DHgate is a major online platform that connects businesses to businesses—wholesalers and Chinese suppliers.
It also includes a dropshipping platform MyyShop for full-sale distribution of goods.
DHgate hosts a large variety of suppliers to suit your every interest.
However, many question whether DHgate is a safe and legitimate business.
We are here to answer that question for you!
Is DHgate Legit?
Is DHgate real or fake? DHgate is most certainly a legitimate and real platform that hosts real suppliers selling real products.
While the website itself is reliable and working, there may be some questionable sellers (you can read about that further on).
Products are not sold and shipped from DHgate itself, but rather from individual sellers.
DHgate ranks 21st among all marketing websites and have a consumer rating of 3.54 stars from 6,650 reviews.
Consumers satisfied with DHgate usually mention good quality, fast delivery, and low prices.
Is DHgate Safe for Card Payments?
The short answer is yes: DHgate is safe for both credit and debit card payments.
Here’s why.
Transactions are usually handled via the DHgate platform itself, instead of allowing for direct buyer-seller transactions.
This adds a layer of security for the money you pay.
According to DHgate’s buyer protection policy, funds are held in escrow until the buyer has confirmed delivery.
The policy also ensures that the payment is only released to the supplier after the buyer has confirmed the arrival and condition of your goods.
This way, your card information is held securely, and your funds are protected from scammers.
The supplier has no access to your information or your money until you confirm the delivery.
You should never disclose your credit or debit card details to a seller.
Do not carry out transactions directly with a seller, because then you are not protected from scam.
DHgate was the first merchant in China to offer MasterPass, a service offered by MasterCard.
Besides major credit cards, the platform accepts Skrill, Western Union, and many other methods of payment — all of which are safe.
Overall, it seems that DHgate is safe from monetary fraud, and employs good buyer protection services.
You can trust the platform; DHgate will not steal your money.
Does DHgate Provide Refunds?
DHgate has a Returns & Refund Guarantee.
According to it, if you are not satisfied with the quality of your goods, or if the products are significantly different from what was described, you are eligible for a refund.
A dispute may be started and you will receive your money back.
As soon as you receive your DHGate order, you must inspect it for quality immediately.
You can hire an agency to do that for you in China before shipment, or you can do it yourself with small orders.
If you happen to be disappointed with the quality, then you must contact DHgate within 90 days to get a refund.
Here is why you may want a refund for your products:
- Item not delivered
- Item does not function
- Item is missing some parts
- Item is counterfeit
- Item does not match the description.
Is It Safe to Buy From DHgate?
As mentioned above, buying from DHgate is completely safe.
- DHgate employs an escrow service
- Sellers are not paid until you accept the goods
- DHgate will help you resolve disputes regarding product quality
- DHgate tracks your shipment to ensure delivery
The low cost of buying on DHgate itself is not indicative of a scam.
Here are the reasons why DHgate is so cost-effective:
- Buying directly from the manufacturer
- Low taxes in China
- Buying in bulk
- Low production cost in China
However, there are some issues that make people doubt DHgate.
Below, we will discuss these issues to help you avoid them.
Specifically, we will mention counterfeit production, product quality, and scammers.
Does DHgate Sell Fake Products?
Unfortunately, just like many other e-commerce sites, DHgate has sellers that engage in counterfeit marketing.
A recent report released by the United States Trade Representative cited a large presence of fake products, as well as the availability of some consumer products unsafe for reselling.
DHgate has been improving its image recognition and seller vetting systems, increasing the number of inspectors who manually review listings for suspected counterfeits, and preventing the second registration of banned sellers.
However, the problem of fake products is still relevant.
Most commonly, DHgate suppliers sell fake branded shoes and handbags, so be wary of these products.
Additionally, an Australia-based merchant monitoring and online safety company Austreme has also partnered with DHgate to ensure the safety of DHgate goods.
However, you should also keep in mind that reselling fake branded products is illegal, especially in the US.
Thus, be careful when buying from DHgate.
Does DHgate Sell Low-Quality Products?
On DHgate, listing photos may not be representative of the final product.
This is because some sellers take images from other sources. Such copied images are indicative of counterfeit items and scamming vendors.
Often, items purchased through DHgate could be safe and legit but may have serious quality issues.
There are also categories of items, where flawed quality results in substantial consequences.
If you consider poor quality to be a scam, then you can be scammed on DHgate by certain sellers.
It is advised that you buy in small quantities first—maybe 1 item, since DHgate has no MOQ.
You can then thoroughly examine and test products before placing your bulk orders.
DHgate itself may be safe, but the sellers and their quality may not be.
The quality standards of the sellers on DHGate may not match the standards of your home country.
In fact, you may get caught up reselling dangerous or even illegal products.
Your products can be seized in customs and you may face criminal prosecution!
To avoid such quality issues, be especially careful with the following types and categories of goods branded counterfeit, electronics, personal care items, beauty products, and products that enhance the safety of the end customer (e.g. eye goggles).
Can I Get Scammed by DHgate?
As mentioned, DHgate is just a platform for connecting B2B, so the website does not scam the buyers.
However, individual sellers may deliver poor quality products.
DHgate itself is a legit marketplace, but some sellers on it are not legitimate.
Therefore, you need to research the supplier before making a purchase.
Scammers are everywhere but DHgate can immediately blacklist and ban scam seller accounts.
How to Tell If a DHgate Seller Is Legit?
To avoid getting scammed by sellers on DHgate, follow the steps below.
They will help make your experience on DHgate as safe as possible.
To ensure a safe DHgate purchase:
- Check supplier background
- Order in small quantities
- Inspect large orders by hiring a Chinese inspection agency
- Examine your delivery at once
Checking the supplier background is the first and very important step.
If you buy from well-established sellers with the top ratings, you will have a greater chance of receiving quality goods.
Such sellers:
- Have been selling for at least 2-3 years
- Have a 95+% positive feedback
- Have ‘Top Merchant’ or ‘Premium Merchant’ badges
- Have a ‘Return Promise’ set up
- Have a listed product quality of ‘above average’
- Have a listed customer service of ‘above average’
- Have a niche of products they specialize in
- Don’t sell a random catalogue of stuff
A note about the ‘Top Merchant’ and the ‘Premium Merchant’ badges—an excellent seller may not always have these, but it is a guarantee of great service and high-quality products.
As for the ‘Return Promise,’ if a seller does not have it, you will not be able to request a refund, so purchasing from such sellers is risky.
Additionally, you can try looking for a seller that has a local warehouse in your country.
While most products on DHgate are shipped out of China, some of the best sellers have warehouses in other countries like the United States.
If you find a suitable seller like that, then your shipping costs will be lower and you can be sure that the seller has a high demand and reliability.
Another piece of advice: look at the general formatting of the seller store page.
If it is personalized, then it is likely to be a responsible seller.
However, some sellers leave the page in its stock format, and that may be indicative of an inexperienced or irresponsible seller.
How Do DHgate Sellers Scam Buyers?
Overall, DHgate sellers can scam businesses in the following ways:
- Untimely responses or ignoring
- Customer service not mediating a dispute
- The delivery time is too long
- Charging shipping fees on products with free shipping
- Raising the price when buyers place an order.
While these things are not directly scams, they can feel like one.
DHgate usually bans sellers that engage in such things.
However, this is something to keep in mind when ordering from not-so-reliable sellers on DHgate.
Is DHgate’s Shipping Safe?
DHgate’s shipping is generally safe and reliable, with delivery times ranging from 3 to 15 days.
In reality, sometimes shipping may take a very long time.
Conclusion
DHgate is an e-commerce website that focuses on connecting suppliers of daily consumer goods with small and medium-sized businesses.
Can you find a reliable seller on DHgate?
Yes, you can.
However, building a brand and establishing a stable supply chain via DHgate may be tough.
DHgate is legit and safe to order in bulk from.
It is also safe for credit cards and debit cards.
Its buyer protection system is highly reliable.
However, you need to research specific sellers to make sure that they deliver quality products.
We have also compiled a similar guide about AliExpress, so feel free to check it out!
