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:
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Apparel
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Automobiles & Motorcycles
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Baby, Kids & Maternity
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Bags, Luggage & Accessories
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Cameras & Photo
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Cell Phones & Accessories
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Computers & Networking
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Electronics
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Food & Beverage
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Health & Beauty
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Home & Garden
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Shoes & Accessories
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Sports & Outdoors
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Toys & Gifts
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Jewelry & Watches
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Wedding, Party & Events
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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.
