How to Order With a Sourcing Agent (Step-by-Step)

Taobao and Weidian don't accept foreign cards. Most sellers don't ship abroad either. A sourcing agent solves both. It's a company in China that buys the item for you, receives it at its warehouse, takes quality check (QC) photos and ships it to you. You pay for the item first. Shipping comes later, once your parcel is weighed.

Pick one agent to start. CSSBUY offers a great dashboard and dependable QC checks. AllChinaBuy provides competitive pricing and responsive support. Superbuy is one of the most established agents with excellent service and multiple shipping routes.

The full flow:

1. Sign up with your chosen agent.
2. Find your item. Yupoo catalogues are only photo previews, so you must message the Chinese supplier directly on WeChat or WhatsApp and ask them for the specific Taobao or Weidian link.
3. Paste the link into your agent's search bar. Pick size and colour. Check the size chart, as Chinese sizes often run small. Pay by card or PayPal. Prices show in yuan and your agent converts them.
4. Wait 3 to 7 days for it to reach the warehouse. If it's out of stock, you're refunded to your balance. Then order another link.
5. Check your QC photos. Approve the item or return it.
6. Put everything in one parcel. Choose a shipping line (the delivery route). Your agent shows price and time for each. Add shipping insurance, then pay.
7. Track it on your agent's site or 17track.net.

Pandabuy shut down in 2024. Most buyers moved to CSSBUY, AllChinaBuy or Superbuy. They all work the same way. Old Pandabuy links no longer work, so paste the original Taobao or Weidian link instead.

Can you make your own Taobao account? Yes, in the Taobao app with your phone number. It's handy for browsing and image search. But accounts from outside China are often restricted or locked, and Taobao doesn't ship abroad anyway. With an agent, you don't need one.