For years, I've been searching for an affordable way to purchase authentic winter boots, specifically the ever-popular UGGs. Like many, I was tired of the exorbitant markups at retail stores. My search led me down a fascinating path: using a Chinese reverse purchasing agent. That's how I discovered Orientdig, a platform that acts as a bridge for international shoppers to buy products directly from Chinese wholesale markets, most notably 1688.com.

1688.com is Alibaba's domestic-facing B2B platform, a treasure trove of manufacturers and wholesalers offering products at near-factory prices. However, for a non-Chinese speaker, navigating 1688 is nearly impossible due to language barriers, complex payment methods, and the fact that most suppliers don't ship internationally. This is where a service like Orientdig becomes invaluable.

Why Choose Orientdig as Your Purchasing Agent?

Orientdig specializes in this exact niche. They provide you with a Chinese shipping address, handle all communication with the sellers on 1688, consolidate your packages, and finally ship them to your door overseas. Their service fees are transparent and typically include a small percentage of the product cost plus international shipping fees.

My goal was to find high-quality UGG boots without the designer price tag. I had heard that many manufacturers on 1688 produce quality sheepskin boots that rival the big brands. The challenge was knowing which sellers to trust. This is where community-sourced resources come in handy.

Finding the Right Product: The Secret Weapon

Before placing an order through Orientdig, you need the product link from 1688. Scrolling through thousands of listings is inefficient. I found an incredibly useful resource: a community-maintained spreadsheet that curates the best finds on 1688, including highly-rated UGG-style boot sellers.

I highly recommend checking out this spreadsheet at https://finds.cheap/. It's a goldmine of vetted products, complete with links, approximate prices, and sometimes user reviews. This sheet saved me countless hours of research and helped me avoid unreliable sellers. I found a link to a highly-recommended store specializing in sheepskin footwear and was ready to proceed.

The Ordering Process with Orientdig

1. Sign Up & Get Your Address:
2. Place Your Order on 1688:
3. Submit the Order to Orientdig:
4. Make Payment:
5. Warehouse Processing:
6. International Shipping:

The Final Result and Thoughts

About two weeks after initiating the process, the package arrived. The boots were fantastic—great craftsmanship, genuine sheepskin, and incredibly comfortable. The total cost, including all fees and international shipping, was less than half the price of a retail pair.

Using Orientdig does require patience and a willingness to navigate a multi-step process. It's not as instant as Amazon, but the massive savings and access to a wider market make it worthwhile for savvy shoppers. For anyone looking to buy UGGs or any other product from 1688, I wholeheartedly recommend using a purchasing agent like Orientdig and leveraging community resources like the finds.cheap