1688 In-platform product image search API

POST

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Match one product photo in image_url against 1688 and get up to five similar wholesale offers with title, CNY price, minimum order, seller and link. rank is the match order for this image, not a sales ranking.

1688 product image search looks for similar products on 1688 from one product image and returns each match's title, price, minimum order quantity, order count, supplier name, image and match position. Use it to answer whether a product is on 1688, who sells it and at what price: tracing a finished product or a competitor's photo back to its source, comparing prices across marketplaces, or finding alternative suppliers.

Pass image_url as one publicly reachable HTTPS link to an image; each call searches a single image. Results are similar-looking candidates, not guaranteed to be the same item, so check the details before you order. rank is only the position in this match list, not a sales ranking. For full variants, stock and supplier information, pass a result's url to 1688 Product details.

Price $5.56 per 1,000 requests ($0.005556 per call). Failed calls and empty results are not charged. Synchronous. For slow jobs add "mode": "async" to the body, take the job_id and poll.

AI prompt

Paste this into your AI assistant. It already holds this endpoint's parameters, response fields and an example request, so the assistant can ask what you need and then write the scraper.

Please help me write a data collection script with the EveryInfra 1688 In-platform product image search endpoint (alibaba1688/image_search).

Endpoint contract:
- Request: POST https://api.everyinfra.com/api/v1/social with the header Authorization: Bearer <API key>. Read the key from the EVERYINFRA_API_KEY environment variable and never hard-code it.
- In the request body, set platform to alibaba1688 and action to image_search, and put the parameters inside params.
- Required parameters:
  - image_url: For image_search, provide one public HTTPS product-image URL. The action submits one image, returns at most five matching 1688 offers, and does not include detail or SKU enrichment.
- Optional parameters:
  - limit: The most rows to return in this call, an integer from 1 to 5. The default applies when you leave it out, and a call can return fewer rows. Larger values return 422 before any charge. (default: 5)
- Returns a list of records. Main fields of each record: id, url, title, price, currency, min_order_quantity (Minimum order quantity (MOQ)), order_count (Order count), supplier_name (Supplier name), image_url, rank (Position of the offer in this image's m…).
- Example request body:
{
  "platform": "alibaba1688",
  "action": "image_search",
  "params": {
    "image_url": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg"
  }
}
- Price: $5.56 per 1,000 requests; failed and empty results are not charged.
- For dozens or hundreds of targets, add "mode": "async" to the body: you get a job_id at once and poll GET https://api.everyinfra.com/api/v1/jobs/{job_id} for the result.
- On 422, fix the request using the suggested parameter names and allowed values in the error; on 429 or 503, wait for Retry-After and try again.

Before writing code, ask me which targets I need, how many, which fields, and what output format I want; then confirm the plan and the rough cost with me.

Request parameters

NameInTypeRequiredDefaultDescription
AuthorizationheaderstringYes-Bearer followed by your API key. Create it in the console; never put it in a URL or a code repository.
platformbodystringYesalibaba1688Platform identifier, fixed value.
actionbodystringYesimage_searchCapability identifier, fixed value.
image_urlbody.paramsNot declaredYes-For image_search, provide one public HTTPS product-image URL. The action submits one image, returns at most five matching 1688 offers, and does not include detail or SKU enrichment.
limitbody.paramsinteger (1–5)No5The most rows to return in this call, an integer from 1 to 5. The default applies when you leave it out, and a call can return fewer rows. Larger values return 422 before any charge.

Code samples

bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.everyinfra.com/api/v1/social' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EVERYINFRA_API_KEY" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data-raw '{
  "platform": "alibaba1688",
  "action": "image_search",
  "params": {
    "image_url": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/15418323391_1847764777.jpg"
  }
}'

[OpenAPI definition (JSON)]Samples read the key from the EVERYINFRA_API_KEY environment variable; copied code never contains your key.

Response example

Real response

Captured October 13, 2026 at 04:57 (UTC) by calling this API with the parameters in the code sample above. results and count are that call's real response with personal information (names, handles, avatars, profile links, contact details) removed; the list keeps the first 2. id, billing and quota differ on every call, so only their shape is shown.

json
{
  "id": "req_…",
  "platform": "alibaba1688",
  "action": "image_search",
  "results": [
    {
      "id": "(已隐去)",
      "url": "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1087685101407.html",
      "title": "pet toy Five pointed star toy TPR Star Relief Molar ring",
      "price": 1.5,
      "currency": "CNY",
      "min_order_quantity": 50,
      "order_count": 0,
      "supplier_name": "徐州经济技术开发区俊飒宠物用品经营部",
      "image_url": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/img/ibank/O1CN01YZTAXwRx8CF1chua_!!2223051725283-0-cib.jpg",
      "rank": 1,
      "platform": "1688"
    },
    {
      "id": "(已隐去)",
      "url": "https://detail.1688.com/offer/1006441717931.html",
      "title": "狗狗玩具宠物发声玩具耐咬小狗幼犬狗狗磨牙洁齿训练搪胶玩具批发",
      "price": 1.5,
      "currency": "CNY",
      "min_order_quantity": 2,
      "order_count": 6771,
      "supplier_name": "东阳市嘉瑞宝宠物用品有限公司",
      "image_url": "https://cbu01.alicdn.com/O1CN01ltOurZ202KnOTWxaR_!!2216996446791-0-cib.jpg",
      "rank": 2,
      "platform": "1688"
    }
  ],
  "count": 5,
  "billing": {
    "charged": …,
    "charged_usd": …,
    "balance_after_usd": …,
    …
  },
  "quota": { … }
}

Response fields

Business data is in results. The table lists the fields a record can contain; values the platform does not show are never made up.

FieldMeaning
idThe record's unique ID on the platform. Unique only within one platform; IDs can repeat across platforms.
urlLink to the record on the platform.
titleTitle. null when the platform has no titles (for example text-only posts).
pricePrice as a number without a currency symbol; see currency.
currencyCurrency code of the price (for example CNY, USD). If price is present but currency is null, do not assume a currency.
min_order_quantityMinimum order quantity (MOQ). The first threshold in 1688 wholesale buying: check it before anything else.
order_countOrder count.
supplier_nameSupplier name.
image_urlImage link. Capabilities with several images may return an image_urls array.
rankPosition of the offer in this image's match list; only the order of this result, not a sales ranking.
platformSource platform identifier, the same as platform in the request (for example xiaohongshu, tiktok).

FAQ

What kind of image works?

One publicly reachable HTTPS link that points at the product image itself; each call searches a single image. Images behind a login, web page addresses and local files do not work. A clear product shot on a plain background usually matches more closely.

Is rank a sales ranking?

No. rank only reflects the order of matches returned for this image; it is not a sales chart and does not guarantee the first result is the same item. Use order_count to judge how well a product sells.

How do I get supplier details for a match?

Image search results leave out full variants, stock and supplier details. Pass a result's url to 1688 Product details to get tiered prices, the minimum order, variant details and the supplier's profile.

Errors and billing

401
Missing or invalid key. Authentication runs before parameter checks, so unauthenticated requests never see the parameter schema.
422
Wrong parameter name or value. The error lists the parameters and allowed values this capability accepts and the closest match; it happens before any charge.
402
Insufficient balance. Top up first.
429
The account's per-minute request limit was reached (all of its API keys count together; a key's own lower limit applies first). Wait for Retry-After and try again; a rate package in the console raises the limit.
503
Could not complete right now. Any charge for the call goes back to your balance automatically, and the billing receipt in the response states the actual outcome, including when it is not yet known. Do not resend blindly.
200 empty
The request completed without data and is not charged (billing.reason = empty_result_refunded).

Official references

Used only to check objects and terms. They do not imply authorization or endorsement of EveryInfra by the platform.

  • 1688 Open Platform: Finding Similar Products from an Image ↗

    1688's open platform documents an official similar-product lookup that accepts an image URL or image content. This source establishes the platform-level image-to-product object only; EveryInfra's single-image limit, maximum of five results, response allowlist, billing, and delivery behavior remain defined by its own published contract.

    Checked 2026-09-21