1688 dropshipping is difficult if you don’t have the right tools.1688 agent to help you navigate the local market of suppliers. The entire dropshipping process can be greatly improved by hiring an agent.
Many e-commerce websites are seeing an enormous increase in popularity. Dropshipping is a growing trend that people are constantly innovating.
Dropshipping is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. Alibaba, AliExpress and Shopify are just a few of the platforms available. These platforms are some of the most popular for dropshipping.
Dropshipping is possible on 1688, a platform that allows you to do dropshipping. With so many other competitors, innovation is the main focus of everyone.
Dropshipping is a popular business model. However, many people are also looking for ways to improve their dropshipping. This guide will show you how to dropship from 1688.com.
What is Dropshipping 1688?
Alibaba’s 1688 subsidiary is a similar B2B directory to Alibaba. Just like its main company, 1688 allows buyers to access factories, trading companies, and wholesalers from China.
Search for any industry or domain you wish, and the site will direct you to the relevant suppliers.
The 1688 name of the site is often confusing to many people. Chinese 1688 is “Yao Liu Ba Ba,” which sounds very similar to the main directory Alibaba.
It is common for companies in China and Asia to substitute the names of their subsidiaries.The primary difference between Alibaba and 1688 is that the later has been created only for domestic trades.
For Chinese, the use of Alibaba or AliExpress isn’t allowed, since both these platforms have been focusing on export from day one. People from China have to deploy different means to buy from these platforms.
People are reluctant to purchase from these websites because of the ease and low cost of manufacturing in China. These products can be purchased in their own local markets. Alibaba is a solely export-oriented company.
1688 is dedicated to domestic supply. This is evident in 1688’s Chinese language, while Alibaba offers translations in many languages.
Dropshipping is easier than ever because you can find all sorts of suppliers starting at 1688. Here are the pros and cons of dropshipping starting at 1688
Pros
When it comes to pricing, you can get cheaper products from 1688 as compared with Alibaba or AliExpress.
It is an obvious strategy to provide cheaper goods to your domestic market. Dropshipping can be a cost-effective way to reduce costs.
You can also find a wider goods market in 1688 than AliExpress. As highlighted earlier, you can come across several 1688 agents that are working in the domestic market of China.
AliExpress is more flexible than AliExpress. You can explore many industries. These products are also available at a lower price which is great for cross-border dropshipping.
Dropshipping businesses must ensure that the quality of their products is top priority. AliExpress cannot guarantee the quality of products purchased from 1688.
Although the quality inspection process is similar for both platforms, getting faulty products from AliExpress can prove fatal for your dropshipping business.
AliExpress is well-known for selling low quality products that are delivered by fraudsters. Returns of products after delivery are subject to an additional shipping charge.
Additionally, the dispute clause cannot be opened after delivery. 1688 allows for free return of goods if the goods are found to be defective.
An agent can also help you obtain quality inspection reports, images and videos. This will allow you to assess the product’s quality before shipping.
AliExpress offers free shipping on most of its products, but it does not allow multiple orders to ship together. However, 1688 allows users the ability to consolidate multiple orders into one order with help agents.
Cons
The primary barrier to 1688 operation is language. This site is intended for domestic markets, and is therefore in Chinese.
Although your browser may offer translation, many of the contents can’t be translated fully. The site shrinks in size and becomes a mobile version. It does not display complete content like it does in Chinese.
Small businesses who are just starting out in the industry will find it difficult to pay 1688. AliExpress offers many payment options.
AliExpress offers many payment options, including credit cards, WebMoney, and PayPal. This privilege is not available to anyone outside of 1688.
You will still require 1688 agents even if you have an Alipay international account.
AliExpress is better than 1688 when it comes to dropshipping. Buyers can get their products quickly and easily with no shipping charges.
You will need to pay 1688 for the goods, shipping and domestic costs, as well as currency fees.
All of this increases your cost. AliExpress is the better choice for small businesses looking to get into dropshipping.
Dropshipping: How does 1688.com work?
Understanding how dropshipping works on 1688 is important. This will allow you to understand the process and help you regulate your business in accordance with the requirements. But,
Here’s how dropshipping works starting at 1688
Sourcing
The first step is to source the products that will be purchased. 1688 offers a wide range of goods you can purchase for any domain.
You will need to get the assistance of an agent who can guide you and help you find these products.
Samples of Purchasing
Once you have sourced the products, it is time to send your samples. You will request samples from the supplier via the agent, just like traditional dropshipping.
You should prepare the samples according to your requirements. To ensure you get what you are promised, prepare your checklist.
Qualitative Inspection
Next is quality control for the product you have ordered. This is a crucial step. The inspection of the products is the foundation of your dropshipping business.
It can damage your reputation if the product doesn’t meet the standards and is delivered to the customer. It is important to keep track of the product’s quality. You can either ask.
Bargaining
Next, you will need to negotiate the price. AliExpress has more affordable products than you can find on AliExpress at 1688.
The agent will negotiate the cost of the products that you require. In addition, the agent will also help in combining multiple orders as one so that they can be delivered with the same shipment.
Shipping
Many Chinese companies use Chinese shipping methods. Shipping costs are not included in the price of 1688. You will need to calculate the total cost of your shipment.
If you wish to include your shipping method, the agent will be able to negotiate this with the supplier.
You can also choose for faster shipping to ensure that your goods arrive at the destination faster than usual.
Storage
After the shipment has been sent, international clearance must be obtained. You will need to arrange storage until customs clearance.
It is therefore important to have cargo storage at your address. You can outsource storage solutions by outsourcing staffing and storage upfront. This allows you to use business capital for other business operations.
Packing
After the products arrive at your warehouse, you will be able to repackage and label them according to your needs.
This will allow you to make your product promotion easier for your customers. These can be labeled and shipped domestically or internationally.
These are just a few of the processes involved in dropshipping starting at 1688. To make any process easy, you need to have the right insight. It is recommended that you hire an agent to help you arrange and buy from China.
Why Sourcing from 1688.Com?
You have many reasons to source from 1688.
A large number of suppliers
The best thing about 1688 is the ability to find many suppliers. These suppliers or manufacturers are working with domestic manufacturing.
This makes it easier for you to find every product in each niche. Furthermore, 1688 has been operating to benefit China’s domestic market.
Original products and high-quality products are more likely. It would be easier to source products from multiple suppliers.
Simple Purchasing
You can also save money by using 1688 to source your products. 1688 offers cheaper products than AliExpress and Alibaba, as we have already mentioned.
The site is only available to the domestic market for use. Accessing the site through an agent is a good way to get lower prices.
This will allow you to purchase multiple products at once and reduce your buying costs.
Higher Profit Margin
You can make more profit by reducing your purchase costs. For bulk orders, it is not recommended to source from 1688.
Smaller orders may be subject to higher shipping costs. These costs would be comparable to regular dropshipping.
What products can be purchased starting at 1688.Com
1688 provides a wide variety of Chinese products available from numerous domains. Some examples include:
Apparel
Dropshipping is most successful in the apparel sector. China is a great place to manufacture.
Low labor costs allow for easier production at affordable rates. As many products are available at lower prices, you can choose to focus on apparel.
Textiles & Accessories
You can also invest in textiles or accessories, apart from apparel. These could include nightwear, sportswear and undergarments.
It is worth exploring the area as there are many suppliers that offer the same product at very low prices.
You can also select other products to dropship. These products include socks, bow ties and posture correctors, as well as activewear such as socks, activewear, shoes protector, shoe protector, and more.
Again, the need for an agent would be required to source these products from reliable suppliers.
Bags, Shoes, & Accessories
Another niche to explore is shoes and bags. You will find a wide selection of accessories, bags, and shoes from various brands on the site.
They not only offer branded products, but also first copies. This is an interesting fact. You can also find a variety of locally made products.
Electronics
Dropshipping electronics is very popular. People are increasingly looking for accessories and gadgets because of the popularity of Chinese cellphones.
This is why choosing to invest in the electronics market starting at 1688 will give you a higher profit margin. Quality inspection is important because electronics are fragile. Customers who receive defective products are more likely to not order from you again.
Beauty & Health
Dropshipping 1688 is possible in other niches such as health and beauty products. These products must be approved by FDA before they can enter the market.
Clients are attracted to cosmetics and skincare products in a multitude of ways. It is possible that the whole service will be shut down if the products cause skin irritation.
Before buying skincare products, acquire compliance certificates from the suppliers.
Home, Lights & Construction
Dropshipping home accessories starts at 1688 Several home accessories are manufactured in China.
This makes it possible to obtain products at high prices around the globe. Customers will be more inclined to choose your brand if your rates are lower than the market.
Machinery, Industrial Parts & Tools
China being the biggest manufacturer has invested in several domains. Machinery and industrial parts are one of these domains.
China machinery is well-known for its high performance all over the world. Investing in machinery tools can help you increase your profits.
Packaging, Advertising & Office
You can easily obtain supply goods for your packaging company at affordable rates. Customers can request custom packaging which can be prepared quickly at minimal rates.
The Difficulties of Sourcing Starting From 1688.Com
Despite the many benefits of 1688, there are still some challenges that buyers face while they operate. Below are some of these issues:
Communication
Communication is the most difficult thing. Alibaba and AliExpress allow translation of the site in different languages.
1688, however, is solely focused on local markets. It is therefore based on the Chinese language.
Moreover, similar to Alibaba, you need to locate reliable suppliers that are able to communicate in your language.
That is why you need an effective sourcing agent so that communication can be made seamlessly.
Payment
The payment issue is another reason that operating on 1688 may be challenging. 1688 does not allow outsiders on its site, as we have already mentioned.
It is focused on the domestic market. Even foreign buyers with an international Alipay account cannot proceed with the payments.
The prices for the products are also listed in Chinese currency. To proceed, you will need to convert the entire amount, including shipping costs, into your local currency.
These issues can be time-consuming and many prefer to work from AliExpress or Alibaba.
Collect Orders
Another hassle is the collection of orders. Even if the agent is working for you to source the products, you still need to make seamless communication with the supplier to get the order.
It is not difficult to find suppliers. Dropshippers who operate on 1688 have to wait for their orders to be collected.
Take a look at the items
Dropshipping is not without its challenges. It is severely important especially if you’re dropshipping from China.
Dropshipping can be ruined by a lost shipment, even though buyer protection allows you return the product within a certain time.
The schedule must be maintained and then rescheduled to allow goods to be exchanged. Even though the refund process can take a long time, it is possible.
Return and Change of Problematic Items
As highlighted before, faulty products are one of the biggest issues in dropshipping from China. This is a matter of poor reputation for AliExpress.
Many customers have reported faulty products when ordered from the platform. What’s even worse is that you have to pay for the shipment to return the goods.
Many customers do not bother returning their goods. 1688, on the other hand, makes it easy for customers to send defective products free of charge.
An agent can contact the supplier for you and open a dispute. After the dispute is settled in your favor you will receive a refund or the supplier will send the goods again of the correct quality.
Consolidating and Repacking
Products from 1688 must be combined and repacked for shipping. This adds to the cost and increases the expense.
Only the suppliers can ship the products. You or a third-party warehouse must package the goods.
International Shipping
One concern is shipping to international addresses. Dropshippers need to be concerned about getting their shipment on time.
This is another common scam, along with low quality products. Buyers are often tricked by suppliers who ask for money before shipping. They never send the goods.
You will also need to calculate international shipping costs. Shipping costs are shown in Chinese currency if ordered by 1688. It is necessary to convert the money into the correct currency for your destination. This can be a hassle.
Best 1688 Dropshipping Agent
The 1688 sourcing agent service will help you source the product from 1688 and purchase stock from 1688. This will make drop shipping simple and quick.
Why you need Bestfulfill as your 1688 agent
Bestfulfill has over 6 years of 1688 sourcing expertise and can offer you the most reliable service for 1688 sourcing. Different lines of products can be shipped to more than 100+ countries around the globe.
Efficient Communication
The 1688 sourcing agent service will help you source the product from 1688 and purchase stock from 1688. This will make drop shipping simple and quick.
Purchasing Experience
Our purchasing team has over 6 years of experience in 1688 purchasing and can offer you the most reliable, safest service. We have worked with more than 1000 customers.Quality Control
The professional QC team at QC will inspect each product from 1688, one by one, to ensure that the item is in perfect condition.
Automated System
Our ERP system is able to handle all your orders and automatically upload tracking numbers to your store.Quick Process
Our team will process your order within 24 hours after the 1688 products have arrived at our warehouse
Worldwide Fulfillment
We can ship products to anywhere from 1688 to 100+ countries. You can choose from many different lines.
How To Dropship From 1688 Via Shopify?
You will need to hire a 1688 agent to dropship 1688 via Shopify. These are the responsibilities of the agent:
Sourcing
The sourcing process is important for your dropshipping business. The 1688 site features many products.
AliExpress offers a wider range of products than AliExpress. However, locating a reliable supplier is still an issue.
It is crucial that you find the best 1688 agent to help you buy. The agent will be familiar with the market and know which suppliers are a reliable option.
These agents also attend annual trade shows. They are familiar with the types of suppliers available in the market and the ones that will be most effective to meet the business’s needs.
Hence hiring a reliable 1688 agent will help you source the products that you need. Agents are aware of their identities and can help you avoid being scammed.
Quality Inspection
Next comes quality inspection. Quality inspection is crucial as the quality of your goods and the services you provide to clients will determine the success of your business.
You can also hire the services of an agent to inspect your products for quality.
Many Chinese companies provide quality inspection services. There is a good chance that their inspection report is not accurate or does not include all the details.
This issue can be solved by hiring a 1688 agent. You can inspect the products at every stage of production and during shipment.
A quality inspection should be done before the shipment. Faulty products will be your responsibility once they arrive at your address. If you send the product back for refund or reshipment, it will take several months to recover.
Payment
Payment is an issue for anyone who wants to run 1688. Dropshipping businesses shouldn’t use 1688, as it will increase the overall costs.
A 1688 agent could help you communicate with suppliers and make payments.
Agents can negotiate prices before an order is placed. This is an important benefit. You should not pay until you receive the products and have them evaluated for quality.
Shipping
Many dropshipping businesses often require faster shipping. This is not possible if there isn’t enough communication. Shopify’s shipping phase is crucial for your business.
Delays in products could result in orders being cancelled and downgrading your market profile. An agent 1688 will be able to communicate and track the shipment.
