Tips For Purchasing Chinese Products
Purchasing Chinese products is confusing and difficult. That's why we created this list of tips and tricks to help navigate the world of Chinese products.
There are tons of options to choose from, so here are some tips for buying online:
- Save time in your search by using sites like AliExpress to find items that aren't listed on popular e-commerce websites.
- When you're ready to purchase, use a shopping cart like eBay or Amazon to buy directly from sellers (most major brands even accept returns through these platforms).
- Order your product with free shipping or a low flat rate when possible. This can save you significant money on shipping fees, especially if the product is heavy.
- Be aware of fraudulent products and counterfeiting. If you receive a fake or counterfeit product, try to take advantage of your country's dispute resolution system (like PayPal) to try to get your money back.
- Check the seller's return policy if you're concerned about counterfeits, but in general you should assume all items are fake until proven otherwise by a third party.
- If you want to shop on Taobao , there are various tools that make searching and ordering much easier. These include apps like Taobaoring , Baidu Buy , and Xianyu .
- Buy from smaller, local Chinese shops rather than larger international brands. For example, if you live near Shanghai, you can shop at stores like the Shanghai Yintai Fashion Company's , the Donghai Antiques Company's , and the Shanghai Modern Clothing Co.'s .
- If you want to buy a product online but it isn't available in your country, consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to access sites and services that are blocked in your area by your local government.
- Use public restrooms when shopping online (especially in public libraries), because they may have security cameras and use fingerprint scanners that could catch you trying to resell stolen goods online.
- If you're buying from a Chinese website and the item has multiple colors or styles, try to use a site like AliExpress or eBay (preferably not Amazon) that lets you select the color/style you want before you pay your seller.
- Use Google Translate along with online translators like Yahoo! Babel Fish to help translate websites and emails.
- If you're buying on a Chinese website, check the product description and ask questions if something is unclear. Consider using Google Translate or Bing Translator to make your questions more understandable to the seller (the relevant phrases can be found in this article ).
- Look for the HS code on the product's packaging or invoice. This will tell you what type of goods it is and how much it's taxed in your country. You can also try to match the product's quality to its price or use a search engine to see if there are any reviews of the product online.
- Avoid paying fees by using Paypal and Alipay, as they usually have lower fees than credit cards even though they aren't as widely accepted.
- If you're ordering goods from Taobao, avoid purchasing directly from shops that don't list their contact information because you'll have a much harder time trying to get your money back if something goes wrong (also look at their listings).
- Try not to purchase counterfeit goods. While they are tempting, they are illegal and can get you in trouble with law enforcement.
- Use a VPN to visit your favorite black markets to buy products that aren't available in your country (such as The Silk Road ).
- Authenticate your goods using sites like Taobao's authentication service and Taobaoring's trademark search tool.
- When you're buying online, try to use email or chat programs that provide a record of the conversation so you can refer back to it later if necessary.
- If you suspect that the product is fake, ask for more pictures or details from the seller before making a purchase.
- If you're buying from a seller on Taobao or AliExpress who is new to the site and has many negative reviews while they are relatively new, try buying from them again after they have proven themselves.
- Use Taobao's review system when using it to buy goods over the Internet. It can help you determine if a seller is trustworthy by calculating a score for their interactions with other customers.
- If headphones sound too good to be true, it's probably counterfeit. Be wary of Chinese headphones that cost less online than in stores, even if they look identical to genuine headphones (they will either come with fake packaging or lack the required safety certificates).
- If you're buying an expensive product, try to find a seller who is selling at a loss because they may have to cover their shipping costs in the future.
- Do not buy electrical goods with pirated software unless you are absolutely certain that it is genuine. Unless the shop offers you a refund if you return it, there's nothing they can do if the software turns out to be pirated. If they refuse, try buying safely at an official vendor site instead (such as Amazon). This is especially true of electronics and accessories more than 10 years old that have outdated security features.
- Try to avoid buying counterfeit camera lenses. There is no guarantee that you'll be able to use the product if it's real and the seller refuses to accept any responsibility for repairing it if you buy a fake (just find a different seller).
- Be wary of products that are marked as "fake" or "not genuine". If a product is different from advertised in some way, be hesitant about purchasing it. Fake products can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
- Avoid purchasing counterfeit designer goods with third party logos on them. Even though some shops sell genuine items with third party logos on them, they are often much more expensive without the logo.
- Try not to buy from sellers who have posted a large number of items for small amounts of money. This can be a sign that they are trying to hide the product's source, which is usually because they don't want to admit they purchased it illegally.
- Be wary of counterfeit CD/DVDs. These can get you into legal trouble if you try to resell them (even if you didn't know they were counterfeit). There may also be safety issues with some CDs and DVDs, such as fake console games that can damage your device or cause eye strain.
- Visit Taobao's Sniffer Dogs to find out if the product you're considering is authentic.
- If you're buying a product in a category that has a large selection, choose items that are priced higher than lower quality ones. This may be thanks to their brand name or material, making them more valuable to resale.
- When shopping online, always try to resell products that are specific to your region (for example, if you live in Australia and order from the United States or Europe). This will allow you to resell it for a higher price because it is more likely that people who live in your country will be interested in it.
Conclusion
While buying counterfeit goods can be risky, it is possible to use these tips to shop safely and avoid problems. Whether you're looking for a specific product or just want to purchase at a lower price, look for a safe source to purchase from instead of risking your money on the black market. While the risk of buying counterfeits is significantly lower using Taobao than other sites like Amazon or Ebay (for example), it's still better not to buy them if you know how dangerous they are. It's also important to remember that action from law enforcement can make some products illegal in your country (such as counterfeit video games and DVDs) even if they are legitimate in others.
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