Buy from 1688.
Ship it to the UK.
Source from 1688.com — Alibaba's domestic B2B wholesale marketplace and the factory behind much of what is resold worldwide. Get a real Chinese warehouse address, consolidate your orders, and forward everything to the UK and Europe.
1688 has wholesale prices. Getting parcels out of China is the hard part.
1688 suppliers ship within China only
1688 is built for domestic buyers — most suppliers won't ship abroad and the site is Chinese-only. A China forwarding address unlocks every supplier.
Factory MOQs and multiple suppliers
Wholesale often means minimum order quantities and buying from several factories at once. We receive them all and consolidate into one export shipment.
Chinese checkout, Alipay and a local address
1688 expects a Chinese address and local payment. Your Resendify address gives suppliers a valid destination so checkout works.
Per-supplier domestic shipping adds up
Each supplier ships separately to your warehouse. We combine everything so you pay international freight once, not per carton.
From our warehouses worldwide to your doorstep — in four moves.(View all)
Resendify gives you a real local address at our warehouses. Shop where the deals are, we collect, repack and forward — you stay in control the whole way.
- 01Sign up
Get your local address
Pick a warehouse in Spain, Germany, the UK or the US. We assign you a real street address — yours within minutes.
Ready in 2 minutes - 02Shop
Buy from any store
Use your Resendify address at checkout — Amazon DE, Zara, Decathlon, eBay, anywhere. Even sellers that don't ship abroad.
Works with 10k+ shops - 03Consolidate
We receive and forward
Photos on arrival, optional repacking, and consolidation of multiple orders into one shipment to save up to 70%.
Up to 70% off shipping - 04Ship
Worldwide to your door
Pick your courier and track door-to-door. Email alerts on every tracking update.
Live email alerts
Shop these Chinese platforms and ship to the UK
How to buy from 1688.com and ship it abroad
1688.com is the wholesale arm of Alibaba and the source behind much of what is resold on AliExpress, Amazon and local marketplaces — usually at a fraction of the retail price. The catch is that 1688 is designed for buyers inside China: the interface is in Chinese, sellers quote domestic shipping only, and many accept payment through Alipay or WeChat Pay. A package-forwarding address is what lets you buy at wholesale prices and still receive your goods at home.
The workflow is simple. Create your free Resendify account to get a real warehouse address in China, then shop 1688 with a browser translation extension. Enter your Resendify address at checkout, pay the supplier, and have each order sent to the warehouse. When your items arrive we consolidate them into a single shipment, prepare the export paperwork and forward everything to your country.
- Use a Chrome/Edge translation add-on to browse 1688 in your language
- Order samples first when buying at scale — quality varies between suppliers
- Group orders from several suppliers and consolidate to cut freight
- Ask us to inspect and repack for Amazon FBA or resale
- Keep invoices accurate — wholesale lots still need correct customs values
UK & EU import VAT and duty on parcels from China (2026)
Most goods shipped from China to the UK or the EU are subject to import VAT — there is no low-value VAT exemption in either market. In the UK, VAT (standard rate 20%) applies to virtually all imports: for consignments of £135 or less it is normally collected at checkout, while above £135 import VAT and any customs duty are charged at the border. UK customs duty is currently relieved on consignments of £135 or less.
In the EU, the €22 VAT exemption was abolished in 2021, so import VAT (the rate depends on the destination country, roughly 17%–27%) applies to every parcel; below €150 it is usually collected at checkout via IOSS. From 1 July 2026 the EU removes the €150 customs-duty exemption and adds a temporary flat customs charge per parcel on low-value non-EU shipments — a change aimed largely at high-volume imports from China. Because per-parcel fees are charged once per parcel (not per item), consolidating several orders into one shipment keeps costs down.
| Item | UK | EU |
|---|---|---|
| Standard import VAT | 20% | ~17%–27% (by country) |
| VAT-free threshold | None (gifts ≤ £39) | None since 2021 |
| Customs duty relief | ≤ £135 duty-free | ≤ €150 until 30 Jun 2026 |
| From 1 Jul 2026 | No 2026 change announced | €150 relief removed + flat per-parcel charge |
| Who collects VAT | Seller ≤ £135; carrier above | IOSS ≤ €150; carrier otherwise |
Last updated: June 2026. Informational only — not legal or tax advice. UK (HMRC) and EU rules are under active reform: the UK is consulting on removing the £135 duty relief and the EU's per-parcel charge starts 1 July 2026. EU VAT rates vary by country. Verify the rules for your destination at the time of purchase. Source: GOV.UK (HMRC) · European Commission – Taxation & Customs.
Calculate 1688 to the UK shipping cost
Get real-time rates for forwarding your 1688 orders from China to the UK and Europe.
Thousands of global shoppers trust Resendify
From fashion to car parts, from luxury to electronics — global shoppers use Resendify to buy from Europe without limits.
“Finally a service that actually works for buying from Spanish stores. I ordered from Zara España, MANGO and El Corte Inglés in the same week — everything arrived consolidated in one box. Shipping to LA was way cheaper than I expected.”
“I bought a MediaMarkt laptop that wasn't available in Canada at that price. The process was seamless — got my European address, placed the order, and Resendify handled everything from there. Will definitely use again.”
“Been sourcing European car parts for years. Resendify is the best forwarding service I've used for Europe-to-India shipments. The consolidation feature saved me hundreds on a single order.”
“Bought from a French boutique that doesn't ship to Australia. Got my Resendify address in minutes, placed the order, and it was on my doorstep in Sydney two weeks later. Exactly as advertised.”
“I source from 4–5 European suppliers every month. Resendify consolidates everything before it hits the US, which cuts my per-unit shipping cost significantly. The quote tool is accurate and the team is responsive.”
“Found a Zalando deal that was EU-only. Used Resendify, got the item shipped to Dubai without any issues. The customs documentation was all handled — that's the part I usually dread.”
Buying from 1688 and shipping to the UK
The key requirement we solve is the destination: your Resendify warehouse address gives 1688 suppliers a valid place to ship. Many buyers handle the account and payment side separately (or via a sourcing helper), then forward everything through us.
No. 1688 suppliers may set their own MOQs, but Resendify has no minimum — forward a single carton or consolidate a full wholesale order.
Yes. We can check cartons, photograph items and repack for resale or Amazon FBA before forwarding — valuable when you're sourcing from several factories at once.
Yes — import VAT applies in both. In the UK it is 20% (collected at checkout up to £135, at the border above), with customs duty relieved up to £135. In the EU, VAT applies to every parcel and from 1 July 2026 the €150 customs-duty exemption is removed with a flat per-parcel charge. See the table above and check your destination country.
Economy services usually take 10–20 business days and express couriers around 6–9 business days to the UK and most of Europe. Compare live rates and transit times with the calculator above.
Ready to buy from 1688 and ship to the UK?
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