14 Comments

  1. Desmond

    Hi Yen Kai,

    I am new to Taobao and after reading some of the procedure, and get to know 86OF. Can I check with you something about Taobao and 86OF.

    As of now, below are the items I would like to purchase from taobao:

    1) clip for diving camera
    https://world.taobao.com/item/544489216557.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.4.woUWiu

    2) clip for diving camera
    https://world.taobao.com/item/544543351546.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.13.woUWiu

    3) diving camera
    https://world.taobao.com/item/543156128816.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.22.woUWiu

    4) camera tripod
    https://world.taobao.com/item/36656107916.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.67.woUWiu

    5) bike raincoat
    https://world.taobao.com/item/523271594639.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.33.woUWiu

    6) bike raincoat
    https://world.taobao.com/item/538738000122.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.44.woUWiu

    7) motorbike camera
    https://world.taobao.com/item/531136996698.htm?spm=a312a.7700825.1997196601.85.woUWiu

    After I clicked 结算(settle accounts), it shows this message
    (您的订单中包含暂时不能购买的商品,详细原因请查看页面下方说明) for items 1 – 4 and the reason is (该宝贝不支持国际转运服务,如果您需要购买,请取消国际转运).

    Here comes my questions:
    1a) I read somewhere that (淘宝直送) Taobao Global Direct Shipping do not consolidate items.

    So for my case, does it means item 5 – 7 will be shipped out individually and won’t do any consolidation once the item arrive in the China warehouse ?

    1b) For items 5 – 7, I am allow to use (淘宝直送) Taobao Global Direct Shipping, so does it means that what they charged me will be the final cost I need to pay with no more hidden additional price ?
    ¥1092 (3 items) + 0 (local tranport charges) + ¥61 (overseas tranport charges) ?

    2a) If I choose (淘宝集运) Global Consolidate and Shipping,
    it will try and wait (20 days) for item 5 – 7 to reach the warehouse and sent to Singapore right ?

    2b) Will the cost always be cheaper if I use (淘宝集运) Global Consolidate and Shipping ?

    2c) Do I need to write to the forwarder company what I have ordered ?
    And do I need to write down the exact items I be receiving such as free gifts so that they won’t “remove” it and claim as theirs when they do repacking?

    3a) If I am to use 86OF, how should I do it ?

    i) Do I have to go to taobao setting > 收货地址 > then input the address given to me in 86OF 收货地址 ? They have 3 addresses:
    主仓库(淘宝购物、家具、企业货物),
    深圳仓库(辅助仓库,发货前要先联络客服) and
    义乌仓库(辅助仓库,发货前要先联络客服)
    which I should I input ?

    ii) Do I need to input 收货人姓名 and telephone number at the taobao page ?
    If yes, do I input the 收件人 name and the Chine telephone number given to me in 86OF ?

    iii) if the above is wrong, then where do I input the 86OF 收货地址 ?

    iv) Once the goods reached 86OF China warehouse, how will they know which pickup point in Singapore do they send ?
    Is it that if I signed up from amk link, the China warehouse address given to me is the indicator that the goods are to proceed to amk pickup point ?

    3b) From your blog, you are a regular of 86OF, so does that means the cost are actually cheaper than I use
    (淘宝直送) or (淘宝集运) no matter what size and weight of goods I am sending from China to Singapore ?

    4a) Does this also means that my motorbike camera is not label as sensitive item, where it can be deliever to my home in Singapore ?

    4b) If the motorbike camera is still a sensitive item and may get rejected even though (淘宝直送) Taobao Global Direct Shipping allow, does it means it’s best for me to split if I am using taobao shipping ?

    4c) From 86OF website it mentioned that if it’s for personal use, they won’t charge have extra charges,
    so in the first place how should I let them know I have an electronic item and will they decide whether to charge me more depending on the in-charge ?

    4d) Do I need to write down the exact items I be receiving such as free gifts so that they won’t “remove” it and claim as theirs when they do repacking?

    5a) Is it possible to ship and transport all 7 items with just one shipment without having to pay extra charges due to the 2 sensitive items (item 3 & 7)?

    b) If I have to split, does it means I will have to pay more since it is going to be in 2 or 3 groups ? Group 1 = item 1,2,4,5,6 Group 2 = item 3 and Group 3 = item 7 ?

    5b) Will there be a chance where my goods will be refuse and rejected by any of the custom due to the electronic stuffs ?

    6) Will you advise me to pay for the extra charges for the insurances provided by the sellers so that if there’s anything goes wrong, I do not need to pay for any more charges when come to refund ?

    7) Last but not the least any more pointers for me to take note before I start using taobao and 86OF ?

    My bad for crafting out such a lengthy post. REally do hope you can help me clear my doubt to make the transcation
    as smooth as possible.

    • yenkai

      Hi Desmond. This is like answering an exam paper!

      1a. I think anything can happen, maybe no consolidation, or consolidate in China warehouse, or consolidated by the local (Singapore) carrier. It is not specifically mentioned what they will do.

      1b. Yes

      2a. You will have to monitor the delivery to China warehouse. Once they all reach warehouse, you need to initiate the delivery to Singapore (pay the shipping fee).

      2b. Most likely, unless they under estimate the size of packaging when calculating shipping fee for Global Direct.

      2c. No, and except for DPEX which did repackaging (maybe they don’t anymore), they leave the original parcel untouched, so no worry about losing anything.

      3ai. 主仓库
      3aii. Yes, yes
      3aiiv. Yes, if you signed up under amk the address is as stated for amk

      3b 86OF is good for bigger sized items like rice cooker size and above, because these will be very expensive if shipped any other way. If you have a few big items and a few small, then 86OF is suitable. If all items are small, then I use ezbuy because I prefer to self collect rather than home delivery. The price difference between ezbuy and Taobao consolidate is probably small.

      4a not sure why it wasn’t labeled sensitive but yes, if they didn’t label sensitive it should be delivered

      4b if it will be rejected it doesn’t affect the other items. Anyway, there is one sure way of shipping sensitive items and that is through ezbuy sensitive shipping, a lot more expensive though.

      4c they probably won’t bother and if there’s any issue they will contact you

      4d just indicate the main item. They will not open up the parcel to remove anything

      5a I think it is quite possible. Just keep in mind that you have to pay GST on top of the shipping.

      5b no need to split

      5c don’t think any of your item will be rejected. So far what I know cannot be imported are meat, microwave oven

      6 I’ve never used any of the insurance and never had problem. I think insurance makes sense only if your item is super expensive like above $500

      7 choose the seller wisely. There may be a lot of sellers for the same item, choose the one with the highest sales volume. Read the customer reviews.

  2. Desmond

    Yen Kai,

    Thanks for going thru the long list of questions I posted and clear my doubts.

    Hmmm I heard lots of neg feedback for ezbuy, so won’t be using their service. Think I will go and give 86OF a try to see how big is the gap for the cost comparing it with taobao direct shipping. Plus with electronic items, I dare not try to use taobao shipping for now.

    Just got a few questions after the first round.

    1) Will (淘宝直送) or (淘宝集运) actually reject the orders when the buyer have sensitive items in the list when they clicked 结算(settle accounts), and shows this message
    (您的订单中包含暂时不能购买的商品,详细原因请查看页面下方说明) and then explain it at the bottom ?

    The reason I asked is actually I am not such whether the items I got rejected when clicked 结算(settle accounts) is due to sensitive items or just that seller do not want buyer to use (淘宝直送) or (淘宝集运) service.

    2) You replied that: “if sensitive items got rejected it doesn’t affect the other items. Anyway, there is one sure way of shipping sensitive items and that is through ezbuy sensitive shipping, a lot more expensive though.”

    Hmmm doesn’t 86OF also handle sensitive items and plus 86OF is by sea and not by air ?

    3) And if 86OF have air and sea transport, what if they choose to deliver my items by air and then got rejected, even thought
    in my list, it’s already stated it’s electronic which contains built in battery, who will be at fault ? Me for not telling them to ship by sea, or 86OF who know there are sensitive items or maybe sensitive items and yet choose to ship by air ?

    Like to thank you in advance with my imagination questions that may not even happen. Just want to prepare for the worst. 😛

    • yenkai

      I guess there will be naysayers for every service provider. Someone left a comment of complaint against 86OF in one of my postings.

      To answer your question:

      1 I suspect it is due to the sensitive items. It is never the seller’s business. As far as the seller is concerned, the transaction is completed when the parcel is delivered to the warehouse handling the parcel forwarding, and they don’t care about the forwarding to overseas.

      2 Yes, you correctly pointed out that 86OF states on their website they will allow customers to ship sensitive items without additional cost (and I have done it before), but it is not explicitly stated what is the threshold they will deem necessary to intervene to specially handle as shipping of sensitive items. I think they are very lax anyway.

      86OF now also provides air freight shipping but I’ve not used it before.

      3 You are always the one making the choice whether to ship by air or sea, whichever parcel forwarder you use. The cost involved is very different and they have no reason to be so nice to you.

      You should specifically highlight the presence of battery when providing the description of your item to avoid any unnecessary arbitration.

      By right I think the sensitive items would be segregated and shipped in some sort of sealed compartment in the cargo plane or ship, but my feeling about 86OF is that they close one eye, for their sea freight at least.

      I suppose at worst you’ll be asked to pay a bit more for sensitive shipping (unfortunately there is no black and white on the rates), but most likely you will be able to just ship as per their normal shipping.

  3. Xiphias

    Hello, I just want to point out that “forecast” entry is optional, Just like Ezbuy. The important part is including your ID in the address and your taobao userID as 收件人。
    Submitting forecast will help reduce the time when your parcel has been received by warehouse to getting it “registered” to your account so you can ship to sg.

    • yenkai

      Hi Xiphias, thanks for pointing out. Indeed it is optional and the advantage of entering it is also small actually.

  4. YH

    Hi Yenkai,

    Can I check with you – I recently shipped a taobao order to taobao2sg’s given address.

    However, saw from your entry that taobao2sg ships to clementi region – but i live in punggol. Will that be a problem?

    Also, can I just check – for a ~5kg parcel, around how much will be the sea shipping and how long will it take to arrive?

    Thank you so much! Your posts are really helpful ( especially given that there are few reviews of taobao2sg around)

    • yenkai

      Hi YH, your parcel will be delivered Clementi. If you are going to self collect your parcels, I suppose that will be a problem in the long run, and you should probably sign up with the 86of branch that is nearest to you.

      When it comes to sea freight, size usually matters more than weight (the exception is very high density items such as tiles and bricks). The shipping fee goes by volumetric weight, which is calculated by the formula width X length X height measured in metre. You just pay a flat fee for every increment of 0.1. If my memory doesn’t fail me, it usually takes more than 2 weeks for the shipment to arrive.

  5. william

    Hi Yenkai, I just start to use the service. Got a question to ask.
    If I intend to order 5 items from taobao, do I individually key the 包裹预报 or I must key all 5 items in a single 包裹预报?

    • yenkai

      Hi William. As the name suggests, it is one forecast entry per parcel (so it should be 5 forecast entries for your case). Usually, the seller will ship all the items you bought in a single parcel, and this is reflected in the 查看物流. Sometimes, the seller might ship in more than one parcel. The seller should inform you when they do this and provide you with the additional parcels’ shipping number, and you should also submit separate forecast entries respectively.

  6. Ariel

    Hi yen kai,

    My items has arrived in the warehouse. How do I know how much to TOP up the account to pay for the shipping plus gst payment?

    • yenkai

      Hi Ariel, you just try to ship it as if you have sufficient funds in your account. You will be shown the shortfall that you need to top up for the shipping options you have selected (normal/sensitive and self-collect/delivery).

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