What to source in China for Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon is less a question of what is cheap than of what still makes money after shipping, customs, certification, packaging and the marketplace fee. Below: how to pick a niche and a product, run the unit economics before paying a supplier, validate demand with a test batch by air from 2 kg, scale up once the product sells — and which parts a sourcing agent such as ChinaGoGlobal can take off your hands.
How to pick a niche for a marketplace
A niche is not “what I'd like to sell” but “where there is demand I can serve better or cheaper than others”. For a new seller on Kaspi, Wildberries or Ozon that usually means steady demand without sharp seasonality, no big-brand dominance, complaints in competitors' reviews you can fix, and a product that is easy to ship.
Where to look for ideas
- The marketplaces themselves. Browse bestsellers and new arrivals and read the negative reviews: “thin plastic”, “missing screws”, “no instructions in Russian” is a ready-made spec for your product.
- Analytics services. They show category turnover, the number of sellers and the leaders' share. If 3–5 listings hold almost all the sales, entering from scratch will be expensive.
- Chinese platforms and trade fairs. 1688 shows what factories are mass-producing right now, and at the Canton Fair (usually April and October) you can see hundreds of factories in one category in a few days.
- Neighboring markets. A product that sells well on Ozon is often not yet on Kaspi, and vice versa.
What to rule out straight away
- Branded goods and replicas. Platforms block such listings and customs seizes counterfeits.
- Fragile, heavy and bulky at a low price. Shipping eats the margin and breakage takes the rest.
- Complicated certification for a first project. Baby food, medical devices, cosmetics with active ingredients — possible, but not as a first step.
- Lithium batteries, liquids, magnets. Restricted for air freight, so a test batch has to go by road and takes longer.
What to source in China for Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon: signs of a good product
There is no perfect product, but experienced buyers shortlist candidates by a few signs:
| Criterion | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Selling price | Mid-range, with margin to cover advertising and returns | Too cheap: any slip in logistics makes it loss-making |
| Weight and size | Light and compact, fits a standard box | Heavy or oversized: shipping costs more than the product |
| Competition | Many mid-level sellers with weak spots in reviews | Split between 2–3 brands with thousands of reviews |
| Certification | A declaration or certificate with a clear procedure | Unclear whether documents are needed, or costly testing |
| Room to improve | You can add accessories, packaging, instructions, your own brand | Fully standard, you can only compete on price |
Start with a category you understand
If you use the product yourself or know it well, you'll spot a bad factory faster, fill in the listing correctly and answer buyers' questions. That matters more than “the most profitable niche according to analytics”.
Unit economics: do the math before the first payment
The most common beginner mistake is to calculate margin as “marketplace price minus 1688 price”. In reality a dozen cost items sit between the two — break them down per unit before paying a supplier.
| Cost item | What it includes | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Product price | Supplier's price in yuan plus delivery to the warehouse | The 1688 or Alibaba listing |
| Agent services | Buying, inspection, consolidation | On request — a manager quotes once they see the task |
| Shipping from China | By weight or volume, depends on the method | Estimate in the delivery calculator; exact after weighing |
| Customs and taxes | Duty, VAT, clearance, certification where needed | HS code and country of import |
| Packaging and labeling | Individual packaging, barcodes, labels, marking codes | Platform and category rules |
| Marketplace costs | Commission, delivery to the buyer, storage, returns, advertising | Your seller account |
Add it all up per unit and compare with the average selling price in search results, not the most expensive listing. Many experienced sellers aim for a selling price of at least 2.5–3 times the full landed cost; otherwise too little is left after fees, advertising and returns. Each item is covered in what makes up the cost of goods from China.
Calculate in the currency you sell in
For Kaspi that is tenge; for Wildberries and Ozon, rubles or tenge depending on the country. The yuan rate moves while the batch is in transit, so build in a buffer of a few percent — otherwise the goods may be loss-making by the time they arrive.
Test batch: validate demand in a couple of weeks
Buying a large volume into an untested niche is risky: small batch first, then real sales, then volume. Air freight takes 2–3 days from dispatch at the warehouse and is accepted from 2 kg, so a test batch of 20–50 light units reaches Almaty, Astana or Moscow fast.
The test, step by step
- Shortlist 2–3 candidates. You compare demand and don't lose time if the first flops.
- Find suppliers. 1688 usually fits a test best: minimum quantities are small and the choice is huge — see how to order goods on 1688.
- Buy through a buying agent. The buying service handles Alipay and Chinese-language messaging: ChinaGoGlobal pays the seller and receives the goods at the nearest of its warehouses in China.
- Inspect before shipping. Quality control with a photo and video report shows the real color, contents and packaging before the batch leaves China.
- Ship by air. The batch is consolidated, weighed and dispatched; it is with you 2–3 days later.
- Sell and measure. Minimal advertising, then watch conversion, returns and reviews. In 2–4 weeks you have numbers instead of guesses.
After the test you know which product has traction, what to fix and how much to order next. Typical slip-ups at this stage: mistakes when sourcing in China.
Certification: find out before you buy, not at customs
Most goods sold on Kaspi, Wildberries and Ozon fall under EAEU technical regulations: depending on the category you need a certificate of conformity, a declaration or a rejection letter confirming no document is required. Platforms may ask for these at listing or after a complaint; customs at import.
- Usually a certificate or declaration: children's goods and toys, clothing and footwear, electronics, cosmetics, tableware and anything in contact with food.
- Often a rejection letter is enough: souvenirs, stationery, some accessories and household goods — it depends on the specific product.
- Marking is separate. In Russia footwear, clothing, perfume, tires and other categories need Chestny Znak codes; Kazakhstan is introducing marking in stages — check your category.
Find out what your product needs in advance, from a certification body or through an agent. ChinaGoGlobal helps with customs clearance, documents and certification: a manager will tell you which documents to request from the factory and what is handled on the importer's side.
Packaging and labeling for marketplace requirements
Marketplaces accept goods by the rules, not “as they arrived”: a wrong box, a missing barcode or an unreadable label means a rejected or delayed batch, and every repack costs money. Agree on packaging with the supplier before you pay.
- Individual packaging that survives delivery to the buyer; fragile items need extra protection.
- Barcode and label. Platforms require their barcode on every unit. It can be applied at the factory — send the supplier the layout file.
- Consumer information. As a rule: product name, composition, manufacturer and importer in Russian, and in Kazakhstan also in Kazakh.
- Carton limits and transit protection. The platform's warehouse limits carton size and weight; for international shipping the cargo gets extra packaging at the warehouse in China.
Scaling up: from a test batch to rail
Once the product sells, the task changes: bring the unit cost down without running out of stock. Shipping is the main lever — air is fast but costs more per kilogram at volume; road and rail are cheaper but need planning.
| Method | Time from dispatch at the warehouse | Minimum weight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air | 2–3 days | from 2 kg | Test batches, urgent restocking, light high-value goods |
| Road | 7–10 days | from 10 kg | Regular mid-volume shipments |
| Truck | 10–14 days | from 10 kg | Large batches when timing is not critical |
| Rail | 20–30 days | from 1 t | Large volumes on a planned schedule |
| Sea | on request | — | Very large container shipments |
In practice the test batch goes by air, the first orders by road, and once you have a sales plan a month or two ahead, the main volumes move to rail while urgent top-ups stay on air — cheaper shipping without running out of stock. More on the delivery from China page.
What changes as volumes grow
- Supplier. At volume it pays to work with the factory directly rather than a middleman on 1688 — but verify it before a large prepayment.
- Your own brand. Once sales are steady, move to private label production: your logo, packaging and improved contents protect you from competitors selling the same factory's product.
- Insurance. With ChinaGoGlobal it is 2% of the goods' value; if insured cargo is damaged, the full value is paid out or the same goods are reordered at the company's expense.
- Stock. If a batch covers three months of sales and shipping takes 30 days, you pay for the next order when only a third of the previous one has sold.
Where to start sourcing in China for a marketplace
Boiled down to a short plan:
- Shortlist 2–3 products and check the competition on Kaspi, Wildberries or Ozon.
- Work out the full landed cost per unit: shipping, customs, packaging, marketplace fee.
- Find out which documents the product needs and what they cost.
- Order a test batch and ship it by air — 2–3 days from dispatch.
- Track sales for 2–4 weeks, then refine the listing and packaging.
- Scale up: move to road or rail and discuss your own brand with the factory.
The hard parts — finding and verifying a supplier, buying on Chinese platforms, quality control, warehousing and shipping — can be handed to a sourcing agent. ChinaGoGlobal has worked with marketplace sellers since 2024: it buys on 1688, Taobao, Pinduoduo, Alibaba and from factories — our Chinese team member handles negotiations with sellers — inspects with photo and video reports, consolidates at its warehouses in China and ships by air, road, truck or rail. Costs are quoted on request — message us on WhatsApp with what you plan to sell and in what volume. More on the for marketplace sellers page.