Buy from 1688.
Plan your UK stock.
Answers for UK businesses buying stock from China. Start with your buying decision, then work through suppliers, payment and delivery to your UK warehouse.
Plan your 1688 purchase
Find candidate products, agree the specification and choose a buying route for your first order or replenishment.
How to buy from 1688 in the UK: plan your first order
A practical buying sequence for UK businesses, from the first product search to supplier payment, checks in China and warehouse delivery.
Read the guide1688 vs Alibaba.com for UK businesses: compare the whole order
Compare suppliers, order requirements and the full route to your UK warehouse before choosing a wholesale platform.
Read the guideBuying direct from 1688 or using a sourcing agent
Decide which jobs your team can handle and which need support, then compare direct purchasing with a clearly scoped agent service.
Read the guideYour 1688 order checklist for UK stock
The details to settle before purchasing, from product variants and samples to China-side receipt and UK delivery.
Read the guide1688 samples and MOQ: plan a first UK order
Turn a sample request into a buying decision, with variant-level minimums, a sample review sheet and clear conditions for the main order.
Read the guide1688 image search: turn product photos into a supplier shortlist
Keep a candidate log for image-search results, ask suppliers the same product questions and shortlist the offers that meet your buying brief.
Read the guideWrite a 1688 product specification your supplier can confirm
Build a versioned specification with measurable attributes, packaging details and clear approval records for samples, purchasing and agreed checks.
Read the guide1688 repeat-order checklist for UK stock buyers
Compare the last approved order with the new request, confirm current supplier terms and carry earlier faults into the next checking brief.
Read the guideCheck suppliers & payment
Know what to verify before you approve a supplier order or send money.
How to check a 1688 supplier before placing an order
Use business details, consistent quotations, samples and an agreed checking plan to make a better supplier decision.
Read the guideHow to pay a 1688 supplier from the UK
Compare an eligible WorldFirst payment route with purchasing support, and agree the order, charges and records before moving funds.
Read the guideWhat to agree before paying a 1688 supplier
A working checklist for the payee, order record, payment stages and approval points in your purchasing brief.
Read the guide1688 order problems: record the issue before UK dispatch
Build a clear issue record for shortages, wrong variants or damage, then review the supplier’s response and approve the next action.
Read the guidePlan costs & UK delivery
Compare the full shipping scope and prepare for your warehouse to receive the stock.
1688 to the UK: work out the total cost before buying
Build a working cost sheet that connects supplier prices, payment, China handling, freight and UK delivery to the stock you expect to receive.
Read the guideHow to compare China-to-UK shipping quotes
Put handling, chargeable weight, customs and warehouse delivery on the same basis before comparing totals.
Read the guidePrepare your order for a UK warehouse delivery
Confirm the booking, labels, shipment records and receiving rules before your consolidated stock leaves China.
Read the guideConsolidate 1688 orders before shipping to the UK
Use an incoming-order manifest to track several suppliers, decide what to hold or split, and approve a shipment using confirmed packing details.
Read the guide