How to order from China, start to finish.
Taobao, Weidian and 1688 don't ship to you. An agent does. This is the full route an item takes from a Chinese listing to your door, and what to check at every stop.
Swipe the route sideways for every stop.
The short version
- Sign up with an agent and paste the item's link into it.
- Pay for the item. The agent buys it and the seller sends it to the agent's warehouse in China.
- Check the warehouse's photos of your actual item. Return or exchange now if it's wrong.
- Put your items in one parcel, choose a shipping line, pay shipping.
- Track it home. Expect a quiet first week on budget lines.
First for the item (plus the seller's small domestic shipping to the warehouse). Later, once everything has arrived, for international shipping, priced on the finished parcel's weight and size. Budget for both before you start.
Pick an agent
An agent is a Chinese company that buys from Chinese sellers on your behalf, stores your items at its warehouse, photographs them, and ships them to you. You never deal with the seller in Chinese.
Ignore sign-up coupons when choosing. What actually changes your experience is how long they store items for free, whether you get photos of every item, what returns cost, and which shipping lines they run to your country.
Swipe the table sideways.
| Agent | Free storage | Item photos | Returns | Service fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kakobuy | 100 days | On arrival | 5-day guarantee on eligible items | None on top of item + shipping |
| Sugargoo | 100 days | 5 free photos | not stated | not stated |
| OopBuy | 90 days (+30 for 10 CNY) | Free standard photos | 5 days; first each month has no service fee | not stated |
| LitBuy | 90 days | Inspection photos | Approval first; shipping both ways + 5 RMB | not stated |
| Hipobuy | 90 days | not stated | 5 days; shipping both ways + 5 RMB | not stated |
| CSSBuy | 90 days (then 15 RMB/item/month) | 3 to 5 free photos | not stated | not stated |
| Hoobuy | 90 days | On arrival | not stated | not stated |
Each cell is read from the agent's own help pages (checked 2 October 2026). “Not stated” means we couldn't find it on their site, not that it doesn't exist. Agents change terms; check before a big haul.
Find the item
Almost everything comes from three Chinese marketplaces. Taobao is the giant general store. Weidian is where many small independent sellers live. 1688 is wholesale, often cheaper per piece and sometimes sold in multiples.
Searching them in Chinese is slow, so most people start from finds other buyers already checked: spreadsheets and finders that link straight to the listing.
Before you add it to your cart
- Open the size and colour options on the listing. The price shown first is often the cheapest variant only.
- Read the size chart in centimetres and compare it with a piece you already own. Chinese sizes usually run small.
- Check the seller's own shipping fee to the warehouse; it's charged with the item.
Look at other buyers' QC photos first
QC (quality check) photos are the pictures an agent's warehouse takes of a real item when it arrives. Every past buyer of a listing generated a set, so before you pay you can see what that seller actually sends, instead of trusting the listing's photos.
What to look for
- Recent photos. A batch from months ago may not be what ships today.
- The same flaw across several buyers' photos. One bad photo is bad luck; three is the product.
- Tags, stitching and logo placement, compared with a retail photo of the real thing.
- The colour under the warehouse's plain lighting, not the listing's studio shots.
Put the link into your agent and pay
Copy the listing's link and paste it into your agent's search bar. The agent opens the listing in English. Pick the exact size and colour, add a note for the seller if you need one, and pay.
Got a link that points at a different agent? Convert it instead of hunting for the item again.
Check your own item's photos
When your item reaches the warehouse, the agent photographs it and the free storage clock starts. This is your one cheap moment to fix a problem: once a parcel leaves China, a return costs far more than the item.
- Right item, right size tag, right colour.
- Ask for a measurement photo (tape across chest or length) if the fit matters. Some agents charge a little for extra photos.
- Look for stains, loose threads, cracked soles, missing parts.
Build the parcel
Once everything you want has arrived, put it all in one parcel. Shipping is cheaper per kilo the more you send together, and you pay the line's first-weight charge once.
Most lines charge for whichever is bigger: the real weight, or the volume weight.
That's why a pair of sneakers in its box can cost more to ship than a heavy hoodie. Your agent shows the divisor for each line.
- Remove shoe boxes and retail packaging when you don't need them. Sugargoo, for example, does this for free.
- Vacuum packing shrinks clothes hauls. It's a paid extra, so price the parcel both ways before choosing.
- Add insurance on an expensive parcel. Most agents offer it when you ship.
Choose a shipping line
Agents list a dozen or more lines per country. Cheap consolidated lines hand your parcel between carriers; direct lines (EMS, FedEx, DHL Express style) cost more and are about a week faster. Here's what 2 kg cost on 2 October 2026, priced on seven agents' own shipping estimators, next to how long delivery actually took.
Swipe the table sideways.
| To | Cheapest air, 2 kg | Typical line, 2 kg | Fastest line | Median delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $44 · 11–23 days | $68 | $108 · 5–7 days | ~16 days |
| United Kingdom | $30 · 7–13 days | $61 | $107 · 5–7 days | ~9 days |
| Germany | $29 · 10–16 days | $56 | $107 · 5–7 days | ~16 days |
| Canada | $41 · 8–11 days | $57 | $132 · 5–7 days | ~14 days |
| Australia | $39 · 11–23 days | $55 | $50 · 8–12 days | ~15 days |
Prices: air lines only (sea, surface and 25 kg+ bulk lines left out) on the estimators of Kakobuy, LitBuy, OopBuy, Hipobuy, Hoobuy, USFans and Sugargoo. Delivery: rep.tools parcel dataset, door to door after dispatch, September 2026. Prices move; treat them as a guide.
Customs and import tax
Your parcel is an import, and your country may charge tax or duty on it. The rules are your country's, not the agent's, so check your own customs authority before a large order. The broad picture:
- EU: VAT is due on every import, whatever the value, since July 2021. Some agents run lines with the tax already included. Kakobuy says it has these to every EU country.
- UK: on goods worth up to £135, VAT is collected at the point of sale.
- US: since 29 August 2025, low-value parcels no longer enter duty-free.
Track it home
Your agent gives you a tracking number once the parcel ships. Budget lines often switch carriers partway, so the number may change or go quiet.
If it arrives damaged or never shows
Report it fast: LitBuy and Hipobuy want a claim within 7 days of delivery. OopBuy asks you to report to your local post office within 2 days and keep the outer box. Film yourself opening an expensive parcel.
Common questions
Why do I need an agent to buy from Taobao or Weidian?
Most Taobao, Weidian and 1688 sellers only ship inside China and take Chinese payment methods. An agent buys the item for you, receives it at its warehouse in China, photographs it, and ships your items abroad together.
How long does ordering from China take?
Sellers usually reach the agent's warehouse in about 3 to 5 days. After you send the parcel, door-to-door delivery took a median of about 16 days to the US, 9 to the UK, 16 to Germany, 14 to Canada and 15 to Australia across parcels measured by rep.tools (September 2026).
How much does shipping a 2 kg parcel from China cost?
On 2 October 2026 the cheapest air line we priced for 2 kg on seven agents' own estimators was about $44 to the US, $30 to the UK, $29 to Germany, $41 to Canada and $39 to Australia. Typical lines cost $55 to $68.
What are QC photos?
QC (quality check) photos are pictures the agent's warehouse takes of your actual item when it arrives. You check size, colour and flaws in them before you ship, while a return or exchange is still possible.
How long will an agent store my items for free?
Usually 90 to 100 days: Kakobuy and Sugargoo give 100 days, while LitBuy, OopBuy, Hipobuy, CSSBuy and Hoobuy give 90.
Why does my tracking show nothing for days?
On most consolidated budget lines the China leg shows no scans for the first 5 to 10 days. It is the most common cause of false lost-parcel alarms; wait it out before contacting the agent.
Free tools for every stop
Everything above, in tools you can use right now.