What is a sourcing agent?
A sourcing agent finds and qualifies suppliers on your behalf. You describe a product; they identify factories or wholesalers who make it, negotiate in Chinese, sample, and manage quality control and consolidation. They are paid a commission or a flat fee on the order.
What is a procurement agent?
A procurement agent executes an order you have already specified — usually a 1688 or Taobao cart. They buy, receive at their warehouse, consolidate and ship. They are not looking for the supplier, so they are cheaper, and they carry none of the "is this factory real" work.
When is buying direct on 1688 actually cheaper?
When you already know exactly which listing you want, the order is large enough to absorb the freight on its own, and you can read the listing. Below that, the agent fee usually costs less than one wrong order — and the language barrier is the expensive part, not the margin.
1688 is a domestic Chinese marketplace. Prices are lower than Alibaba because they assume a domestic buyer with a Chinese bank account, a Chinese address and no need for export documentation.
Which one do I need?
Match the role to your actual problem. If you do not know who makes the product, you need a sourcing agent. If you know the listing but cannot buy or ship it, you need a procurement agent. If you have both and the order is large, buy direct.
| You already have | What you need | Typical cost shape |
|---|---|---|
| Only a product idea | Sourcing agent | Commission on order value, or a flat finding fee |
| A supplier, no way to pay or ship | Procurement agent | Service fee plus consolidated freight |
| A 1688 cart and a large order | Buy direct + freight forwarder | Freight and customs only |
| A custom or branded product | Sourcing agent with QC | Commission plus sampling and inspection |
What is an MOQ, and does it apply to me?
MOQ is the minimum order quantity a supplier will produce or sell. Factory MOQs are usually high; wholesalers and market sellers are far lower. An agent who consolidates several buyers can often get you under a factory MOQ that you could not meet alone.