How 1688 goods actually get to you
1688 sellers ship domestically. No part of the platform is built for international delivery — that whole middle section is the warehouse and the forwarder.
The four legs of a 1688 order
- Seller to domestic warehouse — usually 2 to 5 days, cheap, tracked inside China only.
- Warehouse receipt and inspection — where volume weight gets measured and errors get caught.
- Consolidation — multiple parcels repacked into one export carton.
- International leg — air, sea or express, priced by weight or volume, plus duties at the destination.
Why the shipping quote changes between sellers
Two things drive the final number: chargeable weight and packaging efficiency. Chargeable weight is the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, so a light bulky item is priced as if it were heavy. Repacking into a tighter carton genuinely reduces cost; that is the one place a good warehouse earns its fee.
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Express (courier) | Samples, small urgent orders | Volumetric pricing; duties billed after arrival |
| Air freight | 20 to 100 kg, time sensitive | Minimum charges; airport-to-door not door-to-door |
| Sea freight | Heavy or bulky, flexible timing | Long transit, port fees, minimum volume |
The costs first-time buyers forget
- Domestic freight per supplier — ten suppliers means ten domestic legs.
- Repacking and palletising at the warehouse.
- Destination duties and tax, which are not part of the freight quote.
- Storage after a free window, if the shipment waits for documents.
Ask for the quote with every line separated, including duties. A single all-in number cannot be audited, and it hides the part that changes when the parcel is measured.
Upload a product photo and get the matching 1688 listings with price, MOQ and order count — then take one link to the warehouse.
Common questions
Can 1688 ship directly to my country?
No. Domestic delivery only. You need an agent or forwarder who receives inside China and ships onward.
Is sea freight cheaper for small orders?
Rarely. Port fees and minimum volumes usually make sea freight more expensive below roughly a cubic metre.
Who pays the import duties?
The importer of record, normally you. Freight quotes usually exclude duties unless they say delivered duty paid.
Try it on your own photo
Upload one product image and get the matching 1688 listings with price, MOQ, order count and supplier — free trial, no card needed.