Guide to Reps on DhGate

r/DhGate Reddit

This is the DHgate Top Sellers List which replaces what was previously known as the trusted sellers list.

This list has been developed over the years by the community, for the community. The most trustworthy and reliable sellers based on user experiences and ratings are featured here.

The majority of the sellers have been on the list for years and constantly offer good products and service and all sellers on the list have a feedback score of 95% or greater.

Some notable new additions include the_bobi, Gavin Hong, Hanfei101, FF Designer Bag

Disclaimer: This is list is meant as a guide only. This list is not an endorsement of any seller and whilst no one can guarantee that every item from every seller or product sold on this list will be good, make sure to use common sense when purchasing any item. Ask the seller for real pictures. Always check that the products you’re considering have good honest reviews and if possible including pictures although picture reviews are rare due to copyright takedowns and other copyright related issues. Make sure to compare the review to the actual item purchased. If you see a review for shoes but the item purchased was a pair of socks or ‘customize’ or for an item unrelated to the actual shoe then this is a fake review and you should consider finding an alternative seller. Keep the transactions qithin the safety net of the DHgate platform. If you choose to deal direct with sellers then you have no buyer protection.

As with all guides this thread will be locked for comments but updated often to reflect any changes suggested or as needed.

If you have any suggestions for future additions, removals or changes, please message the mod team.

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For more jersey options, search for the town name of a team and choose a listing with good reviews and pictures.

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This guide is long overdue and is a work in progress and will be updated as needed.

This short guide will walk you through some simple steps to make your buying experience as stress free as possible. DHgate also has a New User Video Guide for the app users which is worth a watch.

So let’s get started…

DHgate.com is a cross-border e-commerce marketplace that facilitates the sale of manufactured products from suppliers to Chinese retailers and wholesalers. Founded in 2004, DHgate has become the leading B2B cross-border e-commerce marketplace in China.

Through global operations and offices, including in the USA and UK, DHgate reaches millions of people with trusted products and services.

As of December 31, 2020, DHgate served more than 36 million registered buyers from 223 countries and regions by connecting them to over 2.3 million suppliers in China and other countries, with over 25 million products added to the platform annually.

DHgate can be used on the web in your favorite browser or on your smartphone with the official DHgate apps from the respective app stores.

To get started you will want to register an account. You can register with an email address or via 3rd party apps such as Facebook or Google.

It is recommended to register with an email to avoid potential issues accessing your account if you lose access to your 3rd party accounts.

Now you have signed up you will want to search for products.

Type the name of the item in the search bar or alternatively on the app you can upload images to do image searches.

See here for images and examples.

Brand names will mostly not show up in search results. To help you find branded goods use the resources of the sub.

Once you have found an item to purchase you will need to choose a shipping method, add payment information and add a delivery address.

Payment options are most major credit and debit cards. Paypal is no longer accepted as a payment method.

Payments are handled by DHgate. NEVER send a payment directly to the seller.

Payments can and sometimes fail, if this happens, in the first instance you should talk with the issuing bank. For more on possible payment issues and solution see here

After you submit your order you will receive an email confirmation then another email once the seller has shipped your order.

In a word ‘nothing’! DHgate is a sales platform allowing Chinese sellers to reach the end user. You are buying direct from individual sellers via their virtual stores. There are no physical stores and DHgate is the link between you and the seller.

DHgate has a wide range of product categories such as:

• Apparel

• Automobiles & Motorcycles

• Baby, Kids & Maternity

• Bags, Luggage & Accessories

• Cameras & Photo

• Cell Phones & Accessories

• Computers & Networking

• Electronics

• Food & Beverage

• Health & Beauty

• Home & Garden

• Shoes & Accessories

• Sports & Outdoors

• Toys & Gifts

• Jewelry & Watches

• Wedding, Party & Events

• and much much more

The majority of products are either unbranded or are replicas of branded goods. It is very unlikely to find any genuine branded goods.

Replica goods may not have logos shown on the sellers images. This is to protect the seller from copyright issues. It is advised to ask the seller to send real pictures of the goods if you are concerned about missing logos etc.

Shipping from China typically can take from a few weeks to a few months. Shipping depends on many factors such as the buyers and sellers geographical locations and the shipping method chosen. Covid is still delaying delivery times.

Please see the more detailed 3. Guide to Shipping.

Mostly the answer is yes but as when purchasing from any online store or retailer you should research who you are buying from to avoid any potential problems,

Look for sellers with good feedback scores preferably 95% and above.

Read the product reviews. If the item has no sales or reviews it’s probably a good idea to look for another supplier unless you want to be the guinea pig.

Unfortunately, some dhgate sellers fake their product reviews to manipulate search results, this is just a fact we live with and weeding out the fake from the genuine reviews is quite a task.

Refer to the Recommended Sellers List for more.

Yes. Firstly DHgate handles the payments, DHgate releases the payment only after you verify that your item has arrived.

Customer protection covers you for non delivered packages, damaged items, items not as described.

Customer protection does NOT cover you for packages not delivered due to non collection from a delivery point or items confiscated or destroyed by your local customs. Check your local customs limits and allowances before placing your order.

If you are not happy with a purchase you will need to open a dispute for either a refund or a replacement.

You can contact DHgate via chat on the app, web or via Facebook

The dispute process can be long and complicated and needs a seperate guide that we will publish soon. For now we will refer you to the official DHgate FAQ on disputes.

This is an unofficial shopping guide for DHgate.com. It is mainly designed for users looking to buy fashion designer replicas on the site; although the average DHgater may also find some valuable tips along the lines. All the information presented was collected from my own personal buying experience, interaction with different DHgate sellers and online research. The goal is to educate users in making better decisions while showcasing some basics and features of the site.

Last update: April 1, 2022

Table of contents:

1. Introduction: DHgate, a gateway for designer replicas

2. The ‘repworld’ today: state of business

3. Buying reps for the first time: things to know before ordering and 3 common newbie mistakes to avoid

4. Setting up some goals

5. Welcome to DHgate: what to expect and some basics

6. DHgate sellers: who is our typical ‘friend’ and the new wave of hybrid sellers

7. How to find a reliable seller?

8. Tips in finding listings

9. The art of the deal: buying with confidence

10. Conclusion

Notes:

• All $ amounts are in USD

• All screenshots shown were taken from the DHgate app

DHgate.com (DHgate | DH | simplified Chinese: 敦煌网 / pinyin: Dūnhuángwǎng) is universally known as the ‘Amazon-like gateway for designer dupes’ and for many buyers, it has become their entry point to the ‘repworld’: super easy to order, free standard (or fixed rate) shipping and a buyer’s protection plan on every purchase. But whether you are a newbie or a seasoned veteran, buying designer replicas can be confusing, overwhelming at times and filled with countless roadblocks along the way. Let’s face it: placing orders from the comfort of our homes has never been easier; but finding that treasured item at the best possible quality within our budget can often become a perilous adventure. With so many sellers, factories and batches, it is understandable to feel a little or completely lost. While the site offers a straightforward interface for ordering, finding sellers or listings is a lot more complicated, as product pictures are blurred and designer brand names cannot be used in the item description due to trademark and copyright bylaws. For beginners, this may seem like hunting for a treasure without a map. But worry not, there are many roads leading to the ‘El Dorado’. With some planning and research, anyone can make their shopping journey in DH a happy ending story every single time. In this tutorial, I will be focusing on the art of buying fashion designer replicas in DHgate by presenting some basics of the trade, what you need to know before ordering, what to expect to see and find on the site, along with a few buying tips and winning strategies in making the best out of your orders.

Today, we are truly living in the golden age of fashion designer replicas: in a not so distant time, there were only a few handful factories producing rather expensive low quality items. There’s no denial that the rise of the Chinese middle class fueled the fever for luxury consumption. This combined with the birth of Millenials in a digital era propelled the ‘repworld’ high into the stratosphere.

At any given time during a calendar year, one can expect more than 100,000 fashion designer replica goodies in stock and ready to be shipped anywhere in the world. Contrary to popular belief and despite the current economics, production costs for reps are actually getting lower (except on a handful of items). Competition, automation and high demand are pushing factories to produce ever more with better quality for less. But do not expect prices to go down. Expect having better goodies for the same dollar amount that you have previously paid. Thanks to all the Millenials who over the past few years have truly taken the replica business by the horns: now they are the ones dictating the pace of the game and steadily overtaking all sides of the business from the previous generation. For you as a consumer, there has never been a better time to shop than now! We are currently living in a buyer’s market where there are as many rep sellers as (Western) buyers out there. Therefore, never settle on the only DHgate listing that you could find or the first seller you come across with. Always remember this: you have the absolute power and the final word to any deal. Use it to your advantage.

When shopping for fashion designer replicas for the first time, be ready to venture into some very unknown territory. Compared to their retail counterparts, gone will be any official ‘repsite’, the exact item descriptions (materials used, etc) and any MSRPs (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail or Rep Price). With that in mind, please note that reps rely instead on a grading system that can be very complex in nature as the level of quality depends on the actual factory that produces them. In a standard manufacturing process for example (when an authentic piece is in hands), factories tend to produce the highest graded (1:1 or mirror quality) batches first in very limited quantities before ‘stripping’ them of some signature elements and using cheaper materials to make them more fake looking for the lower quality batches. Some popular items (produced by one factory) can have up to 5 different versions with every single one of them having its own unique blueprint. The challenge for buyers and even sellers is to source for the best ones available when there are hundreds of factories out there. Some are known for making very high quality reps at low/mid range prices; while others specialize in specific brands. In all, items produced by a factory can be divided into 2 large groups:

1. The permanent perennial collection: the most popular items or ‘the instant classics’ that have been sold by the thousands, tested and reviewed by many buyers over time. These are massively produced throughout the year and never seem to run out of stock. As a buyer, you will have no difficulty finding several different batches of the same style. 2. The new season collection: items featured in the latest fashion shows or factory designed (fantasy) for the new season. Depending on their popularity, only a handful will ever be produced again. Beware that, in order to cash in as early as possible, many of these items are released weeks or months before the real ones are dropped into retail or online stores. As a buyer, you may not find any product listings with reviews; so you will most likely be a guinea pig (first known person to order). Your advantage on the other hand is that you may very well be purchasing a ‘first batch’. These are notoriously known for being the highest graded batch (of the same tier) a factory makes during a production run. This applies especially for bags and clothing. For example, if a style gets hot and sells out quickly, factories will try to meet the high demand; but by doing so, some corners may be cut resulting in poorer quality items.

From here, each rep is then compared to other factories producing the same item. They can then fall into a different quality group based on the materials used, the overall craftsmanship and the details that are off compared to the authentic piece. Some less popular or more niche branded items may only be found in one quality type.

As a rule of thumb, prices often dictate the quality of an item: the higher the better. Although the rule may be simple enough, always ensure to compare different listings/sellers/reviews/pictures/prices/extras to see which one suits you the most. This will be part of your homework. If you plan on buying replicas on a regular basis, all your research if done thoroughly will earn you some valuable experience; which will eventually allow you to spot in a glimpse the differences between batches and their overall price ranges while meeting many ‘friends’ along the way. In addition, if you are a newbie, please avoid these common rookie mistakes at all costs:

⛔ The Picture Dilemma: product listings with a substantial price gap but using the same pictures do not mean that they are the exact same product. Do not think that you are saving money by buying from the cheaper listing. Beware that when asking for real pictures, sellers will in most part provide you with the factory/studio pictures. Depending on what you are buying and from whom, most will not have the item on hand. Once you have placed an order, they will then buy it from the factory and have it shipped to you;

⛔ The Impulsive Syndrome: unfortunately, many inexperienced users buy from the first listing that they stumble upon into. While the item may be up to their standards, most unsatisfactory deals are caused by buyers not knowing exactly what they paid for. Buying designer replicas is not and should never be a gamble. If you are reading this, then you should know that you have many tools now available at your disposal to make smarter decisions;

⛔ The ‘Bait and Switch’ Trap: always beware that there are unscrupulous sellers out there selling low quality items at high prices or promising one thing but delivering another. Be cautious and use due diligence especially if it is your first time ordering from a store. If a deal is too good to be true, it often is. For example, a seller claiming to sell a 1:1 piece for a very low price or the opposite, a seller selling a low quality item at a very high price.

Buying reps is no wonder a big challenge. A game in which you need to stay on top by researching, communicating with various sellers and seeking help whenever needed. As a buyer, take your time by never leaving any stones unturned. Otherwise, you will be just rolling the dice and risk getting an unpleasant surprise when you open up your package.

On your quest for your desired item, be prepared to navigate through some murky waters; in the sense that the definition of quality can be very much subjective from one buyer to another depending on your knowledge or personal experience with the retail world and how believable you want your reps to look and feel compared to the authentic item. Every buyer is indeed unique. Each one of us will have our own buying strategy, budget and set of boundaries; but at the end of the day when our package arrives, we all share one common feeling – that wow moment when we say to ourselves: “Geez, this is amazing! Kudos to me”! 😊👏👏👍👍 Before placing your first order(s), be sure to set up some goals:

1. What quality am I looking for or how close do I want it to be from the authentic?

2. What is my budget and will it allow me to get something up to my expectations? Remember that a bag or a pair of shoes costing $50, for example, will not be in the same level of quality as one going for $150 for the exact same style. If you have high standards, it may be more beneficial to save your money and pay extra to avoid a negative experience.

3. Do I need extras (i.e. brand boxes, original packaging, custom embossing, faster shipping, etc)?

Once you have answered all of these questions, it is time for the hunt games to begin! Congratulations, you’ve signed up to DHgate and you are ready to embark on a journey to the fashion designer underworld!

If you ever plan a shopping trip to China (or any country selling reps), get ready to explore different districts each one filled with an endless number of shops, stalls, middlemen and scammers along your way. On your journey, one thing strikes you: the vast majority of shops that you visit only have the cheap low/mid quality batches displayed on their shelves. When you inquire about the higher quality ones, sellers whether tell you that those need to be ordered in advance (and ask you to come back later) or ask someone to take you to a more secluded location within vicinity. With DHgate, the setting is nearly identical: most of the stores you encounter on the site will only have the cheap budget items listed. The reason is very simple: for every very high or mirror quality item sold, 20-30+ lower to mid quality ones will be sold in more affordable prices. That same ratio is also closely reflected on the number of stores listing the very high quality (2-5%) vs budget (95-98%). As a result, DHgate has in some unintended ways acquired a reputation as a marketplace for inferior quality items. But, as you will learn in this guide, what you see on the surface is only the tip of the iceberg.

In preparation of your first order(s), let’s ascertain some important basics and facts when shopping in DHgate:

🔶 Every DHgate seller is a reseller or a middleman. Never believe sellers claiming that they are a ‘factory’. Factories are forbidden by the platform and honestly, they have no interest in selling directly to a consumer on a one on one basis. Some sellers however may own some small workshops (producing specific niche items or custom making existing ones); but they have nowhere near the production capacity of a normal factory;

🔶 Stores are independent from DHgate and act more as marketplace sellers. DHgate on its end has almost full control of a store’s wallet and issues penalties whenever disputes are opened;

🔶 There are no real discounted/sale/liquidation items in product listings. If you ever see one with a % discount (See an example here on a 84% off marked down item), never believe that the item is actually ‘on sale’. Businesses never sell at a loss and you always get what you pay for (Further down however, you can find some money saving tips);

🔶 Due to the website restrictions, sellers can only display a limited number of listings in a store; which do not represent even 1% of everything they sell in most cases. Because of that, many sellers will open multiple stores advertising different or similar products in the hopes of generating more store traffic and orders;

🔶 When shopping in DH, you will eventually come across many shops with this🏅badge; which represents the highest grade a store can obtain: the ACE status. To be awarded (this is renewed every year), stores must meet a certain sales target the year before. Simply put, these are the ‘cash cows’ of the site. Many of the ‘usual suspects’ will have no trouble meeting the threshold year after year. If you are a beginner shopping through item listings, your first purchase(s) will very much likely come from one of these stores;

🔶 Buying from a high rated/top seller does not guarantee that you will be satisfied. Deals can go sideways for many reasons;

🔶 The number of transactions of a store may not always reflect the total # of items that were sold (as you will learn further ahead, one transaction can be split into multiple orders and fake reviews can add to that toll);

🔶 A store with only a few transactions does not mean that the seller can not be trusted. As mentioned earlier, one seller can run various stores across the platform and in most cases, sellers are genuine people who will go great lengths to satisfy you as a consumer;

🔶 Fake reviews are now widely spread throughout many listings including those from top sellers. This is a controversial subject in many ways. One that can be viewed as a double edged sword. On one side, genuine sellers rely on them for 2 ‘legitimate’ reasons: 1) fake reviews add ‘orders’ to a listing; which keeps it from being taken down and 2) to promote a product that the seller deems to have good selling potential by including pictures in reviews. On the negative side, fake reviews are simply wrong because: 1) they serve as a tactic from scamming sellers in making potential buyers believe that the product they are buying is actually of good quality when in fact it is not and 2) if you are able to spot them (most are fairly easy to do so), they may very well sway buyers away instead of attracting them to buy. For more information, here’s a quick guide in spotting fake reviews.

Over the years, DHgate has steadily evolved into a mega shopping ecosystem filled with life where you can make some amazing deals and connect with a vast network of designer replica sellers capable of providing your ‘holy grail’ item at the right price. Sellers are without a doubt the backbone and flesh and the heart and soul of the whole DHgate website.

But who are they exactly? They are young (most in the 18-30 year old age group predominantly women), ambitious and tech savvy. Some do it as a part time gig, some are all in. When shopping in DH, you may eventually stumble into one of these: a multimillion dollar seller running many successful stores, a small workshop owner, a dropshipper, a seller-agent, a middleman liquidating overstock inventory or a recent high school graduate starting his first business. They come from all walks of life living in different parts of China, have distinctive business models, but one common goal: make money and lots of it.  Because they are fully independent from DH, they have a total freedom in terms of pricing and types of items sold. Their success however will depend on a few (controllable) factors and the good old Lady Luck!

As they will all learn down the stretch: selling in DHgate is no easy task. With all the competition and DH’s ever improving counter measures against replica listings, only the fittest will survive. Of all the popular platforms, DHGate is probably the one with the highest fees charged to sellers (Addendum of fees):

• Orders of $1-300 are hit with a 20% commission fee while $300+ ones go down to 10%;

• On top of that, many stores opt to pay membership fees of up to 30 000 CNY (Chinese Yuan)/year (roughly $4,800 in today’s market). Some large store sellers (especially the ones selling bags and sneakers) claim that this is actually a requirement once the store starts piling up orders;

• Over the past few years, DHgate has also started offering advertisement services notably in TikTok (fees vary between $1,000-$3,000/year).

Obviously, membership paying stores are entitled to privileges that include:

• An increased number of listings allowed in a store (the higher the membership status, the more products that store is allowed to list);

• Better protection from listings being taken down;

• More visibility/priority in DH’s search engine;

• Automatic renewal of listing prices (You may have noticed that 1-90% off in a price listing and the time left: listings for non-paying members are only renewed by the system within 24-72h during which prices may be greatly inflated).

These perks may have a huge impact on how a store performs. Therefore, many sellers will struggle to keep their shops opened for long; which partly explains the very quick turnaround of shops and listings across the site.

Another important aspect to take note is that many sellers open multiple stores and collaborate between themselves. In China, collective power (family & friends) is a force to be reckoned with. If a business is successful, others will be keen in joining in; thus creating a chain of stores supporting each other out. This is one of the most powerful elements for any business in China and something that has become deeply embedded in DHgate as well. So if you come across product listings that are very similar in their description, pricing and pictures or stores that have very similar names, do not be surprised if they are run by the same seller or that they are affiliated stores. This interconnectivity along with how factories have changed their modus operandi (more on that in the upcoming chapters) has created a brand new species in DH’s ecosystem: the hybrid seller. Think of a large surface store where you can buy shoes, clothing, bags, accessories, home decor, jewellery and more all under one roof. A large chunk of DH sellers has recently adopted this hybrid business model. For example, a store that only has bags listed can also offer shoes and clothing (through albums or catalogues). As long as you know exactly what you are getting and trust the seller, there are many advantages in shopping this way: finding exactly what you are looking for, better pricing (especially if you buy multiple items), QC pics are usually offered as courtesy and faster shipping lines. Through reviews and referrals in this subreddit, many of you are already familiar with this way of shopping.

As previously mentioned, behind every store, there is a (re)seller that specialises in some types of items (at different quality grades), has his/her own channel of suppliers and offers a distinctive buying experience (level of service/communication). Finding a good reliable supplier for your fashion designer goodies is without a doubt the essence of the game in DHgate. Product listings will all be taken down one day, but stores/sellers will always live long after. Finding a reliable seller can be compared to finding friendship or love online. You meet someone, have a few chats and then you ask yourself: do I want to take it to the next level or can I trust that person? If the answer is yes, then time to hit that “Place the order” button!

As with any healthy relationship, communication is the key to any deal and that before, during and after an order is completed. This is by far the most important part that is often overlooked. Good sellers will always provide you support and help fix any issues that may arise. Unfortunately, there is no workbook or definitive guide in finding love nor reliable sellers. The only thing you can control is who and how you approach them. With that mindset in place, here is a common approach that you can add to your playbook:

1. Look into their store to see the type of items they have to offer, their prices and any reviews (if available). If you are curious or interested in any items you see, ask for real pictures;

2. If the seller replies and the pictures provided are to your satisfaction, continue communicating by asking any questions you may have about the item. Some other questions may include:

• Do you sell high quality batches (if the items listed in the store are of budget/low quality)?

• Do you have a Yupoo album with all items that you sell?

• Is that your only DHgate store or do you have others?

• Do you provide QC pictures before shipping?

Product listings are getting more and more difficult to find, as DHgate bans more and more keywords in its search database. In addition, for those who are more familiar with the site, listings can be temporarily disabled by DH whether as an evading tactic to safekeep them or because they were deemed to be counterfeit items. Unfortunately, there are no magic tricks or secret recipes in finding the exact item that you are looking for, except if that item is a very popular one.

• Use keywords. For example: 1) ‘monogram tote’ for a LV Neverfull bag or 2) ‘flying jumpman’ for AJ sneakers:

• Use the image search

• Search in this subreddit

Many of you may also go on a ‘treasure hunt’ by spending countless nights hopping from one listing to another, scrolling down to see similar listings that will eventually lead you to stores from which you will browse through their listings in the hopes of finding some hidden gems. This is the average DHgater right there: ‘screen shopping’ and adding gems to that treasure chest! If you still can’t find what you are looking for, message sellers that sell similar products. Chances are that they will have it in their ‘backstore’.

Whether you are about to place your first order or your 100th, DHGate offers a vast selection of replica designer items at any budget. One can buy in a multitude of ways: from active listings with picture reviews, no picture reviews but from a high rated seller or through a seller’s album (select which items you want and pay through DHgate). Here are 10 winning rules, strategies and DH features that anyone can use in order to make their shopping experience in DHgate a positive one:

1⃣ Communication is the #1 rule for every single deal. Always message a seller prior to placing an order. You may be wowed by the picture reviews, but always be cautious and use due diligence before buying to avoid any unwanted surprises. Make sure your questions and concerns are answered before ordering or before the package is shipped. Never let yourself feel pressured. You always have the final word after all. Some sellers may have more difficulty communicating in English, so please be more patient and understandable;

2⃣ Price is negotiable for every single listing in DH (except for social savings). Many sellers are flexible with their listing prices. For example, if you intend to buy from a listing with no transactions or reviews or multiple items from the same store, message the seller, bargain, settle on a price and place your order in DHgate as follows:

• On the order page where you select the method of payment, there is an option called ‘Pay later’. By selecting that and placing an order thereafter, the seller will still be able to see it and modify the price to the one you both agreed to. Beware that there is a deadline to have these orders completed/paid. This option can also be used as:

1. a negotiating tool in which you can force a seller to accept an offer “give or take” or;

2. a ‘holding on’ button in case you are not sure in buying and/or simply because you have some DH coupons expiring and want to use them beforehand.

3⃣ Listing prices can change over time. If you are interested in buying an item from a product listing, add it to your cart or in your favourites and follow its price to see how it fluctuates over time. Always research and plan your purchases ahead;

4⃣ Store membership | Loyalty Program: Superfan or VIP customer of a store? Loyalty can get you a long way, as sellers often reward returning customers in many ways such as with discounts, freebies, etc. In a buyer’s market, customer acquisition is priceless for businesses, as they all look to build long term relationships instead of a one-time deal. On that level, DHgate has implemented a ‘store membership’ program that has yet to fully take off. Their goal was to give stores the ability to offer discounts to returning customers after they had reached a certain $ amount of orders within that store; but due to limitations or just lack of interest, not many if any sellers at all have signed up for this feature so far. By contrast, unofficial ‘loyalty programs’ do exist under a seller’s discretion. If you are very satisfied with an order and would like to deal with that same seller again, make sure to ask for discounts or freebies on your next order. Some stores even list this feature in their item descriptions, so make sure to read them (especially if you are a first-time buyer from a store);

5⃣ DHgate Coupons and the best time to buy. Coupons are and should be an important part of your shopping experience, so use them on every order.

• 🎟There are 7 ways to get them:

1. Entering a code (use our search bar to find them);

2. Exchanging DHgate coins;

3. Clicking on a sale icon or on DH’s weekly Insider days;

4. Clicking on the ‘pop-up bubble’ (appearing from time to time);

5. Special birthday and Insider coupons and

6. Spinning the Lucky Draw ‘slot machine’ (that does not always work).

7. From time to time, DHgate may also send some directly to your account. Sometimes, you may find these in notification/spam emails or just out of nowhere!

• 🎟Stacking up DH coupons: a great hack in saving some extra bucks is to stack up DHgate coupons. The goal is to use as many as you can. Sellers do not care how many of these coupons you use as long as you pay the total amount of the order (before discounts). Therefore, you can place multiple orders by splitting its total cost. Before you do that, make sure to message the seller first explaining your intentions. Please follow this easy set up tutorial as an example.

The best available coupons or the best time to buy is during major sales that occur about 4-6 times during a calendar year when DHgate offers multiple daily 15-25% off coupons. The discount value normally increases as the sale progresses.

6⃣ Always try looking for sellers selling high quality items. They are normally ranked higher in the supply chain (closer to factories); which gives them premium access and pricing to the limited sought-after high quality batches. Cheap budget items are widely available and very easy to find (for both sellers and buyers). Sellers who only sell budget may not be the most knowledgeable in terms of quality wise, since they may have only seen and handled the lower tier items;

7⃣ New items or batches (replacing older ones) are released every single day. Most sellers may not know the differences (if any compared to the previous batch that they sold) until they have received the item from the factory. It is also not uncommon for sellers to source for different factories or suppliers when an item is sold out; which may look and feel slightly different to what you expected to receive. Hence, the vital importance of finding sellers who provide QC (Quality Control) pictures or PSP (Pre-Shipping Pictures) in order to avoid receiving disappointing or defective items;

8⃣ Your success relies on 3 areas: 1) Buying experience, 2) quality control skills (being able to determine the overall quality of a product from the seller/factory pictures) and 3) working with reliable sellers that you can trust;

9⃣ Your 4 mottos: Search, research, communicate and order. Repeat.

🔟 Be respectful of every seller. Please be reminded that selling reps is an illegal but somewhat tolerated activity in China. Selling though is not as easy as it seems. On the contrary, as with any high risk high reward business, its players must take extreme precaution at all times. So the pair of shoes, bag or jacket that you ordered with a few clicks from thousands of miles away was probably collected by the seller (from a factory or middleman) at 4 AM at an undisclosed location, brought home in a hurry, QC pictures taken (if applicable), packed and shipped. Trust is the highest virtue of the trade when buying reps. Remember that you are not only investing in a goodie, but also in the person you are buying from. That ‘friend’ of yours has a name. Learn it. He/She will appreciate it.

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Introduction: The biggest and oldest of all trades

In the world of designer replicas, no other item is produced and sold more than clothing. For a trade that took off nearly half a century ago, there could be at least 1,000 factories out there today producing hundreds of thousands of different styles every year.

Contrary to other sides of the repworld for example where factories only deal with a handful of individuals, clothing is pretty much a wide open market: most factories are open for business and will take orders from anyone knocking on their doors. By factory, we refer to places that sell finished/ready to sell items or workshops that can reproduce any design upon demand. Thanks to this open door policy, many (re)sellers (if they are doing this on their own without any help) start their businesses selling clothing: the most popular styles are easy to find, shipping is fairly cheap, there’s a lower risk of seizures and most important the profits are good.

In DHgate, there are mainly 2 types of sellers that you will come across with: 1- sellers that deal directly with specific factories (mostly for high quality items);

2- sellers ordering from a wholesale website or physical warehouse location/ middlemen (mostly budget/mid tier items).

Shopping for designer replica clothing can be challenging at times; especially if you are looking for a specific piece at the best possible quality. Always shop around and be patient! Sometimes, good batches are simply not available at the moment. Instead of making an impulsive purchase and risk getting something below your expectations, save yourself some trouble by whether shopping other styles or your money for a later time. Also, always remember that every single seller is a reseller. There are no factories selling directly to a consumer in DHgate (or even elsewhere). Listing prices can vary dramatically from one seller to another or even from one day to another. With these key points in mind, the goal of this visual tutorial will be to present you with some basics of the trade while offering some tips on what to look out for and what to avoid.

Disclaimer: The following guide aims to provide its readers some general guidelines and tips when shopping for designer replica clothing in DHgate. This is not a definitive or ultimate guide. All the information provided comes from my own shopping experience and interaction with different DHgate sellers throughout the years.

What to expect and things to know before ordering

Sizes

Sizing is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to buying. Finding the right size can often be a coin toss. Size charts are normally available; but always beware that they are not 100% accurate. As a 101 rule, the higher the quality the closer to retail the item will be: for example, budget pieces will almost always run smaller (based on Asian sizes); while high quality ones will be true to size or close to reflect the retail world.

If you are not sure which size to pick, ask the seller for suggestions or have him/her try it while asking for their measurements. This shall give you a good idea of how close or far you are from your desired size.

Availability and sales: a seasonal affair

When it comes to availability, rep clothing follows 2 general rules:

1) Budget and some mid-tier quality items are massively produced and available all year long for most of the popular styles;

2) High quality or (near) 1:1 items are produced in very limited quantities and released during seasonal cycles (based on the Northern hemisphere/Chinese seasons). As a result, timing is key when shopping for these: if you find your desired item at the right price from a seller that you deem trustworthy, buy it before it sells out; as that item may never ever be replicated again.

For the more popular styles, the first released batches are normally the highest graded ones during the production run of that item. As an example, if you are looking for a heavy full winter jacket, late October to early December would be the best time to buy.

Just like in the retail world, rep factories always have clearance sales for some specific end of season items in order to make space for the new collections. For example, towards the end of the winter season or start of spring (March to May), some high quality winter jackets may be sold at very discounted prices. These ‘liquidation’ items are never listed by the mainstream sellers in DHgate.

Instead, new popup stores randomly open up selling these overstock or end of season items: if you are lucky enough to find a good seller and willing to order from a store with very few transactions, then you may have found a gold mine! Just beware that these stores tend to remain open for a very brief period of time. For the more experienced buyers, you can always contact your favourite seller(s) asking for these. They may be able to pull some nice deals out of their hats!

Women’s Clothing

Has quite possibly the largest selection of styles in all of the fashion repworld.

In DHgate, sellers are very widespread and each only seems to carry particular styles. They may order a specific item upon request from a wholesale website or middlemen, but prices may be high with unchecked quality;

Sizes can be an issue for items like dresses, one pieces and skirts as factories rely on different measurements;

High quality items are extremely limited, as most of the stock is sold to the Asian market first;

Pro tip: Because of the great number of styles available, you may only find a particular style in one graded quality. High quality coats and jackets are an exception, since they are by far the most profitable to sell.

Children’s clothing

Only 2 types of quality are produced: cheap budget and high quality.

They cost as much as adult clothing with some high quality ones costing even more. For this reason, most DHgate sellers only list the cheaper batches for sale. Higher quality ones are also available, but listings are rare with very few buyers and reviews;

Pro tip: Depending on the child’s age (baby, toddler or teen), it may not be worth it to pay top dollars for something that will be worn only a few times. For budget items, other websites dedicated to kid’s clothing offer very similar quality in terms of fabrics and craftsmanship (therefore, you will only be paying a premium to have the brand’s name).

On the same level, high quality items are rarely 1:1s with the vast majority being fantasy items. Their quality is great overall, but the high prices may not justify the investment, since you can easily find comparable and more affordable branded items in the retail world.

Assessing the quality and value of an item: what the seller/factory pictures show

Great work so far! A number of sellers replied with each one of them providing their own distinctive factory pictures. From here, your task will be to compare them to see which one is the closest to the authentic version for the price that you are willing to pay for.

On your analysis, take note of these key points:

Budget items very rarely feature closeup shots, as they will normally expose their flaws. Therefore, the more closeup pics available the better an item tends to be;

Examine the quality and accuracy of the tags and labels: they are almost inevery single way a reflection of the overall quality of the item itself;

Look for the smallest details such as the font used on the text, the size of the emblem/badge and the colour accuracy.

Final assessment

Congratulations! You’ve done your homework and your analysis. You found 8 potential sellers having your desired sweater for sale. Now, it is time to make a decision. Based on what you’ve seen and heard from each seller, your decision should be based on:

1) Price vs quality 2) Level of communication

– Was the seller approachable/friendly or pushy?

– Did he/she answer all my questions/concerns?

3) The seller’s ability to send you real pictures before shipping

– Always ask if they do or not prior to ordering. A seller that does will certainly spare you of an unsatisfied deal. Unfortunately, many sellers do not keep their promise and will end up shipping the item before showing it to you.

4) Go with your gut

– Buying reps is all about trust. Trust that the other party will deliver a quality product that matches the price you paid. With experience, you will be able to pick up the smallest details and become a human lie detector test; but for now, if you are taking your first baby steps, apply what you learned here and go with your instinct.

If you researched and did your due diligence properly, the deal will most likely be to your full satisfaction.

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A guide to spotting fake reviews Part 1: Reviews without pictures

Sellers have a lot of tricks to make them look legit including faking their own reviews.

Any honest seller with good products doesn’t need to fake their own reviews. The sellers who do post fake reviews normally sell low quality budget products and as a rule should be avoided.

In the example below we see that none of the purchasers actually bought shoes. They all purchased the cheap ‘gift’ option but posted reviews on the shoes.

The review number is a lot higher than the transaction number. This means the seller reuses the same listing for different products.

In the same example, the second and third review have exactly the same text from 2 different users. how is that for a coincidence?

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