How to Contact 1688 Suppliers

Current 1688 contact options

A listing may expose a chat, inquiry or seller-contact control on the desktop site or mobile app. The seller may reply through platform chat, a mobile notification or a contact person shown after account access. Login can be required.

Interface note: 1688 interface locations and available features may vary by app version, account and region. Use the contact control visible in your current listing and save the URL. This interface guidance was reviewed on July 15, 2026.

Chinese communication and translation tools

Many sellers communicate mainly in simplified Chinese. Translate short product and question blocks rather than one long formal email. Send numbers, model names and measurements in a format that does not depend on translation.

Google Translate, DeepL and WeChat translation can help, but verify technical words with product photos, drawings or the 1688 Chinese Keyword Generator. Fluent English does not prove export experience, and imperfect English does not prove weak production capability.

Prepare before contacting a seller

• Listing URL and selected product or SKU
• Target quantity and expected future volume
• Material, dimensions, function and allowed tolerance
• Required color, model and accessories
• Logo, packaging and artwork requirements
• Destination market and product-compliance needs
• China delivery address or export-support question
• Sample quantity and decision timeline

Separate must-have requirements from questions. The first message should establish product fit; a full contract can follow after the seller confirms it can supply the item.

Send a short structured first message

Start with the product link, quantity and the few specifications that determine whether the listing fits. Then ask for MOQ, tier price, sample, stock, customization and delivery. Avoid “best price?” without a quantity or specification.

The bilingual message below is intentionally concise for live chat. Replace every bracketed field and send the selected listing link with it. For a detailed export quotation, continue with the RFQ template.

English
Hello. I am interested in this product: [product/link].
Quantity: [quantity].
Required specification: [material/size/color/function].
Please confirm:
1. MOQ and price for my quantity
2. Sample cost and lead time
3. Stock or made-to-order status
4. Logo or packaging customization
5. China domestic delivery cost to [city/warehouse], or whether you support export orders
Please send current product photos or video. Thank you.

简体中文
您好，我对这个产品感兴趣：[产品名称/链接]。
采购数量：[数量]。
要求：[材质/尺寸/颜色/功能]。
请确认：
1. 起订量和对应数量的价格
2. 样品费和样品时间
3. 现货还是定制生产
4. 是否支持Logo或包装定制
5. 发到[城市/仓库]的国内运费，或是否支持出口订单
请提供当前产品照片或视频，谢谢。

Questions to ask and evidence to request

Samples, customization and stock status

Ask whether the sample is existing stock, a custom sample or a pre-production sample. Confirm whether the same material, process, logo and packaging will be used in bulk. A stock sample may test function but not private-label appearance.

For custom logo or packaging, ask about artwork format, setup or tooling fee, customization MOQ and sample approval. Read 1688 MOQ and Sample Orders before pushing for a minimum that does not support the required process.

China delivery, export support and lead time

Ask for the dispatch city, China domestic delivery cost and estimated packing data. If using a China warehouse, provide its city and receiving-code format only after the provider is verified.

If the seller says it supports export, ask who arranges freight, which Incoterm applies and what documents are available. Do not turn a domestic-delivery answer into an international-shipping promise. Confirm stock dispatch and made-to-order production lead times separately.

Supplier identity, payment and inspection

Request the full Chinese legal company name and compare it with the business licence, invoice and beneficiary. Search the official National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System where accessible. Review China Factory vs Trading Company before relying on a profile badge or chat claim.

Ask which order and payment route will apply, then read How to Pay on 1688 from Overseas. Confirm that the seller accepts a defined inspection before final payment. Fast response, fluent English and acceptance of inspection are useful signals, not guarantees.

When a supplier asks to use WeChat

WeChat can be practical for photos, calls and rapid follow-up. The risk is not the app itself; it is losing the connection between the conversation, legal company, listing, order, invoice and payment.

• Save the 1688 listing and seller profile before moving channels.
• Confirm the WeChat contact's name and role inside platform chat.
• Repeat final specification, quantity, price and delivery terms in the order record or signed document.
• Do not accept changed payment details without independent confirmation.
• Export chat, photos, quotation versions and approvals to your own order folder.

Use a previously verified channel to confirm any material change.

Communication warning signs and follow-up

• The seller answers price questions but avoids the exact specification.
• MOQ, price or beneficiary changes without a written reason.
• Current photos, licence name or production address are refused.
• The seller claims factory ownership but will not explain the process or location.
• Payment is requested before sample, specification and entity checks.
• The seller pressures you to delete or avoid platform records.

A useful follow-up is short: list the unanswered numbered questions, attach the selected SKU again and ask for a reply beside each number. Silence or vague answers are information; do not fill gaps with assumptions.

Consumer-product inquiry examples

Pet grooming brush wholesale inquiry

State the self-cleaning brush model, pin material, pet size, handle color and quantity. Ask for MOQ by color, price tiers, two samples, current video, standard packaging and delivery to the China warehouse.

Custom stainless steel bottle inquiry

State 304 stainless steel, 500 ml, lid style, insulation expectation, coating, logo method and custom color box. Ask separate MOQs for bottle color, logo and packaging, plus sample fee, food-contact documents and production lead time.

Machinery technical inquiry example

For a packaging machine, identify the product to be packed, bag range, required output and destination power supply. Ask for the recommended model, voltage and frequency, production capacity, test video using a similar product, spare-parts list, English manuals, installation or commissioning scope, warranty and seaworthy export packing.

Request a technical quotation rather than asking only for the machine price. Confirm what is excluded and whether a factory acceptance test can be witnessed or recorded.

Supplier-contact decision checklist

Use the copy-ready checklist below to keep each seller conversation comparable. Store the final answers with the listing, quotation, sample record and legal-company evidence.