Four steps: pick one platform, find the item and read the listing properly, solve payment, then choose how it ships. You do not need a company, an import licence or a Chinese bank account to buy one or two units. Keep your first order small, hold it in your hands, and only then buy more.
Almost every beginner guide overcomplicates this. Buying from China for the first time is four decisions:
Then place one small order. Its job is to teach you, not to save you money.
Beginners waste days comparing five sites. Pick one, learn it, and move on.
| Site | What it is | Price level | Minimum order | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taobao | The big consumer marketplace | Retail | 1 unit | Chinese |
| 1688 | Domestic wholesale, often the factory behind the Taobao listing | Wholesale, often much lower | Often 1 to 2 units | Chinese |
| Tmall | Brand and flagship stores on Taobao's infrastructure | Retail, higher | 1 unit | Chinese |
| Weidian | Small independent shops, popular for fashion | Retail | 1 unit | Chinese |
| Alibaba.com | Export-facing wholesale | Export wholesale | Usually 50 to 500 units | English |
If your only question is “which of the two domestic sites should I use”, read 1688 vs Taobao: which should I buy from?
The listing page is in Chinese, but you do not need to read every word. Browser translation handles the text; what you actually need to look at is mostly visual and numeric:
Price alone is a poor signal. A suspiciously low price on a branded item usually means a counterfeit, which brings its own problems at customs and on any marketplace you resell on.
This is the part that stops most first-time buyers. Taobao accepts some international cards, but 1688 sellers are usually paid through Alipay or WeChat Pay, and those normally need a mainland Chinese bank account to complete verification. The practical routes:
| Route | Works for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| International card on Taobao | Retail single units | Simple, but limited to sellers who accept it and not the cheapest route |
| Bank wire (T/T) | Larger orders direct to a supplier | No card needed, but slower and you must verify the account is a company account |
| Sourcing agent pays for you | 1688 and Taobao sellers who only take Chinese methods | One invoice covering goods, freight and fee; pick one who shows the supplier receipt |
The two questions behind this are answered in detail in Can I buy from 1688 without a Chinese bank account? and How do I pay a Chinese supplier without a credit card?
There are two basic routes:
For how the freight number is built up, see How much does it cost to ship from China?
The instinct is to buy enough to make shipping worthwhile. Resist it once. A first order of one or two units does three things a larger order cannot:
After that, a second order of roughly 10 to 30 units usually brings the freight per unit down substantially. That is the point at which buying from China starts to look cheap.
| Mistake | What it costs you | Do this instead |
|---|---|---|
| Ordering in bulk on the first try | Cash tied up in stock you have never seen | One or two units first, then 10 to 30 |
| Judging a listing by price | Counterfeits, poor quality, seized parcels | Read reviews with photos and the specs table |
| Ignoring volumetric weight | Freight that eats the whole margin | Measure the packed box before you order |
| Assuming everything can be imported | Confiscated goods and no refund | Check your country's rules before paying |
| Skipping the check before shipping | Discovering the defect after it arrives | Ask for photos or video before dispatch |
This is not the boring part — it is the part that decides whether your parcel arrives at all.
| Destination | What a beginner should know |
|---|---|
| Australia | Imports below A$1,000 are generally duty-free, though 10% GST normally still applies. Fresh food, meat, dairy, eggs and plant material are stopped by biosecurity, so never assume a food item will clear. |
| United States | The USD 800 duty-free exemption for parcels was suspended in 2025, so small parcels now usually face duty plus a per-parcel processing fee. Confirm the current position before you order. |
| United Kingdom | VAT applies from the first pound on most goods, with duty above the threshold. Check the current threshold rather than assuming. |
| European Union | Low-value import rules have been under review and have changed. Check the rule for the specific country you are shipping to. |
These are starting points, not tax advice. Rules change, and your carrier or tax adviser has the final word. Also worth reading before a first order: How to inspect goods before shipping from China.
Yes. You do not need a registered business, an import licence or a Chinese bank account to buy single units from Taobao or 1688. Those requirements appear later, when you import commercially in volume or register for tax in your own country. For personal use and for a first test order, an ordinary buyer account is enough.
One or two units. The purpose of a first order is to learn whether the product, the seller and the shipping route work, not to get the best unit price. Once you have held the item and confirmed it, buying 10 to 30 units usually makes the freight per unit much better.
Because most 1688 sellers are paid through Chinese methods such as Alipay and WeChat Pay, which normally need a mainland Chinese bank account to verify. That is the wall most beginners hit, and the usual ways around it are a bank wire for larger orders, or having a sourcing agent pay the supplier for you.
It depends entirely on where you live and on the declared value. Australia generally gives duty-free treatment below A$1,000 while still charging 10% GST. The United States suspended its USD 800 duty-free exemption for most parcels in 2025. The United Kingdom charges VAT from the first pound on most goods. Check your own country's current rule before you order, because these thresholds change.
First time buying from China? Send me the Taobao, 1688, Tmall or Weidian link and the quantity. I reply with goods, freight and my service fee as one figure, and I check the goods on camera before they ship. No account needed to get a quote.
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