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Tips on how to prevent scams on DHgate

Jeremy Lowe · 2010-10-26T22:52:01+00:00

I decided to make this topic because I think I have seen more complaints and more bellyaches about this website than any other site, and I think this can be a guide for newbies and other startups who want to use DHgate. DHgate is a Chinese wholesaler-sourcing website for wholesalers from China. And these Chinese suppliers are infamous for making quality and cheap products but in some cases, they are sheer knockoffs. The idea is to login on DHgate then find the products you want to sell and then contact the seller. The seller/distributor are normally very responsive and they will contact you under your 'My Messages' tab with a comprehensive info about the goods they are selling. Here are sample questions to ask the seller: 1. For Jewelry or any other applicable category, 'Does the set come with its original box, as well as warranty certificates included?' To be fair, most of the sellers are honest. They will say either say Yes or No. If you get the answer 'No it does not, but its still good' then unless the seller is joking, run away from them like the plague and block them from doing business with you! You can take note of the seller's name and warn other people about them. Usually when they say no, that means the item has very low quality and is a knockoff. If they say yes, it could still be a knock off but you won't likely be having any trouble with it because it is certified and 98% of the risk is immediately cut out. 2. 'Does it come with its original box and is it in stock?' Believe it or not, some sellers will rip someone off by simply sending them something in stock because the item they ordered is out of stock. So, be sure you get an accurate answer from them. If the answer is 'Yes and the box is included', you may proceed to order one copy. Do note to always ask how many they have in stock for your reference. If the answer is 'No we do no have any stock', run from them like the plague yet again and warn people about them! 3. Ask how old the item is. Fresh and up-to-date products makes a huge difference with anything I've found. If for any reason you still got a question, you can contact DHgate anytime as they are accessible anytime. If your prospect seller answers all three of the questions and you have an idea about your seller, the risk is lower so you can try a sample order. Order one copy and if anything happens, report it. If it is good then congrats, keep ordering and do not forget to recommend them to others. Also, check the seller's powerseller rating on the feedback to save time and energy. If it is 20 or above that will give you a good indicator. Even if they have a high 100 feedback rating, if their powerseller rating is low or non-existent (the number below that) then you are not advised to deal with them. Check them out, always ask before you order, and always be thorough! Hope these tips on how to prevent scams on DHgate has been helpful. Insider Tip: Remember sellers in DHgate always answer questions so don't trust anyone who does not respond promptly or never respond at all. I learned the hard way. :)

gomezed

hehe. I have found nintendo wii for 508 +280 postal cost, and the 508 was /lot 1 lot = 5 pieces. When i ordered it, the guy sent me an email with saying that he screwed up because 508 /pieces not /lot . I think this whole system is mixed up. I mean maybe this kind of sites make money with buying on ebay and selling for noobs in there. Actually dont dont see the point why would i buy nintendo wii for 788 $. Especially I dont understand what is the good price in this deal when i watch that fact that i would had to bought 5 pieces...

Oh my god. Unfortunately i havnt found any good wholesaler and dropshiper at this salehoo but im still looking. ( i just started it 4 days ago). But i expected those things what i could see before i bought the membership. Like the difference between the wholesaler prices and ebay. Seems like it is exactly the oposite...:(

digicore

This has been probably one of the most informative threads I've seen on here. Im really glad you guys posted those bad transactions but I was wondering if next time you could include the business names. Im sure everyone would appreciate the ability to make a written note of these business and their tactics. I personally have been looking into investing into some products on this site, but after hearing these cases im very leery.

agasssilovesme

Yah, but what about when you submit to dhgate mangement,. They ignore andmake excuss, I have lost ofver $700 with them

I even couldn't get a refund tht I paid for and the sller said it was not in stock. How bad is that. Salehoo should be ashamed they advetise this site on here

dylannizzyseshop

Yah, but what about when you submit to dhgate mangement,. They ignore andmake excuss, I have lost ofver $700 with them
I even couldn't get a refund tht I paid for and the sller said it was not in stock. How bad is that. Salehoo should be ashamed they advetise this site on here

I completely agree, I have read nothing but bad reviews about this site and I have only been a member for a short time. I don't understand why SaleHoo still has them on here. I think we should take a vote to remove them.

I say 'yes'

jawj

Cheers mate really helped. Thanks

jimmy_huber

I think the only reason salehoo chooses to keep Link hidden: Login to view on the site is because it is still a good site to buy products from. Its similar to Ebay. You have crooked ebay sellers yet its still advertised by millions.

You just have to be more cautious when dealing with Chinese suppliers. As there is a higher potential to get scammed because there are more scammers in china.

bayericlowe

What does the Nintendo Wii say on the top or on the front?

You need to check with the supplier, and get him to specifically show you a photograph of the official Nintendo seal.

Nintendo Wiis are high end items. If Nintendo sees you selling those at your store and they bear likeness to Nintendo but are fakes, Nintendo will ATTACK YOU using the VERO program!

This is how it works so be very cautious. If it does have the official Nintendo seal put it up and do it already, Nintendo won't care if it has the Nintendo seal of quality.

jasimao-sales

i once saw this advertisemnt for givenchy cologne on dhgate, and it said '100% authentic, made in france' , yet he was a supplier in china!! hmmm , do they think were complete idiots or something??

also, i've ordered a wilson tennis racket from dhgate and although it looks quite authentic, its pretty clear its fake when you look at the small details. good job i only ordered one.

zcrazi

I wasted two and half a day looking for products I was interested to buy for resale and I found out they were all fakes. Is everything being sold on DHgate fake? They should be called DHfake.com. I was so pissed I screamed. Complete waste of time. Don't be a idiot like me.

mefromfl

How does their escrow system work? if you are not satisfied with the order and do a claim with them, do you get your money back?

Or if u use credit card, couldn't u just do chargeback on somethings that are fake?

Is it easy to get chargebacks from credit cards?

jimmy_huber

Not everything on Dhgate is a fake. If your looking for high end designer merchandise then most likely it is fake. But there are many other products that are manufactured in china that are not fakes and you dont have to worry about

terrorcat1970

I have not found one single supplier on DHGate that isn't peddling fake ipods. And so far I haven't heard much good about DHGate. It worries me. I haven't done any business with them yet. Unfortunatley I have sold a handful of ipod nano and itouch, now with no supplier to get them from. Don't know what to do. Any help or suggestions is appreciated! By the way, great post!

fudjj

In general, the main thing to remember when dealing with companies from China, whether through DHgate or not, if the product carries a designer brand name, then it is outright fake. Some will confess that their stock is not genuine while others will swear black and blue that they are genuine, but forget it, they will be fake!

Just because companies have products made in China because of the inexpensive production cost, does not equate into the products being sold there cheap. It just does not happen that way but they have such a thriving replica trade going on because everyone keeps lining up like dumb butted lambs all looking to be taken for a ride.

You can further read about our guides found in the Link hidden: Login to view dealing with Chinese suppliers Link hidden: Login to view.

You want to buy imitation no name products then China is a top location but branded goods? Forget it!

tom14cat14

I made the mistake of buying alot of ipods from some sellers. I kept asking them if they are fake or real and had a few say they were real but i have my doubts. My first order was 25 but then i smartened up and only bought one from a few of the sellers that said they were real. That was this past weekend so they should be on the way. I have been staying up till 5 am everyday becuase i wanted to talk to them durning there work week. I hope i do not get burnt but i think i am going to.

tom14cat14

Update on items. I did get smart about asking them questions but it is too late. I invested alot of money and so far the products are fake. I am now going to have to file for BK if i do not win the dispute. I tried it becuase i am desprate to make money becuase of stupid student loans and now i think i sunk myself. By the way they do lie about stuff even when you ask them. Looks like i might have to cancel this membership too. i wish i would have been able to stay longer.

futureboy

hi everybody, I'm buy from one seller gold ring for my wife there, and before I buy it I ask seller is ring 100% original gold ring and he told me YES and I'm few time again ask him and he told me YES and when is ring come to me I saw it is FAKE.(plated gold ring) and I send him dispute for this ring. And i hope I will take my money for this FAKE. But I want to say I buy lot item on Dhgate but only Chines product and what is NOT branded name, Because you can't buy Samsung Omnia or Apple iphone from them for 300$ it is high copy. they selling 90% copy and fake of Branded product. I hope that will help someone.

And I'm sorry for my English,

Regards

bayericlowe

Yes, most of the name brand products are fake high end replicas.

But there are some which are real, they are just extremely tough to come by and that is how it goes.

However there is a lot of NON branded items of excellent quality, so if you are looking for NON branded items shop at DHGate. Sometimes very good SILVER NECKLACES, SILVER BRACELETS and so on that is not branded or labeled. I've found some good stuff there that has no label, and never had any problem, it's just I would very rarely buy from them branded products.

Especially because I know of safer, less expensive alternatives that have the branded products at this point anyway.

yu-long-trading-ltd

I guess I should have posted my comment here.

Here's my two cents.

Having lived and studied in Beijing for a short time, I discovered one fundamental truth about mainland Chinese.. . .

They do NOT know how to do business! By any standard.

I encountered far too many fly-by-nighters just looking to make a quick buck.... No real interest in establishing a long term, mutually profitable business relationship.

So in the last few months that I've returned home, I have scoured Dhgate (among other sources) looking for something I can use.

Everything from iPod accessories,and PC projectors to bath & beauty products and scented candles.(Boot-leg DVD's are a NO GO)

And in every single instance I discovered that I could buy the exact same thing cheaper on eBay.

On several occasions I would send the Dhgate seller the eBay link to the exact same thing they are selling, and ask them to beat that advertised price.

The kind of responses I was getting were nearly always the kind of responses I used to hear from the multitude of con-artists selling at the Silk Market in Beijing, 'mine is real,' 'mine is better,' 'I have best deal.'

Childish at best.

One seller, who was selling an obvious bootleg DVD, kept insisting that his product was real; even after I showed him photos of what the real version looks like.

'Is same, is same... please to look,' he kept saying. And I pointed out to him that there is no such thing as a regionless DVD that is both NTSC & PAL; unless it is a bootleg.

At that point they play dumb, and suddenly forget how to speak english...

So I start talking to them in Mandarin..at which point they are surprised and caught off guard that a white guy can speak their language, and so change the subject.

So predictable.

And I hate it when they have the balls to tell you 'shipping in China, very expensive.'

Buddy!...you're in Beijing not the Himalayas ...I know the shipping cost you frikk'n chooch!

And they think we're not aware of the conversion rate.

It does not cost $38.00 USD to ship a 10' x 8' x 4' box that weighs less than a pound to any where in North Americafrom China.

That's 260 RMB....I bought TWO (very good quality) winter coats for that much......You have any idea how much grocery you can buy in Beijing with 260 RMB?...enough to feed a family of 6.

(Just don't shop at any of the tourist traps; like Wang Fu Jing and Da Wang Lu)

Unbelievable!

So has anyone here dealt with a DHgate vendor that DOESN'T take you for a complete fool?

Honestly, any mention of DHgate as a potential source should be removed from this site.

I would actually go as far as flooding the internet with warnings to stay away from DHgate....

And, if I only had connections in the Chinese communist party, I would pass word along that DHGate is, in its activities, working to undermine and compromise international trade with China.

I wonder whatever happened to the last people who found themselves under the microscope of the Chinese Communist Party...nobody knows.

Muah-hah-hah-ha!

yu-long-trading-ltd

One certainly plays the odds, albeit considerably not in ones favour, when dealing with Chinese.

Not that I'm trying to put down the Chinese....I did live there after all, and totally loved the culture and life in China. However, when you compare the population figures the outcome is clear.

China has a population of about 1.6 BILLION...if we make an optimistic estimate by saying that only 1% of that population are assholes (which per capita would be the worlds lowest, to be fair), there would still remain 1.6 MILLION assholes....That's a lot of assholes.

And like most assholes, they tend to convene in a single area...and it's called DHgate. When you're dealing with assholes, expect nothing but $hit.

For the rest of them, Chinese do not like to deal with strangers.

(Remember that if you ever visit China and are approached in the street by pretty young girls asking you to go with them to a tea house.....it's called the 'Chinese Tea Trick')

A personal relationship needs to be established before a business one. Call it a cultural eccentricity. That's just the way it works there.

I found this to be true on a smaller scale when buying clothing there. I found that my prices would go down after a while of frequenting the same dealer. Friendly chit chat and face to face interaction certainly goes much farther than the impersonal email.

So I can pretty much guarantee you would be paying double what you would normally pay than if you were to physically go to China and buy your product directly from a dealer.

I suspect the so-called dealers (majority of them anyway) on Dhgate are just chumps off the street. But they have one advantage....they live in China where products and labour are cheap....For there part, all they have to do is walk down to the nearest market, pick up your stuff for dirt cheap and mail it off to you. They don't require a merchant tax id, or license to do this.

Why would they? they don't pay taxes.

Once they get your money, they reap the benefits of their extremely favorable exchange rate.

To them we are a dream come true.

viper21

hi im new are the products of dhgate conterfit thanks

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