How does a 1688 sourcing agent work?

A 1688 sourcing agent buys from Chinese suppliers for you: they find the product, pay the supplier, receive your goods at their warehouse in China, check and photograph them, then ship them to you. You need one because 1688 is in Chinese and its suppliers deliver to addresses in China. Rabbit does this job in an app, and inside ChatGPT or Claude.

By Hussayn Delli, founder of Rabbit · Updated November 8, 2026.

What does a 1688 sourcing agent do?

1. They find the product from a link, a photo or a description, and compare suppliers.
2. They order the sample, then the batch.
3. They pay the supplier in China.
4. They receive your goods at their warehouse.
5. They check them and photograph them.
6. They group purchases from several suppliers into one shipment, and ship it to you with the documents customs needs.

When do you need a 1688 agent?

• You buy on 1688: the site is in Chinese and delivers to an address in China.
• You want your batch checked before it leaves China.
• You want your logo or your packaging on the product.
• You buy from several suppliers and want a single parcel.

You don’t need one for a single piece on AliExpress, which delivers abroad: how to buy from 1688.

How is a sourcing agent paid?

Each agent sets its own terms: a fee on every order, a fee per request, or an all-in price. Compare the cost delivered to your door, not the price of the goods alone: shipping, checks and import duties come on top of it.

What doesn’t an agent do for you?

• They don’t become responsible for the product. If the goods are imported in your name, you are the importer. In the US, a children’s product needs a Children’s Product Certificate from its importer, based on tests by a third-party laboratory accepted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
• They don’t replace your opinion of the sample: you know what your customer wants.

What should you ask an agent before you pay?

• Do you send photos of my goods when they arrive?
• Who pays if the batch doesn’t match the sample?
• Is the shipping price fixed, or an estimate that can go up?
• Who declares the goods to customs, and in whose name?
• How are you paid: on each order, per request, or in an all-in price?

For your exact situation: your accountant or a customs broker.