# 1688 Image Search — Find Factories & Suppliers by Photo (`sourcelab/1688-image-search`) Actor Reverse image search on 1688.com: paste any product photo URL and get visually similar wholesale offers with price, MOQ, sales, supplier and similarity rank. Optional full product detail. No login. Pay per search. - **URL**: https://apify.com/sourcelab/1688-image-search.md - **Developed by:** [Roudaut Romain](https://apify.com/sourcelab) (community) - **Categories:** E-commerce - **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.15 / 1,000 image search (20 offers)s This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md. ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run. For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below. Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`). # README ## 1688 Image Search — Find Factories & Suppliers by Photo Reverse image search on **1688.com**, Alibaba's wholesale marketplace for China's domestic market. Paste the URL of any product photo (Amazon, AliExpress, Shopify, TikTok Shop, Temu, your own pictures) and get the **visually similar factory offers** that 1688's own visual search returns: price in CNY, MOQ, units sold, repurchase rate, supplier name, location and years on 1688, product image and link, with the similarity rank. No 1688 account, no login, no Chinese phone number. **You pay per search that returns matches. Nothing else.** ### What you get One row per similar offer: | field | example | |---|---| | `inputImage`, `rank`, `similarityScore` | your photo URL, 1, 0.78 | | `offerId`, `title`, `url`, `imageUrl` | 655297693710, "狗狗玩具球耐咬磨牙棒…", detail.1688.com link, product photo | | `price`, `currency`, `priceLabel` | 4.84, CNY, 限时价 | | `moq`, `moqLabel` | 2, "2件起批" | | `sales`, `salesLabel`, `repurchaseRate` | 100000, "10万+件", "33%" | | `serviceTags[]` | 先采后付, 回头率33% | | `supplierName`, `supplierLoginId`, `supplierMemberId` | 义乌市首悦贸易有限公司, …, b2b-2220314204394702dc | | `supplierProvince`, `supplierCity`, `supplierYears`, `supplierScore` | 浙江, 金华市, 2, 4.5 | | `superFactory`, `factoryInspected`, `businessInspected` | false, true, false | | `shopUrl`, `sameDesignUrl`, `isAd` | supplier shop, 1688 "same design" search, false | Turn on **Fetch full product detail** and each match also carries the full product page: tiered wholesale prices, SKU variants with price and stock, packaging weight and size, ratings, review tags, gallery and supplier verification flags (`detailFetched: true`). ### How to use 1. Paste one image URL per line. JPG, PNG and WebP are accepted; images hosted anywhere public work. 2. Choose how many similar offers you want per image (20 by default, up to 700), most similar first. 3. Optionally fetch the full product page of each match, keep or drop sponsored results, or filter by price. 4. Run. Rows appear in the dataset as they are found; export as JSON, CSV or Excel, or call the Actor from your code through the API. ```json { "imageUrls": ["https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg"], "maxResultsPerImage": 20, "fetchDetails": false } ``` ### Use cases - **Sourcing**: find the factory behind a product you saw on Amazon, Temu, AliExpress or TikTok Shop, with CNY price and MOQ. - **Dropshipping and margin checks**: compare the 1688 price of visually similar offers with your selling price. - **Supplier shortlisting**: rank matches by `supplierYears`, `supplierScore`, `superFactory` / `factoryInspected` and `repurchaseRate`. - **Market research**: units sold (`sales`) of similar designs on China's wholesale market. ### How much does it cost? Pay per event: you pay only for results delivered. Platform usage (compute, residential proxy) is included. Failed, blocked or removed items are never charged. | What you get | Event | Price | Per 1,000 | |---|---|---|---| | Up to 20 similar offers for one image | `image-search` | $0.0045 | $4.50 | | Full product page of a match (`fetchDetails` on) | `product` | $0.003 | $3.00 | Example: 100 photos × 20 similar offers ≈ 100 × $0.0045 = **$0.45**. No start fee. Set a maximum cost per run when you start the Actor (Console or API): it stops cleanly when the limit is reached. ### Output example Real output from a run on 13 Oct 2026 (an AliExpress photo, one matching offer, selected fields): ```json { "inputImage": "https://ae-pic-a1.aliexpress-media.com/kf/S988e621e38064363bfbde0440aadeb32k.jpg", "rank": 2, "similarityScore": 0.6605, "offerId": "1006334194467", "title": "爆促销车载手机支汽车用吸盘式万能仪表台导航支驾支撑夹车内车", "price": 6.34, "currency": "CNY", "moq": 1, "moqLabel": "1件起批", "sales": 4000, "repurchaseRate": "35%", "supplierName": "深圳市小格子科技有限公司", "supplierMemberId": "b2b-220078628767044687", "supplierProvince": "广东", "supplierYears": 8, "superFactory": false, "shopUrl": "https://shop2951538x3x5m0.1688.com", "imageUrl": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/O1CN0143PrxZ26WuwFCfrn7_!!2200786287670-0-cib.jpg", "url": "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1006334194467.html" } ``` ### FAQ **Do I need an account on the marketplace?** No. The Actor reads public pages and endpoints: no login, no cookies, no phone number. **Which images work?** Any public JPG, PNG or WebP URL: Amazon, AliExpress, Temu, Shopify, TikTok Shop or your own CDN. URLs without protocol (`//…`) and objects like `{"url": …}` are accepted too. **What if a photo returns nothing?** It is not charged and is listed in the `failures` of the run's `STATS` record. **Is a match the same product?** It is visually similar according to 1688's own visual search; check the offer before ordering. **Can I run it on a schedule or from my code?** Yes. Schedule it in Apify Console, call it through the Apify API (JavaScript, Python, HTTP), or connect it to Make, Zapier, n8n or Google Sheets. Export as JSON, CSV or Excel. ### How it works Each photo is downloaded, reduced and submitted to 1688's own visual search (the 以图搜货 "search by image" feature of 1688.com), exactly like a buyer uploading a picture on the website. Photos already hosted on alicdn.com are passed by address, without upload. 1688 blocks datacenter IPs, so residential proxies are used by default. ### Tips - A clean product shot (one object, plain background) gives the best matches; 1688 detects the main object automatically. - Sponsored (P4P) offers are excluded by default because they are often less similar; switch *Exclude sponsored results* off to keep them, flagged with `isAd`. - Pair it with our **1688 Wholesale Scraper** (keyword search and product pages) and **1688 Supplier Scraper** (full catalogue of a supplier). ### Limits - Results and ranking are those of 1688's visual search at run time; similarity is visual, not a guarantee of the same product. - Titles are in Chinese, prices in CNY. - Data is public marketplace information (product listings and supplier business profiles). No personal data is collected. ### Chain it with [Temu Product Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/temu-product-scraper) and [AliExpress Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/aliexpress-product-scraper) can call this Actor for you: turn on their **Find the factory on 1688** option and every product comes back with its closest 1688 offers and an estimated margin. | Take this output field | Feed it to | Input field | |---|---|---| | `url` (or `offerId`) | [1688 Wholesale Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/1688-wholesale-scraper) | `offerIds` (tiered prices, SKUs, stock) | | `shopUrl` or `supplierMemberId` | [1688 Supplier Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/1688-supplier-scraper) | `shops` (full catalog and company profile) | Values are accepted exactly as this Actor outputs them (full URL or bare ID). In code, start the next Actor with the dataset of this run, or use an Apify integration (*Actor-to-Actor*) to chain them automatically. #### More SourceLab scrapers - **[1688 Wholesale Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/1688-wholesale-scraper)** — search 1688 by keyword (Chinese or English) when you have no photo, with tiered prices, SKUs and stock. - **[1688 Supplier Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/1688-supplier-scraper)** — found a matching factory? get its full catalog and company profile (pass `shopUrl` or `supplierMemberId`). - **[Alibaba.com Product Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/alibaba-product-scraper)** — the export side of Chinese factories: USD quantity price tiers, MOQ, lead times, certifications and supplier credentials on Alibaba.com. - **[AliExpress Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/aliexpress-product-scraper)** — check the retail price abroad: per-variant price and stock, shipping fees and delivery days to your country, review summary. - **[Temu Product Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/temu-product-scraper)** — see what similar products sell for on Temu in 20 countries: price, rating, units sold and discount from category pages. - **[Taobao & Tmall Product Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/taobao-product-scraper)** — compare with Chinese retail on Taobao & Tmall: current price, seller DSR scores and credit level, rating breakdown. - **[JD.com Product Scraper](https://apify.com/sourcelab/jd-product-scraper)** — compare with China's B2C retail on JD.com: real CNY price (when confirmed), UPC barcode, specification table, self-operated flag. ### Support Open an issue on the Actor's page. Feature requests are welcome. # Actor input Schema ## `imageUrls` (type: `array`): Public URLs of product photos (JPG, PNG or WebP), one per line: Amazon, AliExpress, Shopify, TikTok Shop, your own CDN… Each image is searched on 1688's own visual search. ## `maxResultsPerImage` (type: `integer`): Most similar first. One image-search event is charged per block of up to 20 offers delivered for an image (1-20 offers = 1 event, 21-40 = 2 …). ## `fetchDetails` (type: `boolean`): Also opens each matching product page for tiered prices, SKU variants, stock, packaging, ratings and supplier scores (one product event per enriched offer). ## `excludeAds` (type: `boolean`): Drop the sponsored (P4P) offers that 1688 mixes into image search results (often less similar). Turn off to keep them, flagged with isAd. ## `priceMin` (type: `number`): Optional price filter applied by 1688 (CNY). ## `priceMax` (type: `number`): Optional price filter applied by 1688 (CNY). ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): 1688 blocks datacenter IPs. Residential proxies are required. ## Actor input object example ```json { "imageUrls": [ "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg" ], "maxResultsPerImage": 20, "fetchDetails": false, "excludeAds": true, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ] } } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `matches` (type: `string`): No description ## `matchesCsv` (type: `string`): No description ## `stats` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "imageUrls": [ "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("sourcelab/1688-image-search").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "imageUrls": ["https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("sourcelab/1688-image-search").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "imageUrls": [ "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg" ] }' | apify call sourcelab/1688-image-search --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,sourcelab/1688-image-search" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/q79pXQXLqbQbNfwWh/builds/isb3xgrCTM7z6NJgB/openapi.json