What Address Do You Give a 1688 Seller When Using a China Warehouse?
Learn what goes into a China warehouse receiving address for 1688 sellers, where your reference belongs and what to check before the seller dispatches.
The short answer
Give the seller the warehouse’s receiving address in Chinese, the recipient name and phone number the warehouse provides, and your reference exactly as the warehouse instructs, usually on the recipient line and on every carton. Use the address the warehouse confirms for your order, not one copied from another buyer or an old message.
In this article
| Field | What to give the seller | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | Name plus your reference, as instructed | Lets the receiving desk match the parcel |
| Phone | The number the warehouse gives you | Couriers call before delivery |
| Address | Province to unit, in Chinese | Avoids misrouting by the domestic courier |
| Carton mark | Reference and carton sequence, such as 1/3 | Shows when a carton is missing |
| Tracking number | Sent to you after dispatch | Confirms which parcel belongs to you |
The parts of a receiving address
A domestic Chinese address runs from large to small: province, city, district, street and building or unit. Couriers read it in Chinese, so give the seller the Chinese version the warehouse supplies rather than an English translation. Add the recipient name and phone number the warehouse tells you to use; couriers often call before delivery.
1688 sellers enter this address in their own shipping system, which may cut long lines short. Ask the warehouse which part of your reference must survive if a field is shortened, and put that part first.
Where your reference belongs
The reference is what lets the receiving desk connect a parcel to you. Warehouses usually ask for it on the recipient line, on the outside of each carton or both. Follow the format the warehouse gives you exactly, including capital letters, spaces and hyphens.
For several cartons from one seller, ask for a carton sequence as well, such as 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3, so a missing carton is obvious on arrival. Keep your own name and phone number out of carton marks unless the warehouse asks for them.
Send the seller a message they can copy
Sellers handle many orders a day, so give them one short message with everything in it: the Chinese address, recipient, phone, your reference and how to mark the cartons. A short Chinese line helps, for example 外箱请写上 [your reference] 和箱号 (please write [your reference] and the carton number on the outer carton).
Ask the seller to confirm in the 1688 chat before dispatch and to send the courier name and tracking number afterward. The confirmation is useful evidence if a parcel later arrives without a mark.
Check how the seller will ship before it dispatches
Small parcels usually go by express courier (快递) to the door. Large or heavy consignments may go by a freight line (物流) that delivers to a depot unless door delivery (送货上门) is arranged. Ask which one the seller will use, because a depot delivery may need to be collected.
Also ask whether the order will leave as one parcel or several, and on what day. Those answers go into your receiving list so the warehouse knows what to expect.
How our receiving request uses this
Our receiving request asks for the sellers and parcels you expect, as typed notes or an uploaded list. The team then confirms the actual receiving address and reference to give each seller. The sample record on our site is fictional and is never a receiving instruction.
Once parcels start arriving, each one is matched against your list. A parcel that matches a row is recorded under your reference; one that does not is held for review until it can be connected to a specific order.
Brief three sellers for one receiving batch
Suppose you are buying from three 1688 sellers who will each ship to the same receiving warehouse. Seller A ships one parcel, seller B two cartons and seller C an order large enough to go by freight line.
- Send each seller the same Chinese address, recipient and phone, with your reference and that seller’s own carton sequence: A 1/1, B 1/2 and 2/2, C 1/1.
- Ask seller C whether the freight line delivers to the door or to a depot, and request door delivery if the warehouse requires it.
- Collect each seller’s confirmation, courier name and tracking number, and enter them as rows in your receiving list before the first parcel arrives.
The warehouse expects four cartons from three sellers and can match each one on arrival. The example uses a placeholder reference, not a real receiving instruction.
Put this into your request
Plan warehouse receiving using your actual goods, destination and known shipment details. Our team can review the missing information and the next step.
Common questions
Can I use the same address for every 1688 seller?
Usually yes, with the same reference. Add the seller name or order number to your receiving list so arrivals from different sellers can be told apart.
What if the seller cannot add my reference?
Send the warehouse the tracking number and seller name as soon as you have them. A parcel without a reference may need manual matching, which takes longer.
References
Sources checked for this edition on 12 November 2026. Service offers and carrier rules can change; confirm the terms for the shipment you intend to send.
