The 1688 before-payment checklist
Six things to confirm before you transfer money to a 1688 supplier — supplier, product, MOQ, package, customs, and evidence. Each item links to the tool that checks it. Use it to keep payment behind a check, not on trust.
The checklist
Six checks before you pay
Confirm you are paying a real, traceable supplier — not a thin reseller or a scam.
- Visible company name and business scope
- Shop history, transaction record, and response behavior
- Payment stays on-platform (no personal-account transfer)
- Willing to share samples, certificates, or production photos
Confirm the listing is really your product, not just a similar photo.
- Material, function, and variant match your target product
- Source-match the URL, screenshot, or keyword to the right listing
- Certificates needed for your category are available
Confirm the minimum order is realistic for a first test batch.
- Supplier MOQ vs your first-order quantity
- Whether MOQ applies per SKU, color, or size
- First-batch cash exposure against expected margin
Confirm the carton data before you ask for a freight quote.
- Carton dimensions, weight, and CBM / volumetric weight
- Air vs sea vs consolidation route fit
- Receiving, prep, and 3PL/FBA handoff readiness
Confirm duty, VAT/GST, and the HS code — these change the real cost.
- HS / HTS / TARIC code and covered products
- Destination import duty and VAT/GST (official-source, not a fixed rate)
- Who pays freight and duty under the Incoterm (FOB, DDP)
Confirm the product is allowed and that China-side evidence will exist.
- Restricted-product, platform, and carrier review
- Batteries, liquids, magnets, branded/IP, child or food-contact risk
- China receiving photos and warehouse evidence plan
Questions
Before-payment checklist: common questions
What should I check before paying a 1688 supplier?
Before transferring money, confirm six things: the supplier is real and traceable, the listing matches your product, the MOQ is realistic for a test batch, the package data is ready for a freight quote, the HS code and destination duty/VAT are understood, and the product is not restricted. Keep payment behind this check rather than paying on trust.
Is this checklist a guarantee my order will succeed?
No. The checklist reduces avoidable risk by making missing fields and red flags visible before payment. It does not guarantee supplier quality, exact duty or tax, customs clearance, freight price, delivery time, or sales performance.
Can I get the duty or landed cost from this page?
This page tells you what to confirm; the duty and landed cost depend on your destination country's official tariff and your product's classification. Use the landed-cost calculator and the official source for your market to estimate it — never a fixed rate.
How do I turn the checklist into a decision?
Submit the product link, quantity, destination, SKU count, and package data for a Product Check. Supplymo attaches the assumptions, missing fields, risk tags, and quote boundaries so you get a written continue / sample-first / request-info / manual-review / stop decision before payment.
Turn the checklist into a written decision
Send the product link, quantity, destination, and package data. Supplymo returns a before-payment sourcing decision — continue, sample first, request info, manual review, or stop — with the full cost stack and risks.