Can 1688 ship directly to Taiwan? Shipping from 1688 / Alibaba: MOQ, sea freight and customs
Shipping goods from 1688 (Alibaba Group’s wholesale marketplace) to Taiwan: for small restocks, sea express is the first choice — NT$50 per unit, charged on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H cm ÷10000), rounded up, plus an NT$100 dispatch surcharge when the actual weight is under 10 kg; about 5–10 business days. Large or bulky orders should switch to LCL sea freight, quoted on request by customer service based on the goods.
What is 1688 and how is it different from Taobao?
1688.com is Alibaba Group’s B2B wholesale marketplace, built around factory-direct supply, bulk purchasing and low unit prices, while Taobao leans toward retail and personal use. For Taiwan buyers restocking a shop, buying for the office, sourcing event giveaways or importing bulky furniture, 1688 is usually a better fit than Taobao. For an overview of routes and costs, read the China-to-Taiwan shipping cost and logistics guide; if you only buy small retail quantities, see how to ship small Taobao retail orders to Taiwan; if you also order on Pinduoduo, see how to consolidate Pinduoduo orders.
- MOQ tiers: many items can be ordered from 1 piece, but 10, 100 and 1000 units usually unlock better pricing.
- Factory supply: fewer retail markups and more OEM/ODM options.
- Commercial documents: invoices, packing lists, certificates of origin and import declarations can be planned together.
- Low margin, high turnover: savings are real only after freight, duty and inspection costs are included.
1688 is not ideal for one-off personal purchases. It works best when the order quantity and business purpose are clear.
3 common 1688 sourcing scenarios
Scenario A: shop restocking
Typical need: Shopee, momo or physical stores, 30-100 SKUs and 50-200 units per style.
Suggested route: test costs with sea express, then move steady restocks to LCL sea freight, using simplified declaration under a company or business name.
Watch for: electronics and toys may be commodities subject to inspection announced by the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI); food imported for sale requires an inspection application to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and cosmetics must follow TFDA rules.
Scenario B: office or event purchasing
Typical need: stationery, staff gifts and event merchandise, around 20-80 kg.
Suggested route: sea express or small LCL shipment. Check personal-use exemptions or commercial declaration rules before ordering many identical items.
Scenario C: bulky furniture and appliances
Typical need: sofas, desks, cabinets, strollers and office chairs.
Suggested route: quote by sea freight using the larger of actual and volumetric weight. Ask suppliers to flat-pack or disassemble furniture where possible.
5 steps to ship 1688 goods to Taiwan
1Register and confirm the import route
Get your Shenzhen warehouse address first. For resale in Taiwan, confirm company details, CCC tariff code, BSMI/TFDA requirements and whether simplified declaration is suitable.
2Source, negotiate and order samples on 1688
Confirm MOQ, unit price, lead time, dimensions, weight and payment method. Order 1-3 samples before placing a bulk order.
3Ship to the HowBridge Shenzhen warehouse
Use the Shenzhen warehouse address at checkout and keep your member identifier or Taiwan mobile number in the address for parcel matching.
4Photos & count, consolidate and choose freight
For high-value or bulk goods, request work-order photos (first kg NT$20, NT$10 per extra kg) and item counting (NT$5 per item) to check the goods yourself; photos and counting are not an inspection. Use sea express for small and medium lots, LCL for larger shipments, and air freight only for urgent small parcels.
5Customs, tax payment and Taiwan delivery
Goods with a dutiable value of NT$50,000 or less can use simplified declaration, and customs issues a duty bill; above NT$50,000, a regular import declaration is required. Regulated goods still need the required inspection or import inspection application. After duties are paid, home delivery or warehouse dispatch is arranged.
Paying on 1688 from Taiwan: CNY pricing and TWD conversion
Currency quick answer: is 1688 priced in CNY or HKD?
1688 products are priced in Chinese yuan (CNY). If a page shows amounts in Hong Kong dollars or Macau patacas, import customs always converts to TWD using the customs exchange rate for the current 10-day period published by the Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance (updated every 10 days). When paying by credit card, WorldFirst states a 3% card processing fee (self-reported by the provider; the 1688 checkout page prevails), and most Taiwan card issuers charge an additional foreign transaction fee of about 1.5% (per each issuer’s terms, e.g. Taishin Bank), about 4.5% in total. International shipping is extra; see the HowBridge full shipping rate table.
Short answer: 1688 products are priced in Chinese yuan (CNY). Taiwan buyers most often pay in one of three ways — Alipay (verified with a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents or a passport), an international credit card, or a cross-border payment platform such as WorldFirst. To convert to TWD, estimate it yourself using the day’s exchange rate. Whether you can pay often decides whether an order goes through, even before shipping does.
Cross-border payment friction is not just a technical problem. Legislative Yuan Organic Laws and Statutes Bureau issue analysis R00971 (Weng Po-hsuan, May 2020) notes that taxing only on card data from domestic financial institutions may be inaccurate, and recommends that payment providers supply payment, logistics and information flow data; in February 2019 the EU published implementing regulations that set up a new mechanism for cross-border sales of EUR 150 or less from third countries. Keep complete records when paying (order screenshots, payment records, invoices) — they help with customs and tax evidence later.
| Payment method | What you need | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alipay (verified) | Passport or Mainland Travel Permit for identity verification | Personal use, small trial orders | Some functions require a +86 mobile number; limits depend on verification level |
| International credit card | Visa/Mastercard, and a seller that accepts it | Individuals and small commercial orders | Not all 1688 sellers support it; cross-border fees and FX spread apply |
| WorldFirst and similar platforms | Platform account with personal/business verification | Buyers with steady order volume | Rates, supported currencies and settlement time follow each platform current terms |
| Corporate Alipay / bank transfer | A mainland China corporate bank account | Buyers with a mainland entity or long-term supplier | Rarely available to Taiwan buyers; usually arranged through the supplier |
| Supplier-designated offline payment | Payment details provided by the supplier | Long-term, trusted suppliers only | Highest risk — split payments and keep every receipt |
How to convert to your own currency: check whether the price is per unit or per lot and what the MOQ is, multiply by the day rate, then add international shipping, duty and 5% VAT to get the landed cost. Use a live source such as the Bank of Taiwan exchange rate board; the rate on the quote date and the payment date may differ. HowBridge only handles consolidation, shipping and customs clearance — we do not offer cross-border payment, currency exchange or purchasing agency services. You pay the supplier on 1688 yourself.
Sea express vs LCL comparison
| Item | Sea express | LCL sea freight (less than container load) |
|---|---|---|
| Best volume | Small restocks, lighter lots | Large or bulky lots, multiple SKUs; ask customer service for an assessment |
| Billing | NT$50 per unit, greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (L×W×H cm ÷10000), rounded up; NT$100 dispatch surcharge when actual weight is under 10 kg | LCL sea freight (quote on request based on the goods): from NT$25 per kg or from NT$150 per volume unit, volume units = L×W×H (cm) ÷28316, whichever is higher |
| Transit time | About 5–10 business days | About 7–14 business days |
| Best use case | Samples and fast restock | Shop restock and event goods |
| Customs | Mostly simplified declaration | Simplified or formal declaration |
💡 How to choose
Use sea express to test samples and small batches; move to LCL sea freight when monthly restocking becomes steady or volume grows; large single-item orders or whole loads of furniture and appliances also go by LCL sea consolidation, quoted by customer service based on the goods (HowBridge does not currently offer full-container FCL service). Freight alone is not the point — product cost, taxes, inspection and inventory turnover must be calculated together.
Commercial import customs
If the goods will be resold in Taiwan, treat the order as a commercial import rather than a personal parcel. Common documents include:
Documents to prepare
- Taiwan company or business registration
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or transport document
- BSMI/TFDA inspection documents if required
- Ordinary certificate of origin or ECFA certificate of origin if applicable
Duties and ECFA
Import costs usually include product price, international freight, import duty, 5% business tax and the trade promotion service fee; items subject to commodity tax also incur commodity tax. Business tax = (dutiable value + duty + commodity tax) × 5%; trade promotion service fee = dutiable value × 0.04%, waived when NT$100 or less; dutiable value is calculated on a CIF basis and already includes international freight and insurance (Customs Administration, Ministry of Finance: “What taxes and fees are payable on imported goods?”). Use our tariff lookup to check the CCC code, duty rate and whether inspection is required. Goods from mainland China are also subject to import controls: under the announcement of the International Trade Administration, Ministry of Economic Affairs dated 2022-08-19, mainland industrial products outside the Restricted Import List (tariff chapters 25–97) are exempt from an import permit only if the whole declaration is within CIF NT$32,000 and each item is within 24 pieces (or 40 kg if not countable); items are counted by model and may not be split by size or colour. The exemption only waives the import permit — it does not guarantee clearance, and inspection and other import rules still apply.
For goods on the ECFA Early Harvest List, Taiwan has cut tariffs to zero in three stages. To claim the preference, the customs declaration must include the original ECFA-format certificate of origin issued by an authorized issuing agency in mainland China (on the mainland side there are two issuing systems, inspection and quarantine and CCPIT, and the mainland exporter applies to the local issuing agency). A copy the exporter converts to PDF and prints is not accepted, and an ordinary certificate of origin cannot substitute for it. If it is not submitted in time, you can apply for release against a deposit and submit it within 4 months after release (Ministry of Finance press release, 2023-03-14). Check whether a product is on the Early Harvest List using its 8-digit tariff code; do not apply 0% to an entire chapter.
How to order samples wisely
Samples are insurance before a bulk order
Before ordering 100+ units, buy 1-3 samples, ask for real product videos and, once the samples reach the warehouse, request photos and counting to check them yourself.
Move samples fast, ship bulk by sea
Use air freight or sea express for sample checks. Once quality is confirmed, ship the bulk order by sea to avoid importing the wrong goods at scale.
6 common 1688 sourcing risks
1. Product photos are not proof of production quality
Factory images may be mockups or sample photos. Bulk production can differ in color, finish and workmanship.
2. Clarify MOQ and tiered pricing
A listing may accept an order, but low quantity may not get the same price or quality. Confirm MOQ, packaging and lead time.
3. Counterfeits are the highest-risk category
If imported goods are found to infringe a patent, trademark or copyright (genuine parallel imports excepted), under Article 39-1 of the Customs Anti-Smuggling Act (海關緝私條例) a fine of up to three times the value of the goods is imposed and the goods are confiscated. Ask the seller for proof of authorization before ordering, or avoid branded copies.
4. Electronics and toys may require BSMI
Under Article 6 of the Commodity Inspection Act (商品檢驗法), commodities subject to inspection may not be imported unless they meet the inspection requirements. According to the BSMI FAQ on inspection exemption (商品免驗問答): commodities subject to inspection cannot be cleared with a simplified express declaration and must be filed on a regular import declaration; non-sale personal-use items can apply for exemption, and if a single declaration line exceeds US$1,000 you must apply to BSMI first and may import only after approval; if goods imported under an inspection exemption for personal use are later to be sold (including online or as gifts), you must first apply for a change of use and pass inspection. To check whether an item is subject to inspection, look up the BSMI announcements by model and tariff code.
5. Food and cosmetics need compliance checks
Under Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), importing announced food products for sale requires an inspection application to the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA), Ministry of Health and Welfare; items not for sale and within the announced quantities are exempt from application. Cosmetics must follow TFDA rules.
6. Control payment and delivery risk
Choose reputable suppliers, use platform protection and split large payments into deposit and balance where possible.
Why use HowBridge for 1688 bulk imports?
Own Shenzhen warehouse
Built for bulky and heavy cargo
Sea express / LCL
From small batches to bulky bulk orders
Free consolidation packing
Goods from several suppliers combined into one box
Warehouse photos & count
Reduce bulk-order mistakes
B2B import logistics
For shops and registered businesses
14-language support
Support for international buyers
How to Pay Your Freight Bill: Methods and Full Process
Once your parcels have been consolidated and shipped, the system issues a freight bill for that batch. You can settle it online by card or bank transfer; a successful payment clears the bill automatically, so there is no need to report the last five digits of a transfer. Below are the payment methods currently available, every step of the process, and what online payment on this site may be used for.
Online payment on this site is used solely to pay consolidated freight and related logistics service fees (international freight, forwarding, domestic delivery, customs clearance and warehousing-related service fees). We do not collect payment for your goods, we do not pay sellers on your behalf, and we are not a party to your transaction with the seller. Payment for items bought on Taobao, Tmall, 1688, Pinduoduo or any other platform must still be made to the seller through that platform as usual. We charge only for the logistics service of moving your goods from the warehouse to you.
Payment methods currently available
Confirm in the WeCom app or scan a QR code, using a linked card or balance.
Credited instantlyConfirm in the JKOPay app or scan the QR code; pay with a linked bank account or card.
Credited instantlyConfirm in the PXPay Plus app, or scan the QR code with the app to pay.
Credited instantlySingle payment, authorised online in real time. Cards issued in Taiwan and overseas are both accepted; every charge is settled in TWD.
Credited instantlyOn iPhone, iPad or Mac using Safari, authorised with Face ID / Touch ID. Web-based Apple Pay is supported only in Safari; it will not appear in Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
Credited instantlyA virtual account is issued for this bill; the amount must match exactly.
3-day window · cleared automatically once the bank posts itYou receive a payment code, print the slip at a 7-ELEVEN, FamilyMart, Hi-Life or OK Mart kiosk and pay at the counter; our checkout limit is NT$20,000 per payment.
7-day window · cleared automatically once payment postsOn Android or in Chrome, paid with a saved card.
Credited instantlyOn a Samsung device or in Samsung Internet, paid with a saved card.
Credited instantlyScan the QR code with the Taiwan Pay app or a supported bank app; our checkout limit is NT$49,999 per payment. The page does not return to our site after payment — your bill updates automatically once the payment notification arrives.
Credited instantlyScan the QR code with the E.SUN Wallet app. The page does not return to our site after payment — your bill updates automatically once the payment notification arrives.
Credited instantlyCredit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Taiwan Pay, E.SUN Wallet, ATM transfer and convenience-store code payment are collected through NewebPay; LINE Pay is handled by LINE Pay itself. We do not add any payment processing fee. The amount shown is exactly what you pay. Mobile wallets have device requirements: web-based Apple Pay works only in Safari, Google Pay needs Android or Chrome, and Samsung Pay needs a Samsung device or Samsung Internet; on unsupported browsers the checkout simply does not show that option. JKOPay is contracted directly with JKOPay. PXPay Plus is contracted directly with PXPay Plus.
Convenience-store barcode payment and WebATM are not yet available. Please use one of the methods above for now.
How online payment works
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A freight bill is issued after your parcels ship
Once your parcels have been received at the consolidation warehouse, packed and shipped, the system issues a freight bill for that batch, covering international freight, forwarding and domestic delivery charges.
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Sign in and open "My Bills"
Sign in to your account and open My Bills to see the amount due, the number of parcels and a line-by-line breakdown of the charges before you pay.
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Tap "Pay Now" to open the secure checkout
The checkout shows the parcels being settled and the total due once more, and lists the available payment methods. Amounts are always calculated on the server, so they never vary by device or browser.
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Choose a payment method and complete payment
You are then taken to the payment page for the method you chose. Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay are completed on the NewebPay page; choosing LINE Pay takes you to the LINE Pay payment page, where you simply confirm in the WeCom app; choosing JKOPay takes you to the JKOPay payment page, where you confirm in the JKOPay app or scan the QR Code; choosing PXPay Plus takes you to the PXPay Plus payment page, where you confirm in the PXPay Plus app or scan the QR Code; choosing ATM transfer gives you a dedicated virtual account, bank code and payment deadline; choosing convenience-store code payment gives you a payment code to print the slip at a store kiosk and pay at the counter. Please complete non-instant payments before the deadline. If you choose Taiwan Pay or E.SUN Wallet, a QR code appears — pay by scanning it in the matching app; the page will not return to our site afterwards, and your bill updates once the payment notification arrives.
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The bill clears automatically
On successful payment the gateway notifies us immediately and the bill switches to paid, so there is no need to report the last five digits of a transfer. ATM transfers update automatically once the bank posts the funds.
All payments are completed on the NewebPay or LINE Pay payment page. We never receive or store your full card number or security code, and every connection is TLS-encrypted. If you have paid but the bill has not updated yet, please do not pay again: methods that are not instant take time to clear by design. Contact customer service and we will check it for you.
FAQ: shipping from 1688 to Taiwan
Use HowBridge for 1688 bulk imports
Own Shenzhen warehouse + sea express / LCL + ECFA / BSMI guidance
Register free and get warehouse address