Negotiating prices on 1688 comes down to sequencing. Most operators fail not because they use the wrong phrases but because they fire those phrases in the wrong order, with no setup and no weight behind them. This guide covers a four-stage script you can copy directly into Aliwangwang, plus the logic behind each move.
Prepare Before Opening Aliwangwang
Before you type a single character, do three things.
Compare prices across at least three shops selling the same item and screenshot them. You will use those screenshots later when you tell a supplier that a competitor is cheaper. Without the screenshot, the claim is empty and experienced sellers will ignore it.
Know who you are dealing with. 1688 has three seller types: 生产厂家 (manufacturers who make the product), 代理商 (distributors who buy from manufacturers), and 贸易商 (small trading companies). Manufacturers have the most room to move on price because their margins are wider. If a shop page says "厂家直销" (factory direct), treat that as a positive signal before the conversation starts.
Fix two numbers before you open the chat: the quantity you actually need, and a higher "bait" quantity to anchor the opening quote. Keep both ready.
Have DeepL or Google Translate open with camera mode on. Suppliers often reply in full paragraphs and you need to read those fast without breaking the flow.
Phase 1: Open Correctly to Avoid Retail Pricing
Your first message signals what kind of buyer you are. Once a supplier categorizes you as retail, that perception is difficult to reverse.
Do not open with "这个多少钱？" (How much is this?). Retail buyers ask that question. Wholesale buyers ask in volume units: cartons, bales, cases.
Use this instead:
你好，这款产品X箱的价格是多少？批发价怎么算？ >(Hello, what is the price for X cartons of this product? How do you calculate wholesale pricing?)
Replace X with your bait quantity.
Do not mention you are based outside China yet. Suppliers who know an order is crossing a border sometimes factor in extra perceived risk and price accordingly. Share logistics details after the unit price is settled.
Phase 2: Use Volume Tactics to Get a Better Price
After you have a first quote, you have two moves.
Volume anchor: Ask for a price on two to three times your actual target quantity. Get that per-unit price. Then work down to your real order size, holding the supplier to the pricing logic they already stated for large orders.
Reverse move: Start with half your target quantity to get a baseline quote, then offer to increase the order in exchange for a lower rate. Use this when you are not sure how much margin the supplier has.
Either way, add this line once you have the first quote:
如果价格合理，咱们以后长期合作。 >(If the price is reasonable, we will work together long-term.)
Repeat buyers are worth more to a supplier than a single large order. This is a credible commitment, not flattery.
Know your unit math before you sit down. On a 500-unit import, a 1 RMB reduction per unit saves roughly 1.7 to 1.9 million VND on that order alone. That number should be in your head before you open Aliwangwang. The full landed cost breakdown is in the guide on how to calculate 1688 landed cost.
Message Templates: Copy and Use Directly
Stage | Chinese | Vietnamese |
|---|---|---|
Opening | 你好，这款产品X箱的价格是多少？ | Hi, what's the price for X cartons of this product? |
Soft counter | 可以优惠一点吗？ | Can you come down a little? |
Medium counter | 这个价格太高了，请考虑一下。 | This price is a bit high, please reconsider. |
Hard counter | 别的店铺卖得更便宜，你看能降到X元吗？ | Other shops are cheaper, can you go down to X CNY? |
Volume increase | 如果我多订一些，价格能再低吗？ | If I order more, can the price come down? |
Free shipping | 给我包邮可以吗？ | Can you include free domestic shipping? |
Order confirmation | 好的，按这个价格，X个，X颜色，几天能发货？ | Okay, at this price, X units, color X, how many days to ship? |
Repeat order | 上次合作顺利，这次多订一些，能再优惠吗？ | Last order went well, ordering more this time, any extra discount? |
Start with the soft counter on every first round. Jump to the hard counter only after two attempts produce nothing, and only if you have a competing screenshot ready to show. Starting aggressive signals that you have no respect for their margin, which makes the rest of the conversation adversarial.
If the product price will not move at all, shift the request to shipping: "给我包邮可以吗？" is a more flexible cost for most suppliers than unit margin.
For how these costs stack up once you add freight and duties, see the guide on 1688 import fees for new operators.
When to Negotiate, and When Not To
Good timing: order above 200 units, second or later purchase from the same shop, off-season for the product category, or the supplier is a newer store still building their review count.
Skip it when: 1688 is running 双11 or 618 because supplier margins are already at the floor; the item is a peak-season bestseller; or your order is under 50 units where the time cost outweighs any realistic savings.
If after two rounds the price does not move, reply with "我需要考虑一下" (I need to think about it) and close the chat. Wait 30 minutes. Many suppliers will follow up with a lower price on their own. The silence creates real urgency on their side.
3 Mistakes That Kill the Negotiation
Going too low too fast. A first counteroffer of 40 percent below list ends the conversation. Start at 10 to 15 percent off and escalate from there. You have more room than you think once the relationship is established.
Negotiating on small orders. Spending 20 minutes to save 150,000 VND on a 30-unit test order is not a good use of either party's time. Suppliers remember buyers who do this and deprioritize their future requests. Save the effort for orders where the savings actually move your margin on TikTok Shop.
Not logging the result. Write down the shop name, the agreed price, and the name of the sales rep you spoke with. When you return for a second order, referencing that specific person and the previous deal rebuilds the relationship in one message instead of three.
Before transferring payment, confirm price, quantity, variant, and shipping timeline in writing. Also run through the checking 1688 quality before paying checklist before the money moves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you negotiate on 1688 without speaking Chinese?
Yes. The templates above are designed for direct copy-paste. Use DeepL camera mode to read supplier replies in real time. You will miss some nuance in longer messages but you can run a complete negotiation without any spoken Chinese.
How much of a discount is realistic?
On a first order with a new supplier: 5 to 15 percent off list price if your volume looks credible. On repeat orders: an additional 5 to 10 percent plus free domestic shipping is common. Discounts above 20 percent on a first inquiry usually mean the listed price was inflated to begin with.
Aliwangwang or WeChat for negotiation?
Aliwangwang for initial contact. It is tied to the transaction record and protects you if there is a dispute. Move to WeChat for follow-up orders once you have an established relationship with the supplier.
The supplier will not move on price. What next?
Shift the request. Free domestic shipping, bonus sample units, or priority in the production queue are all alternatives when product price is stuck. If none of those work, name the competing shop price from your screenshot specifically. If that also fails, move on. Almost every product on 1688 has multiple credible suppliers.
After agreeing on price, how do I make sure I pay the right amount?
Ask the supplier to create a custom product link at the agreed price before you pay. Do not pay the listed price expecting a refund for the difference. Confirm price, quantity, variant, and shipping timeline in writing in the chat before the transaction goes through.
Ordinex Scout is currently in private beta. It pulls 1688 quotes, stacks in freight and duty estimates, and outputs a landed unit cost before you commit to an order. If you want early access, the waitlist is open at ordinex.cc.