This guide provides detailed instructions with exact steps for registering on 1688.com Open Platform and obtaining your API credentials.
- ✅ Email Address (valid and accessible)
- ✅ Phone Number (for SMS verification)
- ✅ Company Information (optional but recommended)
- Company Name
- Business License Number (for business accounts)
- Tax ID or Business Registration
- ✅ Chinese Language Support (use browser translation)
- ✅ Valid Payment Method (for premium features, optional)
- Registration: 10-15 minutes
- Application Creation: 10 minutes
- Approval Wait: 1-3 business days
- API Permission Requests: 1-3 business days per API
What you'll see:
- Chinese language interface (use Google Translate)
- Main navigation with "首页" (Home), "文档" (Docs), "控制台" (Console)
- Login/Register buttons in top-right corner
Look for:
- Button text: "注册" (Register) or "免费注册" (Free Register)
- Usually in top-right corner
- Blue or orange colored button
Alternative paths:
- Click "控制台" (Console) → Redirects to login → Click register link
- Direct URL: https://account.1688.com/member/join.htm
You'll see 2 options:
- ✅ Faster approval
- ✅ Easier verification
- ❌ Limited API access
- ❌ Lower rate limits
- Best for: Testing and small projects
- ✅ Full API access
- ✅ Higher rate limits
- ✅ All API methods available
- ❌ Requires business verification
- ❌ Needs business license
- Best for: Production applications
Click your preferred option.
Required Fields:
-
手机号 (Phone Number):
Format: +86 followed by your number Example: +86 13812345678- Must be able to receive SMS
- One number per account
-
短信验证码 (SMS Verification Code):
- Click "获取验证码" (Get Code) - Enter 6-digit code from SMS - Valid for 5 minutes -
密码 (Password):
Requirements: - 8-20 characters - Include: letters + numbers - Recommended: letters + numbers + symbols - Example: MyPass123! -
确认密码 (Confirm Password):
- Re-enter same password - Must match exactly -
邮箱 (Email):
Format: your.email@example.com - Must be valid and accessible - Will receive verification link - One email per account -
真实姓名 (Real Name):
- Your legal name - Can be in English or Chinese - Example: John Smith or 张三 -
同意条款 (Agree to Terms):
- Check the box: "我已阅读并同意" - Translates to: "I have read and agree"
Click: "提交注册" (Submit Registration)
Additional Required Fields:
-
企业名称 (Company Name):
- Full legal business name - Example: ABC Trading Company Ltd. -
统一社会信用代码 (Business License Number):
- 18-digit code from business license - Example: 91110000MA001234XX - Required for Chinese companies -
营业执照 (Business License Upload):
- Upload clear photo or scan - Format: JPG, PNG - Max size: 5MB - Must be valid/not expired -
法人姓名 (Legal Representative):
- Name of company legal representative - Must match business license -
联系人 (Contact Person):
- Name of person managing account - Can be different from legal rep -
职位 (Position/Title):
- Your job title - Example: IT Manager, Developer, CEO
Click: "提交注册" (Submit Registration)
Check your email inbox:
- Look for email from noreply@1688.com
- Subject: "1688开放平台邮箱验证" (1688 Open Platform Email Verification)
- Click verification link in email
- Link valid for 24 hours
Email content example:
您好，
请点击以下链接验证您的邮箱：
[验证链接]
链接24小时内有效。
1688开放平台
If you don't receive email:
- Check spam/junk folder
- Wait 5-10 minutes
- Click "重新发送" (Resend) on registration page
- Verify email address is correct
You may receive a verification call:
- Answer phone call from Chinese number
- Automated voice will say verification code
- Enter code on verification page
- Code valid for 10 minutes
Alternative:
- SMS verification code
- Enter on the page shown after email verification
After verification, you'll be redirected to profile setup:
Additional Information:
-
行业 (Industry):
Choose from dropdown: - 电子商务 (E-commerce) - 软件开发 (Software Development) - 批发零售 (Wholesale/Retail) - 其他 (Other) -
公司规模 (Company Size):
- 1-10人 (1-10 employees) - 11-50人 (11-50) - 51-200人 (51-200) - 200人以上 (200+) -
公司网站 (Company Website):
- Optional but recommended - Example: https://www.yourcompany.com - Can use: "暂无" (None yet) -
使用场景 (Use Case):
Select purpose: - 商品展示 (Product Display) - 订单管理 (Order Management) - 数据分析 (Data Analysis) - 其他 (Other)
Click: "完成" (Complete)
After registration, navigate to:
URL: https://open.1688.com/console
Or:
- From homepage: Click "控制台" (Console)
- Login with your credentials
- You'll see the dashboard
Dashboard sections:
- 我的应用 (My Applications)
- API管理 (API Management)
- 数据统计 (Data Statistics)
- 账户信息 (Account Information)
Look for menu items:
-
Click "应用管理" (Application Management)
- Left sidebar or top menu
- Icon: 📱 or similar
-
Or click "我的应用" (My Applications)
- Shows list of your apps
- Initially empty
You'll see:
- List of applications (empty if first time)
- "创建应用" (Create Application) button
- Orange or blue button, prominently displayed
Button text: "创建应用" or "新建应用"
What happens:
- Modal/popup window opens
- Or redirect to application creation form
- Form with multiple fields
Form Fields Explained:
Guidelines:
- 4-20 characters
- Letters, numbers, Chinese characters allowed
- No special characters
- Must be unique
Examples:
✅ "MyStoreAPI"
✅ "产品浏览平台" (Product Browsing Platform)
✅ "Wholesale Manager 2024"
❌ "App" (too short)
❌ "My@App#123" (special characters)
Select from dropdown:
Option 1: Web应用 (Web Application) ⭐ CHOOSE THIS
- For websites and web apps
- URL-based authentication
- Callback URL required
Option 2: 移动应用 (Mobile Application)
- For iOS/Android apps
- Different authentication flow
Option 3: 服务端应用 (Server Application)
- For backend services
- Direct API access
Recommended: Choose "Web应用"
Format: Full URL with protocol
Examples:
Development:
✅ http://localhost:3000
✅ http://127.0.0.1:3000
Production:
✅ https://www.yoursite.com
✅ https://yourdomain.com
❌ localhost (missing protocol)
❌ www.site.com (needs http/https)
❌ yoursite (not complete URL)
Used for OAuth authentication
Format: Your domain + callback path
Examples:
✅ http://localhost:3000/api/callback
✅ http://localhost:3000/auth/callback
✅ https://yoursite.com/api/auth/1688/callback
Multiple callbacks (if allowed):
- One per line
- Or comma-separated
Note: Must match your application URL domain
150-500 characters
Explain your app's purpose
Example (English):
"E-commerce platform for browsing and sourcing wholesale products from 1688.com. Allows users to search products, view details, compare prices, and contact suppliers."
Example (Chinese):
"用于浏览和采购1688.com批发产品的电商平台。允许用户搜索产品、查看详情、比较价格和联系供应商。"
Tips:
- Be specific about functionality
- Mention data you'll access
- Explain user benefits
Requirements:
- Format: JPG, PNG
- Size: 200x200 pixels minimum
- Max file size: 500KB
- Square image recommended
If you don't have:
- Skip for now
- Can add later in app settings
Contact Name: Your name or team contact
Contact Email: Valid email for communications
Contact Phone: Phone number with country code
Select all that apply:
☑ 商品搜索 (Product Search)
☑ 商品详情 (Product Details)
☑ 图片搜索 (Image Search)
☑ 供应商信息 (Supplier Information)
☑ 类目查询 (Category Query)
☐ 订单管理 (Order Management) - if needed
☐ 其他 (Other)
Select estimated daily API calls:
- 100次以下 (Less than 100/day)
- 100-1000次 (100-1000/day)
- 1000-10000次 (1000-10000/day)
- 10000次以上 (More than 10000/day)
Tip: Start with conservative estimate
Can upgrade later if needed
- Review all fields - Make sure everything is correct
- Check agreement box - "我已阅读并同意《开发者协议》"
- Click: "提交申请" (Submit Application)
What happens next:
- Success message appears
- Application goes into review
- Status shown as: "审核中" (Under Review)
- Notification email sent
Timeline:
- Fast track: 1 business day (personal accounts)
- Standard: 2-3 business days (business accounts)
- Delayed: Up to 5 days (if issues)
Check status:
- Go to Console → My Applications
- Look for status badge:
- 🟡 审核中 (Under Review) - Wait
- 🟢 已通过 (Approved) - Success!
- 🔴 未通过 (Rejected) - See reason
Rejection reasons:
- Incomplete information
- Invalid business license
- Suspicious use case
- Duplicate application
- Violation of terms
If rejected:
- Read rejection reason
- Fix the issues
- Resubmit application
Email notifications:
- Approval: "您的应用已通过审核"
- Rejection: "您的应用审核未通过"
After approval:
- Go to: https://open.1688.com/console
- Click "应用管理" (Application Management)
- You'll see your approved application with green checkmark ✅
Application card shows:
- Application name
- Application type
- Status: "已启用" (Enabled)
- Creation date
Click on your application name or "查看详情" (View Details) button
You'll see a page with tabs:
- 基本信息 (Basic Information) ⭐ START HERE
- API权限 (API Permissions)
- 数据统计 (Data Statistics)
- 应用设置 (Application Settings)
In "基本信息" (Basic Information) tab:
You'll see a section labeled "应用凭证" (Application Credentials):
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ 应用凭证 (Application Credentials) │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ App Key: 12345678 │
│ [复制] (Copy button) │
│ │
│ App Secret: ******************** │
│ [显示] (Show) [复制] (Copy) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
App Key (应用Key):
- Locate: Usually 8-digit number
- Example:
12345678or23456789 - Click: "复制" (Copy) button next to App Key
- Or: Manually select and copy the number
Save this in a secure location!
My App Key: 12345678
App Secret (应用密钥):
Initially hidden:
- Shows as:
******************** - Or:
••••••••••••••••••••
To reveal:
- Click: "显示" (Show) or eye icon 👁️
- May require: Re-enter your password for security
- After authentication: Full secret is revealed
App Secret format:
- Usually 16-40 character alphanumeric string
- Mix of letters (a-z, A-Z) and numbers (0-9)
- Example:
1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i0j1k2l3m4n
Copy the secret:
- Click: "复制" (Copy) button
- Or: Select all and copy manually (Ctrl+C / Cmd+C)
Save immediately:
My App Secret: 1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i0j1k2l3m4n
DO:
- ✅ Save in password manager
- ✅ Store in
.env.localfile (gitignored) - ✅ Keep backups in secure location
- ✅ Treat like passwords - never share publicly
DON'T:
- ❌ Commit to Git/GitHub
- ❌ Share in public forums
- ❌ Include in frontend code
- ❌ Send via unencrypted email
- ❌ Share screenshots with credentials visible
If compromised:
- Go to Application Settings
- Click "重置密钥" (Reset Secret)
- Generate new credentials
- Update your .env.local file
In your application details:
- Click "API权限" (API Permissions) tab
- Or: Console → API管理 → 我的API权限
You'll see:
- List of available APIs
- Your current permissions (initially none)
- "申请权限" (Apply for Permission) buttons
Apply for these APIs:
API Name: alibaba.cross.search
or: alibaba.product.search
Purpose: Search products by keyword
Status: Must apply
Approval: 1-3 days
Click: "申请权限" (Apply)
API Name: alibaba.cross.detail
or: alibaba.product.get
Purpose: Get detailed product information
Status: Must apply
Approval: 1-3 days
Click: "申请权限" (Apply)
API Name: alibaba.cross.image.query
Purpose: Fetch product images
Status: Usually included with details
Approval: 1-3 days
Click: "申请权限" (Apply)
API Name: alibaba.category.get
Purpose: Get product categories
Status: Optional for now
Approval: 1-3 days
For each API, you'll need to fill:
1. 申请原因 (Application Reason):
Explain why you need this API
Example:
"我们的应用需要搜索和展示1688商品信息，为用户提供批发采购服务。"
Translation:
"Our application needs to search and display 1688 product information to provide wholesale purchasing services to users."
2. 预计调用量 (Expected Call Volume):
Daily/Monthly estimates
- Be realistic
- Can request increase later
Example:
- 每日调用量: 500次 (500 calls/day)
- 每月调用量: 15000次 (15000 calls/month)
3. 使用场景 (Use Case):
Describe specific features
Example:
"用户搜索功能、商品详情页展示、价格比较工具"
Translation:
"User search function, product detail page display, price comparison tool"
After submitting each API request:
Status tracking:
- 待审核 (Pending) - Just submitted
- 审核中 (Under Review) - Being processed
- 已通过 (Approved) - ✅ Granted!
- 已拒绝 (Rejected) - ❌ Denied
Timeline:
- Standard: 1-3 business days per API
- Expedited: Contact support (for business accounts)
- Holiday delays: Add 2-3 days during Chinese holidays
Check status:
- API权限 tab in your application
- Email notifications
- Console dashboard
Checklist:
- ✅ App Key (8-digit number)
- ✅ App Secret (long alphanumeric string)
- ✅ At least one API permission approved
- ✅ Application status: "已启用" (Enabled)
Open terminal and navigate to your project:
cd /Users/ridafakherlden/www/chinaCreate the file:
touch .env.localOr create manually in your IDE/editor
Open .env.local and add:
# 1688.com API Credentials
ALIBABA_APP_KEY=12345678
ALIBABA_APP_SECRET=1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i0j1k2l3m4n
# API Configuration
ALIBABA_API_URL=https://gw.open.1688.com/openapi
NEXT_PUBLIC_SITE_URL=http://localhost:3000Replace with YOUR actual credentials:
12345678→ Your App Key1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i0j1k2l3m4n→ Your App Secret
Save the file (Cmd+S / Ctrl+S)
Check .gitignore file includes:
.env*
!.env.example
This prevents accidentally committing your credentials!
Stop current server:
- Press
Ctrl+Cin terminal
Start again:
npm run devYou should see:
✓ Ready on http://localhost:3000
Visit: http://localhost:3000/api-status
Expected results:
- ✅ App Key: Configured
- ✅ App Secret: Configured
- ✅ Status: configured
- ✅ Message: "API credentials are configured!"
Visit: http://localhost:3000/products
Look for:
- Real product titles (Chinese or English)
- Actual product images (not picsum.photos)
- Real supplier names
- Authentic pricing in CNY
Banner should show:
- ✅ "Fetching real data from 1688.com"
- NOT: "
⚠️ Using mock data"
Open Developer Tools:
- Chrome/Edge: F12 or Cmd+Option+I
- Firefox: F12
- Safari: Cmd+Option+I
Look for:
✓ Connected to 1688.com API
✓ Fetched 20 products
✓ Category: electronics
Should NOT see:
⚠️ MOCK DATA: API credentials not configured
Try searching:
- Visit homepage
- Search for: "手机" (phone) or "laptop"
- Click search
- Should see real results from 1688.com
Try categories:
- Click any category icon
- Should see products from that category
- Real products, not mock data
Causes:
- Wrong App Key
- Wrong App Secret
- Typo in credentials
Solutions:
- Double-check credentials in console
- Copy again carefully
- Check for extra spaces
- Verify .env.local syntax
Causes:
- API permission not approved yet
- Wrong API method name
- Account doesn't have access
Solutions:
- Check API权限 tab
- Verify all needed APIs are approved
- Wait for approval if pending
- Contact support if rejected
Causes:
- App Secret is wrong
- Parameter encoding issue
- Timestamp problem
Solutions:
- Re-copy App Secret
- Check for special characters
- Verify .env.local has no quotes around values
- Restart server after changes
Causes:
- .env.local not created
- Server not restarted
- Wrong file location
- Credentials not saved
Solutions:
- Verify .env.local exists in project root
- Restart dev server
- Clear browser cache
- Check /api-status page
1688 Customer Service:
- Phone: +86 571-8502-2088
- Email: api-support@1688.com
- Hours: 9:00-18:00 Beijing Time (Mon-Fri)
Developer Forum:
- URL: https://openclub.1688.com
- Post questions (in Chinese)
- Community support
If you don't speak Chinese:
-
Use Google Translate:
- Install Chrome extension
- Right-click → Translate to English
- Or: translate.google.com
-
Translation Apps:
- Google Translate app
- Microsoft Translator
- Baidu Translate
-
Hire Translator:
- Fiverr, Upwork for professional help
- Chinese-speaking friend or colleague
Can't get 1688 API access?
Option 1: Third-Party API Services:
- APISpace (https://www.apispace.com)
- RapidAPI (search "1688" or "Alibaba")
- DataFire marketplace
Option 2: Contact Agent/Sourcing Company:
- Alibaba sourcing agents
- They have API access
- Can set up for you (fee-based)
Option 3: Continue with Mock Data:
- Perfect for development/testing
- All features work
- No cost
After completing this guide, you should have:
- ✅ Registered 1688 account
- ✅ Created application
- ✅ Application approved
- ✅ Got App Key (8 digits)
- ✅ Got App Secret (long string)
- ✅ API permissions approved
- ✅ Created .env.local file
- ✅ Added credentials correctly
- ✅ Restarted server
- ✅ Seeing real products!
You now have real 1688.com data flowing into your application!
Next steps:
- Explore real products
- Test all features
- Build your e-commerce platform
- Monitor API usage
- Consider upgrading plan if needed
Questions?
- Check TROUBLESHOOTING.md
- Visit /api-status page
- Contact support
- Open GitHub issue
Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Author: Development Team
Version: 2.0