About 1688 (1688.com)

 

Together with fellow Alibaba Group subsidiaries Taobao.com and Alipay.com, 1688.com was launched by Alibaba in 2010 primarily for targeting the wholesale business segment. 1688.com reportedly hosts more than 500,000 quality suppliers offering over150 million different types of products. Used by individuals and businesses from all around the world for purchasing purposes, 1688.com is today the number one website when looking for wholesalers and suppliers in China.  Even many Taobao stores get their supplies from 1688. The great thing about buying from 1688 is that many 1688 stores don't have a minimum quantity requirement unlike Alibaba, yet the prices are lower because it's catered to the local market. Hence on 1688 you can enjoy great wholesale prices without necessarily having to buy wholesale!