1688 image search: turn product photos into a supplier shortlist

Write down what the reference photo cannot tell you

A product photo can start a search when you lack a Chinese product name. Before searching, describe the features your UK stock actually needs. A front view might hide the thickness of a panel, the base construction or the size of the retail pack. Record the source of your reference and the details still unknown. Use a photo you have permission to share when contacting suppliers. Keep your own SKU reference beside it so later replies can be connected to the correct enquiry.

Treat each visual match as a candidate

WorldFirst’s regional sourcing guide describes image search as a way to find similar products. That makes the results a starting set for comparison. Similar photographs can appear on offers with different dimensions, materials or included accessories. Open the candidate listing and record its exact link and selected variant. A shared photograph alone does not establish the factory, product specification or stock available. Keep the candidate open until the supplier has answered the questions that matter to your intended order.

• WorldFirst South Asia: 1688 sourcing guide (image-search context)

Make one log for comparable offers

Give candidates short references such as A, B and C. Save enough detail to return to the same offer after a supplier changes a listing or sends a separate quote. Keep facts from the listing separate from facts confirmed in a dated reply. Write ‘awaiting answer’ where a field remains unresolved. A low displayed price may concern a different size or quantity tier, so attach the price only to the configuration it actually covers.

• Candidate reference, supplier name, listing URL and date reviewed.
• Selected variant, dimensions, material and included parts.
• Proposed quantity, applicable MOQ and quoted price basis.
• Packing format, sample availability and unanswered questions.

Ask every shortlisted supplier the same questions

Send a brief that names your required features and asks the supplier to confirm each one. WorldFirst’s sourcing guidance recommends a consistent specification covering dimensions, materials, colours and packaging across suppliers. Ask for measurements taken in an agreed way and a photo identifying the quoted variant where needed. Confirm whether the offer concerns current stock or goods to be made. Save any proposed substitution as a separate option so it cannot silently replace the product you first requested.

• WorldFirst UK: Building a resilient global sourcing strategy

Compare a specific SKU across three replies

Consider an illustrative search for SKU-TR01, a plain black desk tray. Your invented brief calls for a polypropylene tray with an external width of 240 mm and individual plain cartons. Candidate A confirms those features. Candidate B confirms a 220 mm width. Candidate C uses a similar image but has yet to confirm its material. Keep A for the next enquiry, record B as a possible alternative only if you accept the smaller size, and ask C for its missing answer. The table is a suggested worksheet, not a supplier assessment.

Separate product fit from supplier checks

A candidate can fit the product brief while still requiring supplier checks. Once the product answers justify further work, follow a separate process for checking the seller’s identity, credentials and proposed order terms. Give samples a defined review purpose. If two offers remain comparable, request quotations for the same quantities and packing assumptions. Keep the domestic delivery and handling requirements visible when comparing their costs. Decide which unanswered points must be resolved before you authorise a sample purchase.

Keep the reason for removing a candidate

Save a short reason when an offer leaves the shortlist. A width outside your brief, unavailable pack format or unanswered material question can explain the decision later. If the supplier returns with a revised offer, compare it with that recorded reason. Keep the original response rather than overwriting it. This also helps when a visually similar listing appears in another search: you can identify the unresolved requirement before spending time on the same enquiry again.

Send a shortlist that someone else can act on

Finish with a small set of candidates and the reason each remains under consideration. Attach the reference image, required attributes and supplier replies. Mark which features are essential and which alternatives you would consider. Add quantities, sample questions and your UK delivery postcode when requesting sourcing support. This gives the person contacting suppliers a clear basis for enquiries and gives you a record of the choices still awaiting approval. Agree the search, purchasing and checking scope in the quotation.

Questions before you order

Sources & further guidance

• WorldFirst South Asia: 1688 sourcing guide (image-search context)
• WorldFirst UK: Building a resilient global sourcing strategy

These references provide platform, payment or import background. The purchasing checklists are our practical guidance. Check the current terms and official requirements for your product and destination.