Stick with reputable sellers and make sure you have the Aliwang chat installed. The only way to communicate with the seller and be prompted to pay the balance of your pre order. Pre order is a giveaway as it's ¥30 or less generally. If there's two options, full price and preorder, best to check stock before hitting the purchase button. Again, through chat

Welcome to Taobao, I'm sure you'll stay a long while. The savings and prompt shipping is that good!

 

To avoid overpaying on overseas shipping fees to the USA,
I'd recommend using EMS shipping/warehouse option instead of JCEX/USPS or UPS. JCEX and UPS now calculate their shipping charge based on volumteric weight instead of actual weight. This makes their shipping costs much higher. For example the actual shipping weight of 1 Fanstoys dino like Grinder should be around 2.1kg to 2.3 kg at most. The volumteric weight calculates and inflates the shipping weight (and as a result the shipping cost) to about 7.1 kg. Due to this, for USA customers EMS ironically has now become the lower and better priced shipping option.

 

So Bhiner.com is a Taobao agent. What shipping option do you guys use when shipping to the USA?
Do they open up and inspect your contents? I prefer to have my stuff delivered sealed and unopened.

 

This is my first time and the pic in my quoted text is the pic they have of the item. So yes, they open it to make sure all is well. That’s fine with me. I used economy shipping and it was only $8 or so. I spent less than $24 all said and done including shipping and fees.

 

Every purchase I’ve made through them has been opened and inspected, which I’m ok with, and always use the bhiner economy option

 

If your item contained a battery in it, say for LED features, would they refuse to ship it unless they remove the battery?
Can you post the Taobao link to your item?

Any idea what the economy option is....USPS/SAL, DHL etc? Do you get a tracking number with economy shipping? How long does it take to reach you in the USA and what part of the USA are you in?

I want to make sure my overseas shipping fee is calculated based on actual weight and not volume weight. Which shipping options calculate shipping fees based on actual weight?

 

If memory serves my clonedroid greatshot came via USPS. I’ve gotten a tracking number every time and usually the shipping has been between 2 weeks and a month, and I’m on the east coast in Virginia

 

Hopefully it takes closer to 2 weeks in most cases. So I'd have to download the Bhiner app to my desktop or mobile device?

 

No app, I always just use the site, even on my mobile. I think the time is partially dependent on size, greatshot definitely took the longest of the things I’ve ordered from them, and he’s the biggest

 

Don't you need to download & install the Taobao Assistant to your chrome browser first?

Best taobao agent english website that accepts paypal | Taobao Agent Bhiner



I think it is useful for those who need a smooth way to conduct Taobao transactions.
This might be an option for me if I need to order something that contains batteries in it. Then again I ordered Fanstoys FT-20G direct from Taobao and it has batteries installed in it and the EMS warehouse let it pass with no issues about the battery. Taobao's EMS calculates shipping weight/fees based on actual weight. They didn't even open the package which was great. If I pick Taobao regular economy USPS option they certainly won't care about batteries but I'll get raped due to volumteric weight (as opposed to actual weight) shipping fees. Bhiner's economy USPS shipping is a few bucks more than Taobao's based on my most recent order example but it may be worth it.

 

Nope, no assistant necessary, and they open the box primarily to ensure they ordered the correct item for you and the contents are what they’re supposed to be

 

Where do you paste your item URL once you've found something to buy?

 

The taobao url? Just copy and paste it into the search bar on bhiner.com

 

Ok. Thanks.

 

When you used Bhiner.com's lowest cost economy shipping option, final delivery to you in the USA was handled by USPS. Did the package require a signature? If no will USPS leave the package at your door if no one is home?
For me it can be a pain if no one is home to sign for my package when USPS delivers an EMS package.

 

They just left it at my door with no signature needed

 

I just may give them a shot. How do they handle preorder deposits and then remaining balance owed when the item comes into stock?
I'm trying to decide whether or not to use them for Fanstoys Rogue/Arcee. The seller I want to go through has it available as a preorder deposit at the moment.

 

That I’m not sure of, I haven’t done any preorders through them

 

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

It really is pointless to do pre-orders with Taobao... You'll find lots of great prices when items are released and widely available about one to two weeks after the official release date. =)