The basic differences
| Taobao | 1688 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Retail (B2C/C2C) | Wholesale (B2B) |
| Minimum order | From one unit | Often a seller-set MOQ |
| Pricing | Retail | Tiered by quantity |
| Sellers | Retailers and resellers | Mix of factories, wholesalers and traders |
| Customization | Rarely | Some sellers offer logo and packaging changes |
| Best for | Samples and test runs | Repeat orders and volume buying |
Telling factories from resellers on 1688
Plenty of 1688 sellers are middlemen, not manufacturers. If the same photos show up under several sellers, at least some of them are reselling. For volume orders it pays to find whoever actually makes the product, for price and for quality control.
- Does the profile show factory verification or production equipment?
- Is the catalog focused on one category? A scattered range suggests a trader.
- Do they give concrete answers on logo printing, packaging and spec changes?
- Do they quote sample price, bulk price and production lead time clearly?
1688 is built for the domestic Chinese market, so it doesn't handle international shipping or export paperwork. Payment, inspection and export clearance are usually handled by a local sourcing partner.
When to move to OEM
Once an off-the-shelf 1688 product sells steadily, the next problem is differentiation. Your competitors may be buying the same item from the same seller. That's the point to look at OEM with a factory.
- You reorder the same product and volume is steady
- You need your own brand, logo or packaging
- You want to adjust color, material or features for your market
- You want quality standards written into the agreement
We run OEM projects with partner factories out of our Yiwu office. Capsule gacha machines and interactive whiteboards are two examples. Tell us the product and expected volume, and the first thing we'll do is check whether it can be made.