A daigou service helps an overseas buyer purchase from Chinese marketplaces, receive domestic parcels at a warehouse, consolidate them, prepare customs information, and arrange international delivery. A beginner should compare the complete service and landed-cost process, not a single headline rate. This guide explains what to prepare, which costs to expect, how routes differ, and what must be confirmed before a parcel leaves China.
What daigou, forwarding, and consolidation mean
Daigou usually includes purchase assistance: confirming an item, communicating with a seller, placing the domestic order, and receiving it in China. Package forwarding begins after you have already bought the item. Consolidation combines selected warehouse parcels into an outbound shipment and may include repacking or protective materials.
You may need only one of these services. Buyers who can pay on Taobao, 1688, or another platform can use the self-shopping workflow and send parcels to the warehouse. Buyers who need help with payment, seller communication, or returns should confirm which steps are included in the purchasing service.
Prepare the order before you pay
Send the original product link rather than a screenshot alone. Record the quantity, colour, size, model, specification, and any option that must not be substituted. Tell the agent if the listing is a preorder, customised item, final sale, or subject to domestic freight on delivery.
Product attributes matter as much as the listing price. Declare whether the order contains batteries, liquid, powder, magnets, food, medicine, wood, branded goods, fragile parts, or anything intended for commercial resale. These details affect warehouse acceptance, route availability, packaging, documents, and the destination's import rules.
Also provide the destination country, city, and postal code. Explain whether your priority is cost control, a particular delivery window, product protection, or keeping retail packaging. A useful request is specific enough for the warehouse to act on without guessing.
Build a complete cost picture
The total cost may include the product, domestic delivery in China, purchasing service, payment or currency handling, warehouse options, international freight, insurance, and charges that may arise at destination. The final international quote can depend on both actual weight and dimensional weight, as well as parcel size, product category, route, and remote-area rules.
Ask for an itemised estimate and the conditions behind it. Confirm:
- how chargeable weight is calculated;
- which warehouse services are optional;
- whether packaging changes require approval;
- which route or product surcharges may apply;
- what the freight quote includes;
- who pays destination duties, taxes, brokerage, or last-mile charges;
- when the quote must be refreshed.
The pricing page is a useful starting point, but the shipping decision should use the measured parcel and a current route quote.
What happens when parcels reach the warehouse
Each inbound parcel should be linked to your order and checked against the inspection level you selected. A basic receiving check does not necessarily confirm authenticity, internal function, exact measurements, or every seller variation. Request detailed photos or another inspection service before consolidation when those points matter.
Welisen currently provides 180 days of free storage. This verified policy gives buyers time to wait for parcels from different Chinese sellers. Storage time should still be balanced against seller return windows and the condition of the goods. Resolve a missing, damaged, or incorrect item before combining it with the rest of the shipment.
Consolidation is not automatically the right choice for every parcel. Removing duplicate outer cartons may reduce unused space, while original boxes may be important for protection or collection value. Fragile, sharp, heavy, or easily compressed products need compatible packing. Ask for the final number of cartons, measurements, weight, and packaging notes before approving dispatch.
Compare international shipping routes
Common options include commercial courier, air services, postal routes, and sea freight. Availability depends on the goods and destination. Compare routes using the same shipment details so that the quotations cover the same scope.
Commercial courier may provide detailed tracking and an integrated delivery network, while its dimensional and remote-area rules can materially affect cost. Air services can suit general cargo when a courier product is not the best fit. Postal routes may use different tracking and clearance processes. Sea freight can make sense for larger, less urgent shipments but requires planning for origin handling, consolidation, customs, and final delivery.
Do not treat a past transit result as a fixed promise. Warehouse processing, capacity, weather, customs review, public holidays, and the destination carrier can all change the schedule. Before payment, confirm the current dispatch expectation, tracking milestones, and what happens if extra documents are requested.
The services page outlines the available workflow. A route should be selected only after the warehouse confirms the product is accepted.
Prepare for lawful customs clearance
Customs information must match the transaction and the contents. Use accurate product descriptions, quantities, purpose, and value. Keep the marketplace order, payment evidence, product details, and communication with the seller or agent.
Do not undervalue goods, mark a commercial purchase as a gift, hide the nature of the item, or split parcels to reduce duties. Import taxes, licences, identity requirements, and restricted-goods rules vary by destination and can change. Check the destination customs or tax authority and the selected carrier's current requirements before dispatch.
The recipient may need to provide a full legal name, complete address, telephone number, postal code, identification, tax information, or an import document. Commercial quantities and regulated products can require additional preparation. Confirm this before purchasing when return options may be limited.
Understand the delivery timeline
The total journey begins before the international carrier receives the parcel. It can include seller preparation, domestic transport, warehouse receiving, inspection, waiting for other parcels, consolidation, quote approval, outbound handling, line-haul transport, customs, and last-mile delivery.
Ask which of these stages is included in any estimate. If an item is needed for an event or business deadline, allow contingency time and avoid ordering a product that cannot be returned. Tracking may pause between physical movements, but an unexplained or unusually long pause should be raised with the service provider using the order and tracking references.
Final customer checklist
Before dispatch, verify the recipient name, address format, telephone number, postal code, carton count, chargeable weight, route, declared contents, declared value, insurance choice, and fee breakdown. Save the approval and payment record.
After delivery, photograph the outer carton before opening if there is visible damage. Check the quantity and condition promptly. Keep labels, packaging, photos, and an opening record until you know the order is complete, because a carrier or service investigation may require evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Can every Chinese marketplace item be shipped overseas?
No. Carriers and destination authorities restrict some batteries, liquids, powders, food, medicine, branded goods, and other regulated products. Confirm the exact item before paying the seller.
Does consolidation reduce the shipping bill?
It depends. Consolidation may remove duplicate packaging, but protection, carton dimensions, minimum charges, and incompatible goods can change the result. Use the packed measurements and current quote.
Are duties included in international freight?
That depends on the route terms and destination. Ask what the quote includes, who is responsible for taxes and brokerage, and which clearance documents the recipient must supply.
When your product links and destination details are ready, review the shopping workflow and service options. The article library contains more guidance on buying in China, warehouse handling, and international shipping.