Buying on 1688 for Amazon FBA: The Complete Guide

Are you selling on Amazon FBA and looking to increase your profit margins? Are AliExpress and local wholesalers too expensive? 1688.com is the solution. It is the B2B platform of the Alibaba Group, restricted to the Chinese market, where prices are 30 to 50% cheaper. Here is how to use 1688 for your Amazon FBA business thanks to SinoYak. If you are still hesitating between platforms, read our comparison of 1688 vs Alibaba.

Why is 1688 the best choice for Amazon FBA?

• Tenfold margins: You buy at the local factory price, which leaves you plenty of room against Amazon fees (FBA, ads, commission).
• Flexible MOQ (Minimum Order Quantities): Unlike Alibaba.com which often requires 500 pieces, 1688 allows you to test a product with just 10 or 20 pieces.
• Unique products: Access millions of products that your competitors on Amazon haven't discovered yet.

The Prep Center and FBA Logistics Problem

Amazon FBA has strict rules: products must be labeled (FNSKU barcodes), put in polybags, and the shipping box must meet Amazon's format. Factories on 1688 do not do this. If you buy on 1688 without an agent, you will have to ship to your country, open the boxes, label everything yourself, and then resend to Amazon warehouses. It is a huge waste of time and money.

The SinoYak Solution: Prep Center in China

SinoYak is not just a purchasing agent, it is your Prep Center in China. We manage everything for you:

• 📦 Receiving & Consolidation: We receive your products from multiple 1688 factories in our Guangzhou warehouse.
• 🏷️ FNSKU Labeling: We apply the Amazon barcodes on each product and put them in polybags.
• 🚚 Direct FBA Shipping: We send the ready-to-sell box directly to Amazon FBA warehouses in the US, UK, or Europe. Whether you sell on Amazon or Shopify, we handle the logistics.

Air or Sea Freight for Amazon FBA?

To test a product (10 to 50 pieces), air freight (DHL or UPS) is the best choice: the package arrives at the Amazon warehouse in less than a week. For restocking (500 pieces and more), sea freight is much more cost-effective, with a transit time of 30 to 45 days. SinoYak helps you choose the best option based on your inventory.