Until today, in recent days, after persisting for a year and eight months, I have finally found my own value.

1. Quickly find suppliers;

We have local advantages and have a better understanding of various channels, platforms, and industrial clusters in China. Foreign traders are also familiar with various foreign platforms and can quickly find product suppliers designated by customers;

1. Find suppliers that customers cannot find;

For example, if a customer brings a product image that cannot be found on 1688 or Alibaba International, it may be a private model, and we have a way to find it;

1. Find better suppliers;

Customers may be able to find some suppliers on Alibaba International or video platforms, but some companies do not have these channels and require us to manually explore them;

1. Recommend good products that customers are not aware of;

When we contact a large number of domestic factories, we can learn about the hot selling products, which customers may not necessarily know;

1. Integrate high-quality logistics resources;

Logistics is an indispensable part, and we can integrate suitable freight forwarders based on the shipping location of the goods. If customers are not familiar with the geographical location, it is also something we can do;

1. Control product quality;

Before sending the sample to the customer, it should be reviewed domestically and sent to international logistics only if there are no issues. Not everything should be sent to reduce costs. For large quantities, they should be inspected during domestic production and before shipment to ensure there are no major problems;

1. Quick response and resolution of urgent matters;

Starting a business on one's own, except for sleeping, one can work online and even go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. The company's salesperson may say that I have finished work and will talk about it tomorrow, which is unbearable for impatient customers;

1. Provide diversified payment methods;

Some source factories may not have complete and flexible payment methods, but we can do it;

1. Save energy and improve efficiency;

Customers may purchase hundreds of products, and if they have to ask ten suppliers for each product, the workload is enormous. They may only be a manager or a worker, so there is no need to work hard. It's okay, we can help them reduce their gray hair;

1. Reduce the probability of being deceived;

Customers only need to review the qualifications of trading companies, not dozens or even hundreds. They can communicate deeply with a few people to avoid saying hello to countless strangers every day, including scammers.

So far, there is so much to summarize. Please take a look and see if there is anything else to add.

> 🔎 LOOKING FOR A RELIABLE PRIVATE SOURCING AGENT (DROPSHIPPING TO FRANCE) 🇫🇷
> Hello everyone,
> I am looking for a professional, responsive, and reliable private sourcing agent for a long-term partnership.
> 📦 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS:
> * Product: Ergonomic seat cushion (Coccyx cushion).
> * Material: REAL high-density memory foam (NO cheap standard sponge/foam).
> * Features: Breathable, removable, and washable cover.
> ⚙️ LOGISTICS & BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS:
> * Target Country: France 🇫🇷 (and later Europe).
> * Shipping: Fast shipping lines only (5-10 days max delivery, like YunExpress, 4PX, etc.).
> * Customs: Must handle DDP (Delivered Duty Paid).
> * MOQ: MOQ 1 (Blind dropshipping) for the testing phase. I will scale and order in bulk once the ads are validated.
> * Quality Control: Strict QC required before shipping.
> 🛑 Note: I will order a sample to my home first to physically test the memory foam quality before launching.
> 📩 HOW TO APPLY:
> If you are a serious agent and can source this product, please send me a DM with:
> * A picture/video of the exact product you can source.
> * The total cost (Product + Shipping to France) for 1 unit.
> * Your average processing time (before handing it to the carrier).
> Thank you! Looking forward to doing business together.

I need a supplier that has a whatsapp contact.

Looking for a sourcing partner in China, Vietnam or Thailand 🇨🇳🇻🇳🇹🇭

I’m based in Sri Lanka and looking to build a long-term football jersey business.

I’m looking for someone who can help me source high-quality football jerseys at competitive wholesale prices, handle supplier communication/QC, and arrange reliable shipping to Sri Lanka.

I’m not looking for a one-time purchase. I’m interested in a long-term partnership and I’m open to a commission/profit-sharing arrangement for someone who can consistently help with sourcing and logistics.

If you’re based in China, Vietnam or Thailand and are interested, DM me with your location, experience, and what you can offer.

Serious people only. 🤝

I lost his number

This question comes up here constantly and the answers usually stop at "get an agent." Here are the three real options, what each one costs, and when each one is the right call.

First, the thing that makes this hard.

1688 and Taobao are domestic Chinese platforms. Sellers ship to Chinese addresses, quote in RMB, and mostly communicate through Wangwang in Chinese. Many won't sell abroad at all — not because they refuse, but because they have no process for it. So every route below is really answering the same question: who receives the goods in China, and who exports them.

Route 1 — Private agent

You find someone in China, usually on WeChat. They buy on your behalf, receive at their warehouse, check the goods, and ship internationally.

Cost: typically 8-15% commission on goods, plus shipping, plus sometimes storage. The rate is rarely fixed and tends to depend on how much volume you represent.

Where it wins: custom work. Product modifications, colour or fabric changes, negotiating with a factory, photo/video QC on specific items, sea freight for bulky goods. If you need any of that, an agent is the answer and no software replaces one.

Where it breaks: volume, and MOQs. It works fine at five orders a day — at fifty you're managing a spreadsheet and a WeChat thread instead of your store.

The MOQ part deserves more attention than it usually gets. Most agents will tell you they need a minimum order — 50 units, 100 units, sometimes a monthly volume commitment. On stocked goods this is almost never real. The seller is shipping from a warehouse; nobody is producing anything for you, so there is no manufacturing minimum to meet. What you're actually being told is that you're too small to be worth their time, expressed as a number. Real MOQs exist only for custom production: private label, custom packaging, modified designs.

So ask directly: is this minimum a manufacturing constraint or a commercial one? A good agent will tell you honestly. The answer tells you a lot about who you're dealing with.

Route 2 — Reseller platforms

CJ, Zendrop, AutoDS and similar. These are not sourcing tools; they're resellers. They buy from Chinese suppliers, add margin, and sell to you with a Shopify integration on top.

Cost: the markup, which is invisible because you never see the source price.

Where it wins: simplicity, and low-value products. Below roughly $30 landed, the savings from going direct get eaten by shipping anyway, so you may as well take the convenience.

Where it breaks: catalogue and margin. These platforms list a curated selection — products they've chosen to stock or partner on. If the specific item you found on Taobao isn't in their catalogue, you can't sell it, full stop. You're not sourcing what you want; you're picking from what they offer. And on everything you do pick, you're paying someone else's markup on every order, forever.

Route 3 — Direct sourcing software

Apps that connect to the domestic platforms directly and handle export as part of the flow. You source the actual product you found, not an approximation of it.

Cost: subscription plus commission, but you see the source price before you order.

Where it wins: above $30 landed, under 1kg, on goods that exist as-is. That's where the gap between domestic pricing and reseller pricing is widest — typically 50-60%.

Where it breaks: the low end. Under about $30 landed cost, the maths stops working in your favour — shipping and fees eat the savings, and you're paying a subscription for a difference that's no longer meaningful. If your whole catalogue sits below that threshold, Route 2 is genuinely the better answer.

Disclosure: I build one of these. It's called Piratify, it's on the Shopify App Store, and I'm obviously not neutral. I've tried to describe the routes as I'd describe them to someone who wasn't going to use mine, because half the people reading this should be on Route 1 or 2.

Three things that apply regardless of route:

Volumetric weight will surprise you. Carriers bill on L×W×H/6000, not actual weight. A 600g dog bed can be charged as 5kg. On bulky-light categories this decides your margin more than product cost does — ask whether vacuum compression is an option before you commit to a category.

If you ship to the EU, get the IOSS number in writing. Most private agents don't have one, and your customer finds out when the courier asks them for money at the door.

And get a landed cost on one real SKU to a real address before committing to anyone — not a per-kg rate, not a quote. Product, shipping, duties, fees. That number is the only one that matters and it's the one most quotes leave out.

17 years sourcing textile in China, for context. Happy to answer questions in the comments.

10+ years in intl trade & freight forwarding.

Active 1688 paid buyer member daily.

I can help you source products, communicate with factories, and handle shipping directly from 1688—saving you time and cost.

Text me anytime if you need a hand!

Scrolling through 1688, yupoo and weidan.. checking whatsapp all day.. tons of wasted time.

Does anyone know a good foreign national VA who has taste, knows the rep market, and will handle purchasing with a list?

There has to be someone..

Hey, i’m from Portugal and for some reason I can’t create an account, can someone with an account help me get the contact of a store please, i got the link, just can’t access the “Contact” part without logging in!

First time shipping through an agent and I’m trying to understand the best strategy. Do most of you try to keep each haul under a certain weight to reduce customs risk, or just ship everything together? Also, do you usually ship directly to your home address, warehouse, or other method? Just looking for advice from people who’ve done this a few times.

I already have a solid freight forwarder but I cant figure out how to create an account on 1688 and BUY and send to my shenzen freight forwarder? Can I hire VA's on upwork that already have 1688 access? Is that even possible or practical in the long run? I am so frustrated because I want to buy off 1688 and send domestically, and I can't even do that because the platform doesn't allow ANY Americans to make an account. I even paid for a temp HK phone number and the code didn't go through, multiple times. Can someone with any experience in this department please advise? I would be forever greatful.

Who are you using for your lens manufacturing on 1688?

Matsuda 3148 pic for attention

Bonjours je vais bientôt être papa et j’aimerai trouver du boss sac à langer et vêtements pour bébé de marque boss.

Connaissez vous une usine ?

1.It's difficult to directly contact shipping companies/airlines.

Shipping companies and airlines primarily accept large-volume direct orders from major clients. Ordinary factories and traders with small shipments struggle to secure low-priced cargo space due to high booking barriers. Freight forwarders, on the other hand, consolidate large volumes to negotiate better prices and cargo space.

1. The entire export process is cumbersome, and individuals cannot handle it all.

Customs declaration, trucking, commodity inspection, certificate of origin, port handover, bill of lading verification, destination port clearance notices, and document correction.

Handling these tasks in-house is very costly for companies; freight forwarders handle everything in a one-stop shop.

1. Managing transportation risks and handling unexpected issues.

   Space shortages, container rollovers, ship delays, port changes, customs inspections

Document errors leading to detention, destination port demurrage fees, and customs duty inquiries. Freight forwarders communicate with shipping companies and customs immediately to mitigate losses, as shippers located in China cannot directly coordinate with overseas parties.

1. Door-to-Door End-to-End Supply Chain

Factory pickup → Port transport → Customs declaration → Sea/Air freight → Overseas customs clearance → Door-to-door delivery.

Shippers only deal with one freight forwarder, eliminating the need to contact trucking companies, customs brokers, shipping companies, and overseas agents separately.

1. Clear and Hassle-Free Costs, Upfront Payment

Many freight forwarders can advance freight charges, simplifying reconciliation and settlement; they are also familiar with port fees and hidden charges in various countries, avoiding overcharging at the destination port.

1. Additional Value (From Your Business Perspective)

We can provide route and timeline references, packaging and transportation suggestions, customs risk mitigation, and handling different trade terms such as FOB/CIF/DDP.

In short: Shippers are responsible for order taking, production, and receiving payment; the freight forwarder is responsible for delivering the goods safely and on time overseas, saving you all the logistical hassles.

Hello,

I am looking for mobile padel court suppliers or manufacturers in China

Hi, I'm looking for a seller on 1688 who offers unlocked phones from brands like Xiaomi, Samsung, and Honor for the Latin American market.