The world of streetwear, dominated by brands like Supreme, often sees limited releases and high resale prices, making it challenging for international fans to acquire their desired items. However, a powerful and cost-effective solution exists through using Chinese B2B platforms like 1688.comJoyabuy. This guide will walk you through the entire process, enabling you to tap into the source and potentially secure Supreme products at better prices.
Why Use 1688 and a代购 (Dàigòu) Service?
1688.com, part of the Alibaba Group, is a massive wholesale marketplace primarily targeting the Chinese domestic market. Many factories and distributors selling streetwear apparel, including inspired-by or surplus stock, list their products here. The prices are often significantly lower than on Western-facing platforms. The main hurdles for international buyers are the language barrier, the requirement for a Chinese payment method, and, most importantly, the fact that most sellers on 1688 do not ship overseas.
This is where a professional代购 (dàigòu) platform like Joyabuy
Navigate to 1688.com. Use keywords like "Supreme" (often written as 苏普雷姆 or 萨普瑞姆) or, even better, use the product's specific SKU code if you know it. The search interface is in Chinese, so use your browser's translation feature. Carefully examine product photos, descriptions, and seller ratings to ensure authenticity or understand the product's quality level. Once you've found the item you want, copy its URL. Visit the Joyabuy website and create an account. Locate their order placement page, often called "Buy Now" or "Place Order." Paste the 1688 product URL you copied into the designated field. Joyabuy's system will fetch the product details. You will then need to specify the desired variant (e.g., size, color) and quantity. The platform will calculate the estimated domestic shipping cost (from the 1688 seller to Joyabuy's warehouse) and present you with a total for the first payment (product cost + domestic shipping). Proceed to pay the initial amount using your preferred international payment method (like credit card or PayPal). Joyabuy will then purchase the item on your behalf and have it shipped to their secure warehouse in China. This process typically takes a few days. Once your item arrives at the Joyabuy warehouse, they will inspect it and provide you with photos for verification. This is a crucial quality control step. You can then instruct them to repackage the item(s). If you are buying multiple things, you can use their warehouse to consolidate all your packages into one to save on international shipping costs. You will then pay the second fee, which covers the international shipping to your door. After the second payment is confirmed, Joyabuy will dispatch your package via your chosen carrier (e.g., DHL, EMS, UPS). They will provide you with a tracking number, and you can monitor your parcel's journey from their warehouse directly to your home address. Finding specific products on 1688 can be tricky. For a curated list of popular items and direct links, you can refer to external resources. For instance, a helpful spreadsheet cataloging various products can be found at https://spreadsheet.help/. This can be an excellent starting point for discovering trending Supreme and other streetwear items available on the platform. By leveraging Joyabuy's services, you gain access to the vast inventory of 1688, bypassing the complexities of language, payment, and logistics. With careful research and this guide, you can successfully navigate this route to add coveted pieces to your collection.Step-by-Step Guide: Using Joyabuy to Buy from 1688
Step 1: Find Your Product on 1688
Step 2: Submit the Order on Joyabuy
Step 3: Make the First Payment and Wait for Delivery
Step 4: Consolidation and International Shipping
Step 5: Receive Your Package!
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