# 1688.com Scraper & Price Monitor (`yushi3/1688-product-monitor`) Actor

Scrape 1688.com wholesale products by keyword (Chinese or English) or product URL: tiered wholesale prices, MOQ, SKUs with stock, sales and supplier details. Monitor mode flags new listings, price drops and stock-outs since the last run, with webhook alerts. Pay per product.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/yushi3/1688-product-monitor.md
- **Developed by:** [Yushi Homma](https://apify.com/yushi3) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Lead generation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 product details

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

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.com Scraper & Price Monitor

Scrape [1688.com](https://www.1688.com), Alibaba's Chinese wholesale marketplace, by keyword or product URL, with no account or Chinese phone number. Each product comes back as a flat row:

- wholesale price tiers and minimum order quantity
- every SKU (colour, size…) with its own stock
- units sold and the supplier: factory status, location and repurchase rate

Run it on a schedule with **Only changes** turned on to be told about new listings, price drops, price increases, stock-outs and restocks.

- **English titles and USD prices on request**: product titles and SKU names translated by an AI model (Claude) instructed to write listing-style English and keep sizes, units and model names, plus the price in USD at the day's ECB rate.
- **Search in Chinese or English**: `保温杯` or `thermos`. Keywords are sent the way 1688 expects (GBK-encoded), so Chinese searches work out of the box.
- **Full product pages on request**: SKU-level stock and prices, total stock, image gallery and rating. Search results alone already include price tiers, MOQ, sales and supplier.
- **Price and stock monitoring built in**: every row has `changeType`, `previousPrice` and `priceDelta`. Add a webhook for alerts (to Slack, email or a spreadsheet via Zapier, Make or n8n).
- **Gets past 1688's CAPTCHA wall automatically**: residential proxies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and the US. A fresh IP and browser fingerprint are tried whenever 1688 shows its CAPTCHA page. No proxy setup needed.
- **API and AI agent tool**: look up a product in one API call, or let an AI agent call it as a tool through the Apify MCP server.

### Use cases

- Source products for dropshipping, Amazon FBA or your own store: compare factory prices, MOQs and suppliers.
- Monitor your suppliers' wholesale prices and stock, and get alerted the moment they change.
- Track new listings for a product category in China.
- Feed 1688 product data into a spreadsheet, a pricing model or an LLM.

### How to use it

1. Add **Search keywords** (Chinese or English) and/or **Product URLs** (`https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html`, mobile links or bare offer IDs).
2. Choose **Max products per keyword** (default 40; 20 per results page).
3. Turn on **Open each search result's product page** if you need SKU stock for search results.
4. For monitoring, turn on **Only changes**, optionally set an **Alert webhook URL**, and run the Actor on a [schedule](https://docs.apify.com/platform/schedules). The first run returns everything and becomes the baseline. Later runs return only new listings and price or stock changes.

### Tutorial: track a 1688 supplier's prices and stock in Google Sheets or Slack

1. Collect the product links you buy from (`https://detail.1688.com/offer/….html`) and paste them into **Product URLs**. Turn on **English titles and USD prices** if you'd rather not read Chinese.
2. Turn on **Only changes**, so each run returns only products whose price or stock moved.
3. For a message on every change, create a **webhook trigger** in [Zapier](https://zapier.com), [Make](https://www.make.com) or [n8n](https://n8n.io), add a **Slack → Send message** (or email) step that uses `item.titleEn`, `item.changeType`, `item.previousPrice`, `item.price` and `item.url`, and paste the trigger URL into **Alert webhook URL**.
4. For a running price history, add a **Google Sheets → Add row** step to the same scenario, mapping `item.scrapedAt`, `item.offerId`, `item.price` and `item.totalStock`.
5. Run the Actor once to record the baseline, then open **Schedules** in Apify Console and run it daily. You are charged only for products that changed.

To find new suppliers instead, use **Search keywords** (Chinese or English) with **Only changes** on: new listings for the keyword arrive as `NEW_LISTING`.

### Input

```json
{
  "keywords": ["保温杯", "phone case"],
  "productUrls": ["https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html"],
  "maxProductsPerKeyword": 40,
  "scrapeDetails": false,
  "onlyChanges": true,
  "alertWebhookUrl": "https://hooks.example.com/1688"
}
```

| Field | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `keywords` | one of these two | Chinese or English keywords, or 1688 search URLs. |
| `productUrls` | one of these two | Product page URLs (desktop or mobile) or offer IDs. |
| `maxProductsPerKeyword` | no | 1 to 1,000 search results per keyword (default 40). |
| `scrapeDetails` | no | Also open each search result's product page (default `false`). |
| `translateToEnglish` | no | Add English titles and SKU names and USD prices (default `false`, small add-on per product). |
| `onlyChanges` | no | Return only new listings and price or stock changes since the previous run (default `false`). |
| `alertWebhookUrl` | no | Receives a POST for every new listing, price change, stock-out or restock. |
| `proxyConfiguration` | no | Leave empty to use the built-in proxy strategy. Set a proxy to use it for every request. |

### Output

One dataset item per product (prices in CNY):

```json
{
  "offerId": "1078135980629",
  "url": "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html",
  "title": "官方二合一适用于苹果18手机壳新品樱桃红iPhone17PM磁吸手机壳",
  "titleEn": "Official 2-in-1 Magnetic Phone Case for iPhone 18, New Cherry Red, iPhone 17 Pro Max",
  "imageUrl": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/O1CN01BlrURrz0XAJ32pKq_!!2222229001011-0-cib.jpg",
  "images": ["https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/…"],
  "currency": "CNY",
  "price": 24,
  "priceUsd": 3.6,
  "priceTiers": [{ "minQuantity": 50, "price": 27 }, { "minQuantity": 1000, "price": 25 }, { "minQuantity": 2000, "price": 24 }],
  "moq": 50,
  "unit": "个",
  "soldQuantity": 66,
  "totalStock": 119838,
  "skus": [{ "skuId": "6298000983620", "attributes": "蓝色 / iPhone 17 Pro Max", "attributesEn": "Blue / iPhone 17 Pro Max", "price": null, "stock": 9999 }],
  "supplierName": "佛山市鼎盛塑胶制品有限公司",
  "supplierMemberId": "b2b-222222900101123d41",
  "supplierUrl": "https://shop02l783r5281r2.1688.com",
  "supplierLocation": "广东省佛山市",
  "supplierIsFactory": true,
  "supplierCreditLevel": null,
  "supplierRepurchaseRate": "73.71%",
  "rating": 4.9,
  "sponsored": false,
  "detailScraped": true,
  "source": "product:1078135980629",
  "changeType": "PRICE_DROP",
  "previousPrice": 25,
  "priceDelta": -1,
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-25T19:03:20.861Z"
}
```

- `priceTiers` are quantity breaks. A product priced per SKU instead has no tiers, and each SKU carries its own `price`.
- `totalStock`, `skus` and `rating` come from the product page, so they are `null` or empty for plain search results.
- `changeType` is `FIRST_SEEN` (first run), `NEW_LISTING` (new in a keyword's results), `PRICE_DROP`, `PRICE_INCREASE`, `OUT_OF_STOCK`, `BACK_IN_STOCK` or `UNCHANGED`.
- `sponsored` marks paid placements in search results.

The webhook body is `{ "actor": "1688-product-monitor", "item": { ...same fields... }, "detectedAt": "<ISO time>" }`.

### API and AI agents

Run it and get the results in one call:

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/yushi3~1688-product-monitor/run-sync-get-dataset-items" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_TOKEN>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"productUrls": ["1078135980629"]}'
```

It returns the dataset items as a JSON array. AI agents can call the Actor as a tool through the [Apify MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com).

### Pricing

| Event | Price |
| --- | --- |
| Product detail (product page: SKUs, stock, rating) | $0.003 |
| Search result (price tiers, MOQ, sales, supplier) | $0.001 |
| English titles and USD prices (add-on, per product) | $0.0005 |
| Change alert delivered to your webhook | $0.002 |

Residential proxy traffic is included. With **Only changes** on, unchanged products are neither returned nor charged. Nothing is charged for a product that stays behind 1688's CAPTCHA wall. A search result whose product page can't be opened is billed as a search result, not a detail.

### Limitations

- Titles and SKU names are in Chinese unless **English titles and USD prices** is on; supplier names and locations stay in Chinese. `price` and `priceTiers` are in CNY; `priceUsd` converts the lowest price.
- 1688 shows about 20 results per page and at most 50 pages per keyword.
- Shipping cost to your country, and the supplier's contact details, are not included.

### When a keyword or product fails

Every keyword and product is processed even if one fails. Failures, such as a product still behind 1688's CAPTCHA after several fresh IPs, are listed in the run's key-value store under `FAILED_TARGETS`. The run fails outright only when 1688 changed its page format in a way the Actor can no longer read (it is re-tested against the live site every 12 hours) or when every keyword and product failed.

### Questions and issues

Open an issue on the Actor's **Issues** tab.

# Actor input Schema

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Products to search for on 1688, in Chinese (保温杯) or English (phone case), or 1688 search URLs. Chinese keywords give the most relevant results.

## `productUrls` (type: `array`):

1688 product pages (https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html, mobile links work too) or bare offer IDs. Each returns the full product: price tiers, every SKU with its stock, sales and supplier.

## `maxProductsPerKeyword` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many search results for each keyword (20 per results page, up to 1,000).

## `scrapeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Search results already include price tiers, MOQ, sales and supplier. Turn on to also open every result's product page for SKUs, stock per SKU, total stock and rating (charged as a product detail).

## `onlyChanges` (type: `boolean`):

Return (and charge for) only products that are new in a keyword's results, or whose price or stock changed, since the previous run for the same keyword or product. The first run returns everything and becomes the baseline. Turn on for scheduled price monitoring.

## `translateToEnglish` (type: `boolean`):

Adds titleEn (the title in English), attributesEn for every SKU, and priceUsd at today's ECB exchange rate. Translations are made by an AI model (Claude) instructed to write listing-style English and keep sizes, units and model names, and are remembered so repeat runs re-use them. Charged as a small add-on per product.

## `alertWebhookUrl` (type: `string`):

Optional. Receives a POST for each new listing, price drop, price increase, stock-out or restock since the previous run.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Optional. By default 1688 is tried directly and escalates to Apify datacenter, then residential proxies (with fresh sessions on CAPTCHA pages); the proxy that works is remembered for a week. Set a proxy here to use it for every request instead.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keywords": [
    "https://s.1688.com/selloffer/offer_search.htm?keywords=%B1%A3%CE%C2%B1%AD"
  ],
  "productUrls": [
    "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html"
  ],
  "maxProductsPerKeyword": 20,
  "scrapeDetails": false,
  "onlyChanges": false,
  "translateToEnglish": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

One item per product: title, price tiers, MOQ, SKUs and stock, sales, supplier, and the price or stock change since the previous run.

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "keywords": [
        "https://s.1688.com/selloffer/offer_search.htm?keywords=%B1%A3%CE%C2%B1%AD"
    ],
    "productUrls": [
        "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html"
    ],
    "maxProductsPerKeyword": 20
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("yushi3/1688-product-monitor").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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "keywords": ["https://s.1688.com/selloffer/offer_search.htm?keywords=%B1%A3%CE%C2%B1%AD"],
    "productUrls": ["https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html"],
    "maxProductsPerKeyword": 20,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("yushi3/1688-product-monitor").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 '{
  "keywords": [
    "https://s.1688.com/selloffer/offer_search.htm?keywords=%B1%A3%CE%C2%B1%AD"
  ],
  "productUrls": [
    "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1078135980629.html"
  ],
  "maxProductsPerKeyword": 20
}' |
apify call yushi3/1688-product-monitor --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,yushi3/1688-product-monitor"
        }
    }
}
```

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 <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` 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/U6EVivVrTUH3oDVoW/builds/TM6EnNSZyMMmMOncj/openapi.json