Mulebuy is a specialized Chinese purchasing agent designed to bridge the gap between international customers and domestic Chinese marketplaces like 1688, Taobao, and Tmall. Unlike some other agents, its focus on the Chinese market makes it an expert in sourcing from these wholesale-focused platforms. It acts as your representative: it places the order for you, handles communication with sellers, manages quality control, consolidates your packages, and ships them to your international address. This service eliminates the two biggest hurdles: needing a Chinese bank account or Alipay and managing complex cross-border logistics.

Step 1: Finding the Right Seller and Product on 1688

The journey begins on 1688.com. Using Google Translate or a browser with built-in translation is crucial. Search for "New Balance 990" (you can use the Chinese term "新百伦 990" for more precise results). You will be presented with numerous listings at varying price points. Exercise extreme caution.

For a curated starting point, many successful buyers share their findings on community resources. One such valuable resource is the spreadsheet available at https://sheet.cheap/. This spreadsheet often contains vetted links to specific 1688 product pages, seller information, and user-submitted experiences, which can significantly de-risk your search process and save you considerable time.