Guides & Tips

3D glass magnifying glass inspecting a glowing checkmark on a clothing tag, purple-pink neon lighting, for a guide to checking QC photos before shipping

Quality Control · 7 min

How to Check QC Photos Before Your Parcel Ships

The five things to check in every QC photo set — colour, stitching, logo accuracy, hardware and size tag — before your item ships and fixing a problem gets a lot harder.

3D glass parcel with a glowing customs duty percentage stamp, purple-pink neon lighting, for a guide to customs and import tax on shopping agent orders

Customs & Duties · 9 min

Customs & Import Tax on Shopping Agent Orders: What You'll Actually Pay

How EU import VAT, the 2025 US de minimis change and UK thresholds apply to Taobao, Weidian and 1688 orders — and why some shopping agents include the tax and others don't.

Illustration of CNY and EUR currency cards linked by an exchange icon, for a guide to converting CNY to EUR

Payments · 6 min

How to Convert CNY to EUR Without Losing Money on Fees

How exchange rates actually work, which payment methods cost the least, and how to avoid the hidden fees (like dynamic currency conversion) that quietly inflate what you pay a shopping agent.

Pandabuy Alternatives Explained — PANDABUY LINKS comparison guide cover

Comparison · 10 min

Pandabuy Shut Down: What Happened and the Best Alternatives in 2026

Pandabuy was raided over counterfeit goods and stopped working as a shopping agent. Here's what happened, and how the active alternatives compare if you need a new agent.

Isometric illustration of a cardboard box with length, width and height arrows and a "divide by 5000" label, for a guide to volumetric shipping weight

Shipping · 8 min

Volumetric Weight Explained: How to Cut Your International Shipping Cost

Carriers bill the greater of actual and volumetric weight, so the box you ship in can cost you more than the items inside it. Here is the formula, worked examples and how to pack smarter.

Illustration of a t-shirt with chest and length measurements, a size tag and a measuring tape, for a guide to reading Taobao and Weidian size charts

Sizing · 10 min

How to Read Taobao & Weidian Size Charts (Asian vs. EU/US Sizes)

Size charts from Chinese sellers look different from what you know: Asian cuts run smaller, measurements are often listed flat and waist sizes can be in chi. Here is how to read any chart and pick the right size.

Illustration of parcels with a shipping label and a paper plane, for a beginner's guide to buying from Taobao, Weidian and 1688

Buying guide · 11 min

How to Buy from Taobao, Weidian & 1688 with a Shopping Agent (Beginner's Guide)

Taobao, Weidian and 1688 ship only inside China. A shopping agent buys for you, checks the item and ships it abroad. Here is how the whole process works, what it really costs and how to avoid expensive shipping mistakes.