1688 Buying Agent Pricing & Service Fees

Service Items Order Value⁷
Less than US$10,000 US$10,000-US$99,999 US$100,000-US$999,999 US$1,000,000 or More
Proxy Purchasing² 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece¹ 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece
Warehouse Receiving & Storage³ 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece
Goods Inspection⁴ 3% of Order Value or 0.15US$ per Piece 3% of Order Value or 0.15US$ per Piece 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece
Labeling & Marking⁵ 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece
Repackaging & Shipment Consolidation⁶ 3% of Order Value or 0.15US$ per Piece 3% of Order Value or 0.15US$ per Piece 2% of Order Value or 0.1US$ per Piece 1% of Order Value or 0.05US$ per Piece

Please Note:

  1. It means that we will charge a service fee based on the greater of 2% of the order value and US$0.50 per item. The figures in the other tables also mean the same thing.

  2. We will communicate with the 1688 sellers on your behalf regarding your order. The communication will cover matters such as stock availability and included accessories. Once confirmed, we will proceed with the purchase. Please note that prohibited items, restricted goods, and infringing products are not covered by our proxy purchasing services.

  3. We will provide a free storage period of 30 days. For storage exceeding 30 days, we will charge an additional fee of either 1% of the order value or $0.05 per item, whichever is greater. However, the maximum storage period shall not exceed 90 days. Any goods stored beyond 90 days will be scrapped / disposed of.

  4. We will randomly select 20% of the total quantity of goods to inspect their appearance and basic functions, and send you photos and videos. If you require professional equipment for quality inspection and a professional inspection report, please bear the cost yourself or pay us to commission a third-party testing agency on your behalf. If there are quality issues with the products or if you are not satisfied with them, we can apply for exchanges or returns on your behalf.

  5. We can label each item and attach shipping marks on the outer cartons according to your requirements. Regular labels and shipping marks are printed on thermal label paper. If you require customized labels with special sizes or materials, we will charge the label costs accordingly based on the actual situation.

  6. We will consolidate and repack the goods from different 1688 sellers, minimize the total weight and overall volume of the goods as much as possible to save on shipping cost, and arrange for transportation.

  7. It refers to the total amount of historical orders. When the total amount of your historical orders reaches a certain range, the next order will enjoy the service rate of this range.
Sourcing & Customization Services – Membership Fees
Service Items Premium Member Regular Member Non-Member
Pricing 199US$/Month
499US$/Season
99US$/Month
259US$/Season
Free
Service Mode 1-on-1 1-on-10 1-on-Many
Response Time Limit 24 Working Hours(China Time) 72 Working Hours(China Time) No Guaranteed Response Time
Customization ✔ ✔ X
Sourcing ✔ ✔ X
Proxy Purchasing ✔ ✔ ✔
Warehouse Receiving &Storage ✔ ✔ ✔
Goods Inspection ✔ ✔ ✔
Labeling & Marking ✔ ✔ ✔
Repackaging & Shipment Consolidation ✔ ✔ ✔

1688.com vs. Alibaba.com: A Historical Cost Example

The example below uses a historical customer inquiry for 5,000 S8Ultra smart watches. It shows how product prices and the listed service rates were calculated at that time.

Prices, exchange rates, supplier terms, and service requirements may have changed. Request a current quotation before making a purchasing decision.

1688 price - 1688 agent fee structure
Price on 1688.com
5000pcs, price: US$3.88/pcs
(US$100=720RMB at that time)
Alibaba price - 1688 agent fee structure

Price on Alibaba.com
5000pcs, US$6.9/pcs

Buying from 1688.com

Product & Service Items Unit Price / Service Rates Calculation Subtotal
S8Ultra Smart Watch US$3.88 5,000*3.88 US$19,400
Payment Solution 5% 5,000*3.88*5% US$970
Warehousing 1% 5,000*3.88*1% US$194
Quality Inspection 1% 5,000*3.88*1% US$194
Labeling 1% 5,000*3.88*1% US$194
Total US$20,952

Buying from Alibaba.com

Product Unit Price Calculation Total
S8Ultra Smart Watch US$6.90 5,000*6.90 US$34,500

In this historical example, the calculated total was US$20,952 through 1688.com and US$34,500 through Alibaba.com, a difference of US$13,548.

These figures illustrate one order and are not a guaranteed saving. Actual costs vary by supplier, specifications, quantity, quality standard, negotiation, service scope, exchange rate, domestic freight, and international shipping.

1688.com primarily serves China’s domestic wholesale market, so some suppliers may quote lower prices than export-oriented marketplaces. However, there is no fixed percentage difference, and the lowest listing price is not always the lowest landed cost.

Compare like-for-like quotations using the same specifications, materials, packaging, MOQ, lead time, inspection requirements, payment fees, domestic delivery, and international shipping. Verify the supplier and request samples before placing a larger order.