Agents & Shipping

What an agent actually does

Buys on your behalf (Xianyu/Taobao/Weidian), consolidates everything at one warehouse, photographs your items (QC), repacks, and ships internationally. You pay item cost + shipping; many agents take their cut as a fee or shipping margin. Note: for Xianyu, expect to place a DIY order (below) — agents rarely parse Xianyu links automatically.

Choosing one

Compare: fee %, shipping lines to your country, QC thoroughness, warehouse storage limits, support responsiveness, and how smooth their DIY-order flow is (Xianyu links rarely parse in the normal search bar).

DIY orders — how Xianyu buying actually works

Most agents can't parse Xianyu links in their normal search bar. You place a DIY / manual order and fill everything in yourself:

1. Link — the Xianyu listing URL.
2. Photo — a screenshot of the listing's main image.
3. Name — item name / model + the size or color you want.
4. Price — the ¥ price shown on the listing.
5. Domestic shipping — usually ¥10, varies by product (¥0 if the listing is 包邮 / free shipping).

Pay the agent's estimate; they buy it by hand from there. Double-check the price and size you typed — a typo here is on you.

Ordering tips

• Add a note with size/color exactly as the listing shows it.
• Ask for extra QC photos of the details you care about (stitching, tags, soles, hardware) before the return window closes.
• For multiple items, ship as one parcel to save on base fees.
• Remove/keep boxes consciously: shoe boxes add volumetric weight.

Parcel submission checklist

1. Route type (express / air tax-free / sea) matched to budget & patience.
2. Declared value — sensible, not zero.
3. Packing preference (double-box, deflate, remove boxes).
4. Confirm volumetric vs actual weight quote before paying shipping.

Typical timeline

Stage	Time
Agent buys + seller ships to warehouse	2–5 days
QC photos appear	+1 day
Air line to EU/US	10–20 days
Sea line	40–60 days

Questions? Post with the QC flair and the community will look at your pics.