The short answer
1688.com and Alibaba.com belong to the same group, but they serve different buyers. Alibaba.com is built for international trade, with English and US dollars. 1688 is Alibaba's domestic wholesale marketplace, with Chinese and RMB, and most of its sellers deliver only inside mainland China.
Prices on 1688 are often lower than export listings for the same product. The gap is not a fixed percentage. Compare landed cost, meaning the full cost to get goods to your door, not the listing price.
If you want Trade Assurance and an English-language platform, Alibaba.com is the simpler place to start. If you want 1688's supplier base and can handle Chinese-language negotiation, payment and export, 1688 can be the better fit.
Same owner, two different marketplaces
Who runs each platform
Both platforms belong to Alibaba Group. Since November 2024 they sit inside the Alibaba E-commerce Business Group. Alibaba describes 1688 as its domestic wholesale marketplace and Taobao as its retail platform.
How they started
Alibaba.com and the predecessor of 1688.com were both set up in 1999. The 1688.com name came in 2010. The two sites serve different buyers, as the rest of this article explains.
Who uses them
1688 reported more than 100 million annual active buyers in February 2025. Alibaba.com reported serving more than 48 million small and medium businesses in over 190 countries and regions in its 2024 fiscal year. For the side-by-side view, see Alibaba.com and 1688 compared on our Why page.
Side by side: language, payment, delivery and protection
| Topic | 1688 | Alibaba.com |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Chinese | English |
| Currency | RMB | US dollars |
| Payment | Alipay and Chinese payment methods. Foreign cards are not accepted directly | Card payments |
| Delivery | Most sellers deliver only inside mainland China | Export terms are set per listing. Check them |
| Buyer protection | 1688's dispute service, for online orders under its rules | Trade Assurance, for orders paid through Alibaba.com |
| Typical sellers | Factories, wholesalers, market stalls and brand owners | Manufacturers, trading companies and resellers |
| Minimum order quantity (MOQ) | Set by each seller or factory | Set by each supplier |
| Who you contract with | 1688.COM PTE. LTD. (Singapore) for buyers outside mainland China | Alibaba.com, under its own platform terms |
Use this table as a starting point. Terms change, and each listing sets its own delivery, minimum and invoice terms.
Why 1688 prices are often lower
The 1688 price is set for domestic buyers, and it has no export layer built in. An export listing can pass through more trading companies before it reaches an overseas buyer, and each layer can add cost.
Fewer layers can mean a lower price
An Alibaba.com executive tells buyers to check whether a supplier is a manufacturer, a trading company or a reseller. Each trading layer is a point where the price can rise, so ask who sits between the maker and you. This is a structural explanation, not a measured gap, and we do not publish a percentage.
What a 1688 price includes
Online order prices on 1688 include VAT by default. Sellers must issue a VAT invoice on request, and a note that no invoice will be issued is not allowed.
Domestic shipping depends on the listing. Free domestic shipping, known as 包邮 (bāoyóu), often excludes remote regions. Export packing, international freight, import duties and taxes are not in the 1688 price.
Compare landed cost
List each cost on one line: goods, domestic freight to a Chinese warehouse, packing, export freight, duties and taxes, and any agent fee. Then compare the total with each export quote. Ask each supplier for the same specification in writing, so the comparison is fair.
Duty rules that change your landed cost
Small-parcel duty rules are changing, so check them for your destination on the day you buy. As of October 2026:
- US: duty-free de minimis treatment has been suspended for all countries since 29 August 2025.
- EU: a €3 duty per item category applies to parcels up to €150, until 1 July 2028.
- UK: the £135 customs duty relief for low-value imports is due to end by October 2028.
Under 1688's cross-border rules, the buyer is responsible for import requirements in its own country, and may be recorded as the importer. Your landed cost should include that duty.
Factories and traders are on both platforms
Neither platform is only factories. On 1688, sellers include factories, wholesalers, wholesale-market stalls and brand owners. Alibaba.com also lists manufacturers, trading companies and resellers. The label on a listing does not tell you who makes the product.
What the 1688 badges show
Sellers on 1688 can display paid badges. The 源头旗舰 (source flagship) tier admits stalls in well-known wholesale markets, and supply-chain companies with at least three partner factories. So it is not a factory-only badge. 1688 counts its badges as factory signals only when the seller also fits its factory profile.
Some good factories are not on 1688
Some good factories are not on 1688, so a 1688 search is a starting point, not a full map of supply. We run a background check on the supplier company you deal with. When a product is made elsewhere, we look beyond the platform.
Buyer protection, compared honestly
Protection is where the two platforms differ most, and where buyers are most likely to misread the terms.
Trade Assurance on Alibaba.com
Trade Assurance applies only when the buyer pays through Alibaba.com. A bank transfer made outside the platform is not covered.
Secured transactions on 1688, and where they end
1688 handles disputes only for online transactions. Those include Alipay secured transactions and staged payment. Overseas users contract with 1688.COM PTE. LTD., a Singapore company, under Hong Kong law, with arbitration at HKIAC. Under those terms, 1688 acts as an intermediary and users bear transaction risks.
Timing matters too. For cross-border orders through a logistics provider you choose, signing at its China warehouse counts as your signing, so inspect before you sign.
An order completes 10 days after dispatch if it is signed within 8 days, and the seller is then paid unless a refund is open. Accounts with a non-mainland phone number or an overseas login get 28 extra days for after-sales and disputes.
So 1688 protection is real, but narrower than many buyers expect, and the clock matters. Inspect in China before the order completes. Raise problems with the seller in Chinese while the window is open.
Checks before you pay on either platform
Whichever platform you use, get these points in writing before you pay.
- Price tiers. Read the full price tiers for your quantity, not only the starting price.
- Invoice type. Ask whether the price includes VAT, and which invoice you will receive.
- Dispatch date. Unclear promises favour the buyer. Late-dispatch compensation is small, capped at ¥30.
- Returns. Custom goods are excluded from the seven-day no-reason return, so ask for a sample first.
- Payment route. Pay on the platform where you can, and keep a record of each payment.
When Alibaba.com is the better choice
Alibaba.com can be the simpler place to start if you want Trade Assurance, an English-language platform and US dollar pricing.
1688 fits better when you want to buy from Chinese makers and wholesalers, and you have someone who can negotiate in Chinese, pay sellers and handle export. That last part is where an agent helps.
Three common cases show the difference:
- A first small order: Alibaba.com is simpler in English; 1688 needs an agent for Chinese.
- Repeat stock: 1688 lists many makers and wholesalers, so compare their quotes with export listings.
- Custom product: start with samples and a written specification. Custom goods are excluded from 7-day no-reason returns.
Where Taobao fits
Taobao is Alibaba's retail platform, and 1688 is its wholesale marketplace. A retail price is not a wholesale price, so keep the two apart when you compare. If you are buying stock, parts or materials to resell or to make, compare 1688 listings with wholesale quotes from the makers.
How InterBridge uses 1688, Alibaba.com and factory checks
InterBridge Trans & Trade is a sourcing agent in Guangzhou. We search 1688 and our own supplier records, and we look beyond the platform when a product is made elsewhere. We negotiate in Chinese and share each quote and payment record with you.
After the order is placed, we follow up with the supplier, check that dispatch and delivery stay on schedule, and keep the order record in one place. If you travel to China, we can also arrange factory visits, transport and itineraries.
InterBridge can pay the seller for you in RMB, at no extra charge for standard-sized orders. The exchange rate is shown in your quote. For very large orders, the payment arrangement is agreed in the quote.
Our approach on the 1688 side of an order:
- We run a background check on the supplier company you deal with, at no extra cost.
- Commission is capped at 5% of goods value, falls as orders grow, and has no minimum fee.
- Where a seller requires a direct transfer, that payment sits outside 1688's dispute service.
- We give you a payment record for every payment we make for you.
For the full process, see how we buy from 1688.
Sources
- Alibaba Group, about its businesses: 1688 and Taobao (Alibaba Group): www.alibabagroup.com
- Alibaba Group, E-commerce Business Group announcement (2024-11-21): www.alibabagroup.com
- Alibaba Group, about its businesses: Alibaba.com (FY2024): www.alibabagroup.com
- Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, F-1 registration statement (SEC filing): www.sec.gov
- PEdaily, report on the 1688.com name (2010; in Chinese): news.pedaily.cn
- Jiemian, 1688 buyer numbers (2025; in Chinese): m.jiemian.com
- BJNews, Alibaba factory digital identities (2020; in Chinese): www.bjnews.com.cn
- Practical Ecommerce, interview with an Alibaba.com executive: www.practicalecommerce.com
- WorldFirst UK, how to buy from 1688 (updated 2026-08-03): www.worldfirst.com
- Alibaba.com, Trade Assurance: tradeassurance.alibaba.com
- 1688 rule 945, 交易争议处理规则 (rev. 2025-06-27; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 11004494, 平台发票争议处理规则 (rev. 2025-06-27; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20005656, 跨境交易争议处理规范 (rev. 2026-01-20; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20003242, 交易超时规则 (rev. 2025-10-11; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20006859, 规定的时限的实施细则 (rev. 2026-09-09; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20010391, 源头旗舰商家入驻标准公告 (2026-07-13; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20010459, 狠挑场域质量服务准入及管理规则 (2026-07-21; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 Platform Service Terms, version 2025V2 (effective 2025-08-26): terms.alicdn.com
- CBP, factsheet on suspension of duty-free de minimis treatment (2025-08): www.cbp.gov
- European Commission, temporary flat-fee guidance for low-value imports (updated 2026-07-20): taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu
- GOV.UK, acceleration of low-value import reforms (2026-06-23): www.gov.uk
- 1688 rule 5282, 商品七日无理由退货服务规则 (2024-02-02; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
- 1688 rule 20001653, 商家发货行为管理规范 (rev. 2026-05-15; in Chinese): rulechannel.1688.com
أسئلة يجيب عنها هذا المقال
Is 1688 owned by Alibaba?
Yes. 1688.com and Alibaba.com both belong to Alibaba Group, and since November 2024 both sit inside the Alibaba E-commerce Business Group. They serve different buyers: 1688 is the domestic wholesale marketplace in China, and Alibaba.com is built for international trade.
What does a 1688 price include?
Online order prices on 1688 include VAT by default, and the seller must issue a VAT invoice on request. Domestic shipping depends on the listing, and free shipping often excludes remote regions. Export packing, international freight, import duties and taxes are not included, so ask for the landed cost before you compare.
Does Trade Assurance cover 1688 orders?
No. Trade Assurance applies only when the buyer pays through Alibaba.com. 1688 has its own dispute service, which covers online orders under 1688's rules. Neither service covers a bank transfer made outside the platform, so choose a payment route you can document from start to finish.
Is 1688 the same as Taobao?
No. Taobao is Alibaba's retail platform, while 1688 is its wholesale marketplace. Both belong to Alibaba Group, but prices, sellers and minimum order quantities differ. Compare a 1688 listing with a wholesale quote from the maker, not with a Taobao retail price.
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