Do Your 1688 Export Cartons Need an SSCC Label?
Learn what an SSCC logistics label is, when a retailer or 3PL may require one on cartons of 1688 goods and how it links each carton to the advance notice.
The short answer
Only if your receiver asks for it, which some retailers and 3PLs do. GS1 states that the only compulsory data on its logistic label is the Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), a unique serial number for each logistic unit. Scanning it lets the receiver match each physical carton or pallet to the electronic notice describing it. If your receiver requires SSCC labels, plan them before the cartons are packed in China.
In this article
| Item | What it identifies | Who usually provides it |
|---|---|---|
| SSCC | One carton or pallet (logistic unit) | The brand owner or importer |
| GTIN | A product | The brand owner |
| Carton marks | Your order and carton sequence | You, printed by the packer |
| Advance notice | What each SSCC contains | You or your forwarder |
What an SSCC is
GS1 explains that the only compulsory requirement of its logistic label is that each logistic unit, such as a carton or pallet, is identified with a unique serial number, the Serial Shipping Container Code. Other information can appear on the label, but the SSCC is the one required element.
It identifies the unit being shipped, not the product inside; product numbers such as GTINs are separate.
Why receivers use it
GS1 notes that scanning the SSCC on each logistic unit allows its physical movement to be matched with the electronic business messages that refer to it, such as an advance shipping notice.
Flexport lists missing or inaccurate advance notices and unlabeled cartons among the main causes of slow receiving. An SSCC on every carton, matched to the notice, removes both.
When you need one for 1688 goods
You need SSCC labels when your receiver requires them: some retailers do for supplier deliveries, and some 3PLs and marketplaces have their own carton label rules. For goods you receive yourself, ordinary carton marks are usually enough.
Ask your receiver for its label specification before the goods leave China, including whether it wants SSCCs per carton or per pallet.
Where the labels come from
SSCCs are normally created by the brand owner or importer using GS1 numbering, often through labeling software. A 1688 supplier is unlikely to have your numbering.
In practice, you generate the labels and send them to whoever packs the export cartons: the supplier, or a receiving warehouse if it offers carton labeling. Our published schedule lists packing and repacking; ask before relying on label application.
Keep labels and notice in step
Each SSCC must appear once, on one carton, and match the line in the advance notice that describes that carton’s contents. Reusing a label or relabeling a repacked carton without updating the notice causes receiving errors.
If cartons are repacked in China, generate the labels after repacking, from the final carton list.
Label cartons for a retailer delivery
Suppose a retailer requires SSCC labels and an advance notice for a delivery of 60 cartons of 1688 goods packed at a receiving warehouse in China.
- Get the retailer’s label specification and confirm cartons, not pallets, need SSCCs.
- After repacking, take the final carton list and generate 60 SSCC labels and the matching advance notice.
- Send the labels to the packer, ask for a photo of a labeled carton, and send the notice to the retailer before arrival.
Each carton can be scanned and matched to the notice at the retailer’s dock, so the delivery is received without exceptions.
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
Is an SSCC the same as a tracking number?
No. A tracking number belongs to a carrier’s shipment; an SSCC identifies a logistic unit across the supply chain.
Can the 1688 supplier create SSCC labels?
Not with your numbering unless you give it the labels. Generate them yourself and send them to the packer.
References
- GS1: identifying logistics units
- Flexport glossary: dock-to-stock
- 1688 Warehousing: published handling and storage schedule
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.
