buying directly from taobao.com by yourself or through me

[Initial_G]

Interesting, thanks for posting the details. Very helpful

I've always been interested and heard ppl buying from Taobao, but always confused n worried due to language. I might try a small purchase first and test the waters.

[langzixinxin]

Interesting, thanks for posting the details. Very helpful

I've always been interested and heard ppl buying from Taobao, but always confused n worried due to language. I might try a small purchase first and test the waters.

the forwarder is not cheap for small items though. ordering more is better but not to exceed 1000 AUD (including shipping cost). However, you will have to wait 2 or 3 days to know your shipping cost AFTER you buy from the seller. For example, you ordered 4700 RMB items, after 3 days you are informed with 300 RMB for shipping cost, so you reach totally 5000 RMB. It is slightly below 1000 AUD these days but you never know if the exchange rate fluctrating up and down so you might see it became slightly over 1000 AUD, then another 100 AUD GST will apply.

Another potential issue is, if the forwarder, for whatever reason cannot ship the item, it will be hard to return back to the seller because from seller's point of view, they already made a sale to a local destination, unless the box, after all around domestic transportation, still 9c in condition. If that happened to me, I will just tell seller send to my beijing home and worry about it next time I go back.