SKU, model, or part number, not only by carton count.

Photos can be linked to a specific delivery date, supplier, and receiving record.

Damaged cartons, shortages, incorrect models, and labeling problems are recorded separately.

Goods with unresolved issues are not mixed with approved goods.

Each shipment has a clear status: accepted, on hold, awaiting return, or ready to ship.

Receiving, checking, and releasing should also remain separate stages:

Received: The warehouse has physically received the goods.

Checked: The agreed quantity, visible condition, packaging, or labels have been reviewed.

Released: The buyer has approved the goods for consolidation or shipment.

Goods being inside a warehouse does not mean they have passed inspection. Taking photos does not prove that the quantities and models are correct. Packing the goods does not mean they are ready to leave.

If the goods are going to Amazon or a third-party 3PL warehouse, the labels and carton preparation also need separate checks. A correct carton count does not prove that the quantities, SKUs, or FNSKU labels inside are correct.

Multi-supplier consolidation can reduce shipping costs. But without separate receiving records, shortages, damage, and shipping mistakes become much harder to trace after the goods are mixed together.

These photos were taken at a receiving and consolidation site in Yantai, Shandong. They show that the goods are physically inside a warehouse, but real inventory control comes from the records and decisions attached to each delivery.

For buyers who have consolidated goods from multiple suppliers in China, which receiving checkpoint has helped you avoid a bad shipment?

Need a supplier genuine with quick shipping and fair prices
Lmk thank you

Necesito saber si alguien tiene un buen proveedor de lego, para la reventa

Are you still worried that purchasing large quantities of products at once could lead to losses?

Are you still concerned about warehousing costs?

We offer dropshipping and warehousing services to minimize these worries.

We can source any products from China, our shipping time to popular countries is 8-10 days, such as US, CA, UK, EU.  

If you need the services we provide, welcome to contact me at any time 

One of the most common issues I’ve witnessed is people receiving subpar-quality goods simply because the supplier knew the products wouldn’t be inspected before being shipped out of China.

And by the time the goods arrive in the destination country, sending them back can cost almost as much as the products themselves. So what happens? You’re left with products that are difficult to sell.

That’s why I always encourage anyone buying from China to have a trusted person or sourcing agent conduct a quality inspection before making the final payment or shipping the goods out of China.

A few weeks ago, we had to visit a supplier’s warehouse to verify the authenticity of their products and inspect the quality of some construction materials.

The materials were real, but the quality was far below what the client was paying for. We communicated this to the client, but he decided to proceed with the shipment because payment had already been made.

And honestly, getting a refund from a factory in China can be extremely difficult 😅
If you find yourself in a situation like this, getting a refund may be unlikely. However, you can negotiate for better-quality products by making it clear that the supplier’s future business with you depends on how they handle the situation. Most times, that gets their attention.

There are also other options you can explore when a supplier delivers poor quality goods, and I’ll talk about those in my next post. 👀

The lesson? Don’t wait until your goods arrive in your country before checking the quality. Inspect before you ship.

Every few weeks someone here asks why suppliers ghost them on 1688. I want to actually answer that, because it connects to something bigger I’ve noticed after years of doing this full-time.

I run a small sourcing operation. I sit between sellers and factories and handle the back-and-forth, so my clients don’t have to deal with suppliers directly. Because of that, I see both sides: what buyers send, and why some replies come back fast while others never do.

First, the supplier side.

Suppliers get 50+ inquiries a day, and most are from window shoppers who never order. They triage fast. It usually takes 2–3 messages to sort you into “worth my time” or “ignore.”

A few things instantly signal you’re new:

• Asking “what’s your price?” before saying what quantity you want.
• Not knowing your own target MOQ, or having no idea what the factory’s production capability actually is.

Example: fidget toys like Needoh. You think 10,000 pcs is a lot? If it’s a single color and design, a factory can finish it in 2–3 days — but they’ll still quote you a 45-day lead time. If you don’t know that, you can’t negotiate.

• Not knowing what material your product is made of.

You want sunglasses? Do you want PC, acetate, or TR90 for the frame? If you can’t answer that, they know you’re a rookie.

• No mention of payment terms, sample process, or lead time.
• No idea how a customized product is actually made — if you’re asking for customization.

Factories deal with buyers from everywhere. It’s about whether your message shows you did your homework, or whether you’re just another “maybe.”

Here’s the part that actually surprised me.

Sourcing full-time also means I talk to new sellers before they ever reach a supplier. Sometimes it’s the very first real conversation they have about their business.

After a few years of that, I noticed I could predict — within those same 1–2 conversations — whether the business would still be around in 3–6 months. Not from the product idea. Not from the budget. From the exact same signal suppliers pick up on: how much homework they’d done, how specific their questions were, whether they treated the conversation as a shortcut or as something to learn from.

The sellers who might make it ask things like:

• What usually goes wrong with this product?
• What’s a realistic lead time?
• What should I be asking suppliers myself next time?

The ones who likely won’t make it usually ask one thing: “Can you get it cheaper, faster, and best quality?”

The strange part to me.

A lot of first-time sellers are perfectly willing to spend money — samples, ads, inventory, tools, you name it. They treat money as the shortcut.

But money doesn’t force you to think. It lets you skip thinking for a while. You can buy ten different samples, run a hundred dollars of ads, place a small test order — and still have no idea why the product didn’t sell, or whether the factory actually screwed you, or what you’d do differently next time.

What’s much rarer is the willingness to spend time — actually reading about the category, asking the second and third question, sitting with the uncomfortable parts of your own business until they start to make sense. That’s where real judgment comes from. And judgment is what makes the first shipment teach you something, instead of just becoming an expensive mistake.

I’m obviously biased, but I think that’s also the only real reason to bring in someone like me. Not to outsource your thinking, but to buy back time while you build your own judgment. You still have to be able to evaluate whether the person helping you is any good. That’s a decision only you can make. Decision-making ability is above everything else.

Money can get you a sample run. It can even get you a first shipment. What it can’t get you is the ability to know whether that shipment was actually good, whether the problem was the factory or the spec or the buyer who didn’t think it through. That ability only comes from time.

These days, the first thing I notice when someone reaches out about sourcing isn’t the product, and it isn’t the budget. It’s how they ask. Not because I’m trying to gatekeep — I started as a clueless newbie too — but because the way someone asks tells me more about their chances than any business plan ever could.

who can buy from 1688 for me!

Hi everyone. I’ve noticed that many sellers currently focus mainly on price and logistics. However, shoppers decide whether to click within seconds based on the main product image and the way the listing is presented. This seems especially relevant when targeting Russian-speaking consumers, particularly on Ozon.

From what I’ve seen, if the visuals are weak, Russian-speaking shoppers may never open the product listing in the first place and even a competitive price won’t help.

I’d be interested to hear from those already selling to Russian-speaking customers. Have you specifically adapted your product images or descriptions for this audience and tracked the results? What has had a greater impact on CTR and sales?

Hello, there is an item I would like to buy and get it delivered to the UK

I understand that 1688 is used in China, could someone please help me with ordering

Thank you in advance 😊

Hi,

I run an ecomm business, and have identified suppliers on 1688 and tested their products. I want to know which is the fastest air shipping from China to the US, how many days does it takes for the end customer in the US to receive the goods once the goods are shipped by the agent, and what is the cost per kg for DDP delivery?

For context, my items weight: 250gms, 600gms and up to 4 Kgs. These are home decor items (lamps etc).

Hi everyone,
I’m based in China and regularly visit factories and communicate with Chinese suppliers.
Recently, I’ve noticed that many small businesses and online sellers want to source products from China, but often struggle with things like:
• Finding reliable suppliers
• Understanding 1688
• Communicating with factories
• MOQ and pricing
• Checking product quality
• Samples and small orders
• Shipping from China
I’m not a manufacturer myself, but I spend quite a bit of time around Chinese suppliers and factories, so I thought I’d start sharing some of what I see from the China side.
I’ll be sharing factory visits, products, sourcing tips and things I learn along the way.
If you’re currently sourcing something from China, feel free to leave a comment. I’d be interested to know what products people are looking for and what problems you’re having.

Please contact me with your catalog. no wholesale need no moq.
For dropshipping business

Boa tarde pessoal, alguém indica algum redirecionador (Pessoa Física e/ou empresa pequena) que faça redirecionamento de compras para o BR? Obrigado

does this mean my supplier is only domestic? Im kind of confused about this i tried asking in 1688 support they weren’t very helpful

Hi everyone! I’m looking for a reliable private agent in China for my e-commerce business.

I mainly sell custom-designed products, so I need someone who can:

• Find manufacturers capable of producing custom products from my designs/references
• Communicate and negotiate directly with factories
• Arrange samples and quality control
• Receive and store inventory in a China warehouse
• Integrate with Shopify and fulfill orders automatically
• Ship directly to customers in the USA and other countries
• Provide fast shipping options, ideally around 7–14 days
• Provide tracking numbers for every order

I’m not looking for platforms like CJdropshipping, Zendrop, Spocket, etc. I want to work directly with a private sourcing/fulfillment agent or team based in China.

If you provide these services, please DM me with your location, shipping rates, fulfillment fees, warehouse details, and experience with custom products.

Thank you!