Two sites, one owner, and only one LitBuy can use
Alibaba Group owns Alibaba.com and also 1688, Taobao and AliExpress, which is why the names blur in spreadsheets. They serve different buyers. Alibaba.com is the business-to-business site that suppliers use to quote buyers abroad; 1688 is the Chinese-language wholesale site aimed at buyers inside China. LitBuy can open 1688 pages: its links use code 0, and its estimator carries the interface line "Supports exchange rate conversion and direct purchase for 1688 and Taobao products". It states that it cannot purchase from cross-border shopping platforms, and Alibaba.com belongs on that side of the line.
| Site | Usual buyer | Listing language | Route for a spreadsheet row |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba.com | Businesses buying abroad | Mostly English | Deal with the supplier directly |
| 1688 | Chinese buyers and resellers | Chinese | LitBuy link, code 0 |
| Taobao | Chinese consumers | Chinese | LitBuy link, code 1 |
| AliExpress | Consumers abroad | English and others | Buy on AliExpress itself |
Alibaba.com is a quote you negotiate yourself; 1688 is the sibling that fits a LitBuy row.
What people mean by an Alibaba spreadsheet
Our keyword file shows about 790 global monthly searches for "Alibaba spreadsheet". That is modest, and the phrase covers at least three files. The first is a supplier shortlist: names, links and a note on how quickly each answered. The second is a quote comparison, where several suppliers answer the same request and the sheet lines the answers up. The third is a sample tracker for the small paid order a buyer places before committing to a larger one.
A fourth kind appears in social posts: a "finds" list that happens to name Alibaba. Treat those links with care. A product page on Alibaba.com may show a price range that changes with quantity, so a single price in a cell can be misleading. Record the tier you actually plan to order, not the headline figure.
None of these is a LitBuy sheet, so none needs LitBuy's link format. If a supplier you like also lists on 1688, the item number in the 1688 address is what the link converter needs, and the row then follows the rules on our 1688 page.
Decide which of the four files you hold before you trust a single price in it.
Columns a supplier sheet needs
Most supplier files fail because they record the price and forget the terms around it. The table lists what a quote comparison should capture, and the last column shows where the same fact lives if the row is a 1688 listing bought through LitBuy.
| Column | Why it matters | If the row goes through LitBuy |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier and link | Lets you find the listing again | Original link plus LitBuy link |
| Minimum order | Sets the real quantity | Row quantity |
| Price per tier | Price changes with quantity | Price in ¥ for your tier |
| Sample price | Tests quality at small cost | One-piece row, if the seller allows |
| Lead time | Delays stack up | Seller shipment date on the LitBuy page |
| Unit weight and carton size | Decides freight | Assumed weight, then LitBuy's recorded weight |
| Shipping terms as quoted | Shows who pays what | LitBuy quote per line |
Our LitBuy spreadsheet template already has columns for platform, item ID, price, seller shipping and assumed weight. Add the supplier columns beside them rather than replacing them, so a 1688 row keeps its landed-euro formula.
Record terms, not just prices, or the comparison tells you nothing.
A 1688 row costed to Germany
The item prices below are hypothetical and the weights are assumed for this example, not measured. Suppose a 1688 seller lists a plain cotton top at ¥38 with a minimum of three pieces, and the seller's domestic shipping to LitBuy's warehouse is ¥10. At ¥1 ≈ €0.12 that is about €14.88 for the goods. We assume 0.3 kg per piece, so 0.9 kg in total. LitBuy's estimator quoted €24.12 ($27.10) for 1,000 g to Germany on LIT-Economy-DHL-DE on 19 October 2026, at list price before the new-user promotion, and parcels submitted after 25 October 2026 carry a €2 fee. The €3 EU prepayment is already inside the €24.12.
Three hypothetical 1688 pieces, assumed 0.9 kg, Germany
Goods: 3 × ¥38 = ¥114, plus ¥10 seller shipping = ¥124€14.88
Freight, 1,000 g band, LIT-Economy-DHL-DE (list)€24.12 ($27.10)
EU handling fee after 25 October 2026€2.00
Cost per piece, landed€13.67
Total, before coupons€41.00
Set that against a direct route in general terms. A supplier quote from Alibaba.com would carry its own freight, taxes and terms, which we did not read, so the comparison is your quote's delivered total divided by pieces against €13.67. The sharper question is what the same freight does to a larger order, and the shipping calculator reruns the sum for other weights.
Divide any delivered quote by pieces and hold it against €13.67 per piece.
Tax and the commercial-parcel warning
Germany charges 19% import VAT from the first euro, and since 1 July 2026 a temporary flat €3 customs duty applies per tariff category for consignments worth up to €150 that use IOSS. LitBuy's tax-free EU lines replace the per-category rule with a flat €3 per parcel, which the estimator shows as a ¥24 prepayment. On the EMS line the recipient pays duties and VAT at delivery, so a lower freight number there can hide a bill at the door. Read the customs page for France, the US and the UK.
Wholesale buying raises a separate point. LitBuy's help flags two risk markers: a parcel above 10 kg and a parcel full of identical items, either of which is likelier to be classed as commercial. We could not verify what tax treatment follows, and nothing here is advice on structuring an order. If you plan to resell, ask LitBuy support before you buy and take professional advice on your own obligations.
Keep the declared value equal to what you paid. LitBuy's forwarding page asks buyers to declare value truthfully, and a mismatch is a problem in any customs check.
Personal-size parcels fit LitBuy's lines; bulk orders need a conversation first.
When LitBuy still matters for Alibaba-group sellers
Three cases bring a row back to LitBuy. A supplier sells on 1688 but ignores overseas enquiries; the 1688 route and a Chinese-language listing then decide the price. A buyer wants several small items from different sellers in one parcel; the rehearsal parcel, a fixed ¥20, shows packed weight before you pay freight. And a sheet may mix Alibaba.com suppliers with Taobao and Weidian finds; keep a platform column so only the code 0, 1 and 2 rows are converted. The marketplace hub lists every platform and its route, and the LitBuy shipping cost page has the quotes at 500 g and 2 kg.
Convert only the 1688 rows and quote the Alibaba.com rows yourself.
Alibaba questions from LitBuy buyers
Does LitBuy treat Alibaba.com and 1688 as one site?
No. Both belong to Alibaba Group, but LitBuy opens 1688 listings as code 0 and does not buy from Alibaba.com, which it would count as a cross-border platform. The two sites list different sellers, languages and prices. If a supplier appears on both, copy the 1688 item number into the link converter and compare that price with the Alibaba.com quote.
Why do so few people search for an Alibaba spreadsheet?
Our keyword file shows about 790 global monthly searches for it, a small number next to DHgate at 17,300. We cannot tell what searchers want. The common readings are a supplier shortlist, a quote-comparison sheet or a sample tracker, which is why our column list below starts with supplier terms rather than a LitBuy link.
What columns should an Alibaba supplier sheet have?
Supplier name, listing link, minimum order, price per tier, sample price, lead time, shipping terms as quoted, unit weight, packed carton size and a notes cell for messages. Those ten answer what a quote comparison must settle. For rows you do route through LitBuy, our template adds item ID, assumed weight and a landed-euro formula.
Will a 1688 seller part with a single piece?
Only if the seller's listing allows it. Many 1688 sellers set a minimum order, and LitBuy cannot change that. The listing page shows the minimum before you pay, so read it for each row. If a seller needs three pieces, treat three as the row quantity and cost the parcel on that weight.
Does LitBuy's €24.12 quote apply to a heavy wholesale order?
Only up to 1 kg. The €24.12 ($27.10) line is LitBuy's estimator quote for 1,000 g to Germany on 19 October 2026. LitBuy's help also warns that parcels over 10 kg, or with many identical items, are more likely classed as commercial. We could not verify what that changes, so ask LitBuy support before sending bulk.
Do I pay German VAT on 1688 goods sent through LitBuy?
Germany charges 19% import VAT from the first euro. On LitBuy's tax-free EU lines, LitBuy pays duty and VAT and charges a flat €3 per parcel, plus €2 after 25 October 2026. With an EMS line, the recipient settles the tax at the door. Check the line's label at checkout before choosing, since the two cost differently.