Thursday, October 2, 2014

Taobao shopping with forwarder 4px

As you may already know, I'm HOOKED onto taobao. Read more about my previous experience here, here, here and here using agent peeka. It was really easy shopping with Peeka and even though I know it wasn't the cheapest option available, However, it gave me a peace of mine knowing that my items were checked, repacked and shipped straight to me via Buy4u. It also helped when my items were really large in volume, making more sense for me to buy them via sea shipping.

However, after everything for the house was in place, some part of me gathered enough guts to buy direct from Taobao using 4px as the forwarder with my limited Mandarin ability. Mind you, I only scored c6 for O levels and my teacher even told me not to waste my time re-taking it the second time! XD 

Anyway, being a freight forwarder, 4px delivered my items really quickly after it left their warehouse. My first batch of items arrived well... but I deleted the photos I took! XD So here are the ones I took from the website. 

   
Lovely tops, each less than 10 bucks!



This was the dress that I wore for B's wedding! I LOVE it to bits! (: 

   
Top and dress!

A really lovely handbag that was on 90% discount during the 9/9 sale!

  
Thermal food containers! 

Our clock! Which we adore!

Skorts! (: 

Being so addictive, I ordered again! 
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However, as there were more stringent custom checks in the recent weeks couple with China's National Day, I'm patiently waiting for my 2 other parcels to arrive.. Here's what else I bought! 

Lots of stickers from the first batch that took a while to reach 4px so I left them for the next shipment.

A dress print that I love to much! 

Polka dotted shorts!

   
Decor tape and correction tape...

Handphone casing...

A super pretty dress!

   
2 pretty tees! 

A belt for hubby!

A belt for myself!

A container for rice...

   
Skirt and tee, all really really cheap!

Flats! 

   
Cute tees! All about only 5 bucks prior to shipping! 

Shorts! 

   
Shorts for home wear and leggings for work! 

Watermelon tee! 

A super pretty dress!

A tribal print skirt..

   

Very pretty pens.. only 3+ per pack before shipping! 

Loads of masking tape! 

  
Pretty dresses!

I even tried ordering cookbooks.. though they don't have many... but some publications that can be found in Singapore are very much cheaper! 

   
Tongs and rolling pin with levellers! 

Rose baking tin..

   
Stickers and box for masking tapes...

   
Tape dispenser and more tape! The tape are like really cheap as compared to what is sold in Singapore.

   
Stickers and stamp.

More stickers! So cute right!!!!!!!! 

A holder for baking cookies...

Belts...
And also, many many boxes for storage gifts and cakes! 
   

   

   


I've been using some of the boxes I got in the first batch and I really love them! (: 

I also got stick on bra, bras and a couple other knick knacks. I'm eagerly waiting for my 2 parcels to arrive soon in SG.... My hands are already itching to buy more stuff! In fact, my next cart is all prepared and I'm almost ready to pay for them! XD 

Taobao has indeed been amazing for me... Being Children's Day today, I was delighted to have packed the goodies I got for my kids and give it to them today. Most of them were appreciative and their smiles made all the hard work day in and day out in school kinda worth while. 

We even had a class party where the P3 teachers collectively got pizzas and threw a level party! The kids had so much fun! We also performed our version of twisted fairy tale CINDERBOLA and the kids were so amused! (: 

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That aside, There are pros and cons using 4px as opposed to using an agent.. but I'm getting pretty hooked to 4px. 4px is cheaper... even though a decent 1kg would cost sgd$6... But if your items aren't too heavy, 4px is a good idea! The only issue that a fair bit of work is required to coordinate with the sellers if necessary and consolidate the orders. Payment can be done via enets with a surcharge of sgd$1 per transaction..

Even so, buying from taobao and enjoying a good price on shipping would require you to buy a fair weight of items... If you're just getting a couple of light items, shipping would cost you a fair bit, making it less worthwhile to pay for costlier shipping. 

Okay, taobao is way too addictive. I love taobao! XD (and also Amazon!)

149 comments:

  1. Can i ask a noob question? Enets payment is available on both taobao china and taobao sea? Or only on taobao sea?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you log in or visit the site from Singapore, you'll be brought to the SEA site (:

      Delete
    2. Hi Cynthia

      Prouter, another official forwarder based also in Shenzhen is cheaper than 4PX. 4PX increased its first kg rates this June so I switched over to Prouter. Another advantage to Prouter is it flies directly out of Shenzhen without going thru HK that 4PX is doing and causing the backlog. You might want to consider Prouter given the 4PX troublesome HK route and its higher pricing.

      Delete
    3. Yeah I'm contemplating switching my next order to try Prouter.. But I can't bring myself to check out yet another cart! XD

      Delete
  2. Hi Cynthia, may I know what is the process from ordering from taobao to shipping it to Singapore and how much are the shipping charges? May I also know which seller you got the dresses and baking ware from? Thank you! (:

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,

      You can order directly from taobao and use any of the tb appointed forwarders to bring your items to sg... If it's about 11kg pack, each kg is about sgd$6... of course, the more the mass, the cheaper it gets...

      Please refer to the tb album in the recent blog post for the links to the items (:

      Delete
  3. Hi Cynthia,

    I just made my 1st order directly from taobao, using 4PX as forwarder.
    Just to check, after I made shipping cost payment, I do not need to do anything from here right? I paid shipping cost on 2 Oct, and my order has yet to ship out. Getting a bit worried if I did anything wrong.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope you don't.. they've been experiencing very stringent customs check in Shenzhen so we'll just have to wait patiently. I have 2 packages waiting too!

      Delete
    2. Thanks for your assurance! I can't wait to see my 1st order. "Inspired" by you and I just gotta give it a try to order LOL

      Delete
  4. Hi, how long have you been waiting for your two recent orders? Mine with 4px was out of their warehouse on 29th Sept, it has since been 2 weeks, 4px feedback that the parcel is still stuck at customer waiting for clearance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. there's been delay at the customs..

      i just got my 10 oct (left customs) parcel...
      the one that left on the 29th of sept just reached SG this morning

      Delete
    2. How to check with d forwarder ? My order is on nov 18 till now lei

      Delete
  5. Hi cynthia, i think 4px charges about 8bucks plus per 1kg now?
    Would you try Leqguo or PRouter for your next shipment? I liked 4Px services but the delay is too long.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 8 bucks would probably be cos your package is small.. with an avg of 8kg, i pay only 5+ going to 6.. the heavier the cheaper the rates..

      Delete
  6. Hi,

    Prouter is using which singapore local delivery service? As i understand 4px is either using speedpost (if less than 5kg) or tollexpress (if more than 5kg).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, 4px uses toll for packages between 5kg to 15kg.. another below and beyond that is managed by Singpost I think

      Delete
  7. I am using PRouter (sg.hoyoyo.com) now and they charge like RMB34 (first kg) and RMB10 (for subsequent kgs). Better rate than their Taobao integrated rates which are like RMB35 and RMB12. I used PRouter recently and they took 6-7 days to reach SG, while another 4PX order took like 10-11 days. And worse thing is if your package is less than 2 kg, they use Speedpost and I got a SMS saying that they were delivering. Ended up waiting 1 whole day and no one turned up. The guy came the next morning without warning. 4PX is getting from bad to worse. Used to use them quite regularly. I complained about them and the 4PX customer service gal actually tried to be nice to me while giving me all kinds of excuses. She even kept saying that if you find me helpful please change your rating to 5 stars. I was so mad that I gave 4PX 3 stars only and stated that the service is bad, you cannot expect me to change it after that. The gal even pestered me on Aliwangwang and I ignored her request to change my feedback. They did not state that below 2 kg is Speedpost and above that is Toll. I had to go to forums and see for myself other's feedback before I know which company to call. When I asked 4PX their staff kept saying that all the information is stated on their website. Nope. Not stated anywhere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prouter is pretty shitty too actually. Have you heard or seen what happens in their local counterpart? Not something I'd wanna put my goods at risk for (:

      Delete
    2. No we haven't. Why don't you entertain us? Since you're the first result on google when looking for prouter review

      Delete
    3. Entertain you? With prouter's bad review? Prouter's Singapore counterpart's warehouse was in a mess lately. Parcel missing, parcels left in the rain. Don't think you want that do you?

      Delete
    4. Going to use Ace next time. They use volumetric weight calculations - WxLxH divide by 6000. Over 10 kg I think only rmb 25/kg. Reviews said it takes 2-3 days to reach SG. All the official forwarders are not as good. Haha.

      Delete
    5. PRouter now uses xDel. xDel staff do answer emails and call.s Hoyoyo uses Dex-I. Dex-I is lousy. Don't answer calls and emails. They only deliver my staff immediately after I complained to Hoyoyo and gave very poor feedback to their customer service. Haha. Seems that after the news about Dragonlink PRouter switched to xDel. Going to use Ace soon. Searched on Taobao and found this company with great reviews. I am using Amcon to ship all my bulky stuff over.

      Delete
    6. Prouter is seriously bad. Dont bother trying. First and last time using them. 1 month later and i receive nothing

      Delete
    7. Hi all.. Prouter change SG agent again... NHANS SOLUTIONS PTE LTD http://nhans-solutions.com/NHANS-COURIER.php

      I risk it to use Prouter for my latest purchase with taobao, and i notice my parcel was send by air instead of sea as below for reference.
      It show that it will reach Nhans warehouse by 2.30pm but still, im keeping my finger crossed.

      物流动态
      2014-12-07 00:40:12卖家已发货
      2014-12-07 01:00:08已经打包完成,等待集中运送
      2014-12-08 17:30:2820141208 12:00 Intransit to Destination DEXI-SZX
      2014-12-08 17:30:2820141208 09:00 Shipment Picked Up DEXI-SZX
      2014-12-08 19:00:2420141210 14:30 Estimate Flight Arrival NHANS

      Delete
    8. Candy chua

      How to track the status of prouter

      Delete
    9. So did you receive your order on time without trouble?

      Delete
    10. I received them ultimately.. but it was very very late cos' of the delays

      Delete
  8. Hi Cynthia, I used Enets to pay for my items. However, it went through but my goods are not paid. The money went into a paypal account automatically and the user name is my hp number. I dont have the payment password and it seems like I just can't authenticate the account to activate it. Any advise?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry, unable to advise as I've not come across that situation myself

      Delete
    2. Hi jaren,

      is ur money still stuck in zhi fu bao?

      Delete
    3. Hi Candy, have you receive your goods? I haven't since 17 Dec and it reach NHANS on 22 Dec and status claim out for delivery but I haven't receive the good yet.

      Regards
      Joelle

      Delete
  9. Hi dear,

    how much did you pay roughly for those cake boxes? Am thinking of getting some cake boxes from Taobao but I don't quite understand the quantity selection etc.

    Btw nice buys you have there! :)

    -Mandy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mandy,

      There are many that I bought and all come with different prices.. Sorry but I'm unable to advise you on the price...

      Delete
  10. Hi Cynthia, all the dresses and t shirt you bought are lovely. Mind to share the link, please? :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi! Where did you get that cute cat dispenser on taobao?? And that cute panda holding an umbrella sticker (?) tape(?) ! They are so cute! And the rolling pin with leveller!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi! Where did you get the cute cat tape dispenser and the cute panda holding an umbrella tape/sticker?? Haha and the rolling pin with leveller ! They are really cute! Thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, as the title suggests, they're from taobao

      Delete
    2. Hi, you have the links or buyer's name for those skirts. shorts and dresses you bought? Also the cute stationary.
      Thanks very much!

      Delete
  13. Hahaha ooops sorry for being unclear, I was wondering if you have the links to the shops on taobao ���� sorry! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi cyn
    May I know if they base on volumetric weight or item weight for air shipment?

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Cynthia , any idea what does “交易关闭” mean? Coz I have paid for my items, received all except for 1 & this is the status.
    Was wondering did TB charge me before this item "close" or "closed" after I paid.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jenny,

      the transaction was closed.. Did you check your bill (when consolidating) if they billed you? Chances are they didn't bill you. Happened a couple of times to me before.
      Else, you can check your zhifubao if it's been refunded there..

      Delete
  16. Hi I was wondering if you know anything about the latest 12/12 offers? Do you need to add to the shopping cart before 12/12?

    I know you can open some treasure chests from others, but how do I find the link to give away some treasure chests?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The prices are already being revealed for most stuff (: I've added a few to cart and waiting for price to drop to check them out on 1212.

      Idk bout the treasure chests.. Not much luck with those that pop up.. but I have accumulated 53rmb worth of coupons

      Delete
  17. Hi Cynthia,

    When I tried to check out for some items, I was brought to an error page that says "很抱歉..." Is it a problem with the connection or I can't buy the item?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You may try checking your alipay to see if you can make payment.

      There are too many possibilities as to why that didn't go through.

      Delete
    2. Oh! I mean that when I tried to make an order. It then directs me to this page that says "非常抱歉,无法购买". But when I tried to pay by going to my taobao, the error page doesn't show, so I'm kinda hesitant to pay for the items. Haaaaa.

      Delete
  18. Hi there, I used 4px from taobao too and had made a payment for shipment, and after that there's this blue button called confirm receipt (确认收货) must I click on it? or do I receive the goods already then i click it? Cause its stat 4 days remaining and the stat on international cargo still stat warehousing. Kind of worried, and what if the confirm receipt blue button thingy went over the 4 days limit? what should i do... and yeah used google translate since my chinese is as bad as yours haha. xD

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope don't click till you get the goods. . I think you can extend it for a while but usually I just ignore. Will only acknowledge if I get items within 10 days.

      Delete
    2. Btw, acknowledging it releases payment from tb to the sellers

      Delete
    3. thanks for this post, Really help me alot

      Delete
  19. Oh and and one more thing, i forgot to add one item to be shipped together! Is there a way to merge it back or I would have to get another shipment? and how do would you know when the goods will be at your doorstep? will the delivery person in singapore inform you first like sms or something?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nope you can't merge it unless you manage to cancel it in time to combine it. You'd have to merge it with another shipment.

      The delivery of goods depend on which forwarder you use and their SG courier counterpart. For 4px, toll (local counterpart if packages are between 5-15 kg) will send an sms informing you of delivery on the day itself.

      Delete
    2. I see, thank you. your reply is really quick. haha

      Delete
  20. Hi Cynthia,

    Thanks for your post! Do you happen to know if I can ship nail polishes or perfumes with 4px?

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Cynthia!

    I love how helpful and friendly you are to enquiries about Taobao! I want to ask about the recent 1212 sale. I bought a few items and have paid for shipment by 4px. But when I check the status of the package (查看集运物流), it's still stuck at "卖家已发货" since Dec 15. Is it because of the 1212 sale that the shipment, or the update of the shipment, is being delayed?

    Regards,
    An appreciative reader. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There won't be any updates till the parcel reaches SG (:

      Delete
    2. Oh, thank you! This is actually my first time buying from Taobao, so I'm kind of paraniod about everything. Haha. What is the average time it takes for a package to reach SG from China's 4px warehouse?

      Delete
    3. It greatly depends on customs etc. Fastest I've had was 4 days and longest a month (due to custom delays)

      Delete
    4. Thanks for your response, Cynthia!

      I actually received an SMS notification today that it will be delivered by 6pm, but no delivery man was here to drop off the package. My package weighs less than 5kg. I think I was too optimistic about Singpost being so efficient as to make the delivery on a weekend. Sigh. :(

      Delete
  22. Hi Cynthia

    Hv you used amcon? how's their charges? any cheating in shipping fees? how's their services, do you need to ask if goods have arrived? used 65daigou before and discovered they are not that honest in calculating volumetric weight so have stopped using their service. tks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,

      No I've not used them and I'm unlikely to use them. Not too comfortable using a company that is not SG based so if anything goes wrong, there is no one to hold liable.

      65dg uses the higher of vol and weight. That maybe why you feel that the charges are "unfair"

      Delete
  23. Hihi do u knw how to chose the shipping from taobao by sea?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Peiqi,

      For direct purchase only air freight is available. You'd need to go through agents or indp forwarders for sea shipping

      Delete
  24. Hi,
    I would like to check with you. When I purchase clothes from taobao, it mentioned that if spend more than 600 yuan, it will be free postage. Seller will send my clothes to 4px for free. is it mean that 4px will charge me before they ship out to me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, 4px will being charging you for shipping fee to ship for you.

      Delete
    2. Yes you'd need to pay for shipping fees for 4px to send your items from China to SG

      Delete
  25. 4PX is getting worst. Bought item on 19 Jan.
    No further update from 4PX. Status : Seller has delivered.
    Any better int. forwarding company to recommend, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Likely custom delays and overwhelmed no of orders. The other 2 forwarders appointed by 4px has their own problems and set of problems too.

      Delete
  26. hi, i received an sms saying my items would arrive before 6pm, but now its 7pm and no one is here at all.. im really worried and i dont know who to contact regarding this. I hope you will be able to shed some light on this for me.. thanks..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      sorry i wasn't able to help you. You can try contacting the local courier (either Toll or Singpost) assuming you used 4px

      Delete
  27. well i am still waiting for my goods too from 4px hope it wouldnt hit like my first experience to buy from ebay for almost 2,5 month.. and it arrived in other address the lucky things i noted my phones and he called me if the packet on himself .

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi Cynthia

    Thank you for your reply for above. I have purchased on 29JAN15 night time by deliver of PROUTER. Until now i still didn't receive my item yet. Is it becoz CNY ? what should i do? just wait? How many days do you think will arrive my home?
    Many thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi,

      Sorry but the best way to track your parcel will be via the tracking system. Yes there are many variables that can cause your parcels to be delayed. 1) warehouse 2) china customs 3) flight 4) local customs 6) local courier.

      All you can do is pretty much wait.

      Delete
  29. hi cynthia, would you use 65daigou? is 4px cheaper or 65daigou?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. To each their own. They provide different services, 65dg more for agent like services while 4px is pretty much DIY.

      Delete
  30. Hi, I have been using prouter since my first purchase in Taobao last year. Initially their service was quite ok, I received my order within 3-4 days from the day that I made payment. However, their service getting worse (with an increase of charges somemore, their fees now is first kg @ RMB39.00). I made payment on 4 Mar 2015 to ship only 2 items, they took 4 days to ship out my package, and until now, the parcel is still in HKG pending for customs clearance. And they did not even update the status of the delivery in their website too. When I checked with the CS, they only asked me to wait!!!
    This is really a bad experience ever, I will never use their service again!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prouter's rating is pretty low.. I wouldn't use them unless I'm desperate XD

      Delete
  31. Hi Cynthia

    I recently just tried my hands on Taobao shopping, I have always been adamant to try because it seemed really complicated, but I took the first step and I was very excited to make my purchases, opt to use 4px to ship it directly to SG, and I even successfully paid with Alipay!

    I ordered from two different merchants, just some pieces of clothes. However both merchants don't seem to be responding to my orders at all. I have made payment successfully since 7 March and they have not dispatch my items even till today, regardless of all the reminders I could send with their nifty reminder button. Both merchants do have rather good reviews and popularity online, many shoppers left positive reviews for the same items I ordered. Is it normal to wait so long for Taobao merchants to respond to orders? Most people seem to have a rather smooth process shopping on Taobao, and my first attempt is already making me quite worried...

    Thank you for reading and I look forward to your advice!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,

      Please try contacting the seller via aliwangwang.

      Delete
  32. Hello Cynthia!

    Can I check how long do you wait in average for the seller to mail out your items before you remind them?

    &&, do you mind shedding some light on what are the different stages after choosing 4PX and the item flow from different warehouses especially?

    Thank you so much!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, it can range from the day itself to 3 days onwards. Usually I give sellers 3 days and unless there's a good reason, I'll cancel order after waiting for the items.

      Unless it's a preorder or that ive previously communicated with the seller with the knowledge that I'll have to wait.

      After you place your order, items will be sent to the warehouse and you'll be informed once it's ready for shipping. You can then wait for all items to reach the warehouse, consolidate it and ship it to sg

      Delete
    2. Hello, it can range from the day itself to 3 days onwards. Usually I give sellers 3 days and unless there's a good reason, I'll cancel order after waiting for the items.

      Unless it's a preorder or that ive previously communicated with the seller with the knowledge that I'll have to wait.

      After you place your order, items will be sent to the warehouse and you'll be informed once it's ready for shipping. You can then wait for all items to reach the warehouse, consolidate it and ship it to sg

      Delete
  33. Hi Cynthia! Thanks for posting this..I followed your instructions in making my first unassisted (agent-free) taobao buy.Also selected 4PX, however I notice folks who used 4PX always receive a sms when the items have arrived at china-4px warehouse. I ordered 3 items, out of which 2 have arrived, but I didn't receive any sms.. Had to constantly monitor and check the status on the TB site.. Any idea if I need to enable any settings? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello, not sure if you did register your mobile number when you register. If you did so, you should be receiving the messages from 4px indicating the arrival of your parcels from the various sellers. There is no need to enable anything.

      Delete
  34. Hi,

    I got some refund for some items and the amount was credited into Alipay. In order to use the Alipay funds for other purchase I am required to upload my passport scan for verification.

    Is this safe?

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,

      You may want to leave the account alone for a couple of days and you may be able to get pass the passport verification part. Alternatively, try recalling your pw. You're likely to have been asked to verify your account cos' you forgot your pw.

      Delete
  35. Hi Cynthia,

    Thanks for being so nice to answer all our questions! :)

    I've just made my first order through 4PX. & i am very excited about it! haha.
    I tried to consolidate my orders through 4PX yet it only accepts 20 orders.
    May i know what do i do with the rest of my orders?
    Do i create a new order or..?
    How will shipping be charged then?

    Thanks in advance for your reply! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello!

      Congrats on your first order and welcome to the club! HAHAHA!

      You'd need to consolidate another parcel.. the new base charge applies.

      Delete
  36. Hi, i urgently need your help! I cant process payment for forwarding parcel, pls guide me:( Im using dbs to pay

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hi Cynthia,

    I would liked to order some items from Taobao too & liked to know where's the option for us to select the shipping method? i.e either sea shipping, air shipping or express air shipping?

    Also, upon ordering, do we have to track & monitor if the items we ordered have already reached the warehouse or will the system inform you once an item have reached the warehouse? Will they inform you too when all the items are in so you can pay & ship them out at the same time? Lastly, if any item is delayed, will they inform you as well?

    Many tks! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      Only freight (aka air) is available if you place the order on your own. You'd also have to do your own tracking (by logging into the system) if you do that. 4px does send sms-es to inform you should your items reach their warehouse and are ready for consolidation. No, they are not responsible for any delays. You'd just have to wait patiently for the items to arrive before consolidating.

      Delete
  38. Hi Cynthia , my 1st time buying from taobao and I am stucked. I just purchased the item although my delivery add is to singapore. How to get 4px from taobao website? I emailed them overseasales@4px.com but no reply.. Dunno where is my item.

    ReplyDelete
  39. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  40. I haven't made any payment to 4px, can't find any contact via 4px only the email. Wanted to ask them the charges. Am I in the right procedure?

    ReplyDelete
  41. Hi Cynthia,

    I've made an order successfully with 4px as the forwarder. On the 25th of April which is a Saturday, the tracking status was updated to show "包裹已从递四方集运仓发出,即将发往深圳海关清关" which I understand to mean that 4px has dispatched my order to be cleared by Shenzhen customs. It is now the following Tuesday and there is no change yet. Does this mean that it has yet to reach the Shenzhen customs or could it just mean that it is still stuck in customs? Contacted 4px via ALWW and they told me it take 3-6 business days to reach me and the parcel goes to HK first before coming to Sg. What sort of status updates should I expect? Will it inform me that it reached HK and left HK or would it suddenly update and show that its in Singapore?

    Marcus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Give them some time. It's not immediate. Delays at times are inevitable. They'll let you know the day it's out for delivery.

      Delete
  42. Hi Cynthia,

    Thanks for your reply to my queries posted on Apr 20 :)

    Liked to know one more thing. Does 4px consolidate all the orders from different sellers & pack the items into 1 big package & send it to you? They're not sending them out individually right?

    Tks again! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      you'd need to do the consolidation yourself. they wont send individually unless you set it as such.

      Delete
  43. Hi Cynthia. I don't quite get why 4px is cheaper than 65daigou.

    For example, I'm planning to ship some wedding favors over. The weight of it is 7kg as confirmed by seller. If by 4px, the whole shipping amount would be about $40+. For 65daigou, based on sea method and inclusive of agent fee 8%, it amounts to only $32 at most.

    Will you kindly explain why 4px is claimed to be cheaper? In what terms and also what kind of purchases? What is the meaning of volumetric weight and mass?

    Really confusing. I swear by 65daigou. It's really v cheap for sea method shipping. Maybe cos I don't purchase items that is over 10kg?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 4px is by air, it's much faster. As compared to air offered by agents, it's cheaper if your parcel is of substantial weight.

      Erm, volumetric weight is calculated by the volume while mass is how heavy the item is.

      I do not fancy 65dg but that's just a personal preference of mine.

      Delete
    2. btw, you cant compare apple with orange. Air and Sea shipping are completely different. Air is much faster..

      Delete
  44. Hi I forgot to use a parcel forwarder and 2 of my items were shipped to Singapore but the 2 courier was not mentioned in the parcel forwarder, will i get my items?

    There is also 2 items which was not shipped since last week and i pressed the reminder for them but they still haven't ship it yet should i refund it and reorder it using a parcel forwarder?


    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  45. Hi Cynthia, how to pay using enets? how do i know if the seller uses enets?
    kindly advice. thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      if your settings are right, you will be able to choose enets over credit cards (and other options) when making your payment. It uses ibanking so make sure your account is working to use enets.

      Delete
  46. Hi Cynthia, I really love your post! I'm thrilled looking at all the adorable stationery you bought. I'm a preschool teacher and always have a hard time sourcing for cute but adorable gifts for my little ones. I'm so excited to go shopping for stationery after looking at your post now! :)
    Do you mind sharing links of recommended/frequent taobao shops you go to for stationery hauls? Same for the dresses, you have really good taste! Appreciate if you got any shoplinks to share where you got them from.

    Hope to hear from you,
    Thank you! 😄😄

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello!

      Shopping makes me excited too! heh! Please do check out the Taobao Directory I have done up (tabs above) to find links to many items I have gotten (:

      Delete
  47. hey cynthia, i would like to ask as i encounter some problems as I choose my forwarder as 4px and my items arrived as usual but there are some goodies left behind at the warehouse and i contact the seller and it said is the warehouse's fault? so how am i going to solve this? who am i going to contact with? can you help me?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      check with the seller if they sent out 2/3 parcels but only listed 1 in the system. Many of them do that and think that it's okay when it's not. 4px will not recognise it and will not allow you to consolidate the items into your package. You'd likely have to ship the parcels on its' own if it's at the warehouse.

      Delete
  48. Hi Cynthia,

    Recently i purchase goods from taobao totalling up to 9kg and was charged 256yuan for shipping from China to Singapore using 4PX. as this is my first time purchasing and I have not use any agent before, I cant compare the shipping price. May I know if this shipping price is normal?

    Also, where do I click to check the status of my shipping items from China to Singapore after I have paid for the shipping?

    Lastly, do I "confirm receipt" now or after I have received all the goods safely with me?

    Really appreciate your help and thank you in advance!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, sorry for missing out on replying your to your comment.

      Yes the price is normal for 4px via air..
      You can check the status both via the com or your mobile app.
      the confirm receipt part doesn't usually work for us cos it'd take more than 10 days for the items to reach us, though in some cases it's sooner.

      Delete
  49. Hi Cynthia,

    Do you experience a longer waiting time for custom release?

    I ordered some usb fans from TB and the items had reached "2015-07-20 06:03:53 Arrived to Singapore , pending Customs release."till today. It's longer than the usual wait like 1 day, not sure if there's something wrong with the usb fans i purchased or is still Hari Raya mood that they do not have enough manpower?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, sorry for missing out on replying to your comment.

      the time taken depends on the season. during busy periods, it'll take a while longer

      Delete
  50. Where to find the option to choose 4PX
    I have tried several time by using the guide
    It only direct to the payment page
    Any suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  51. Hi Cynthia, I really love your post.. I want to buy things from Taobao too, but I live in Indonesia, do you know if 4PX can deliver here as well? Or may be you have any suggestions on what forwarder I should choose?

    Thanks so much in advance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello,

      I'm sorry but I have no idea. you can set up your account and see which forwarders are available and pick the one that's most popular/well rated.

      Delete
  52. Hi Cynthia,

    Quick question: do you compare different agents/methods of shipping before confirming a cart? i.e. look at the items (size, weight) and compare the cost of shipping the entire purchase?

    What are the basic rules?

    Thanks! Have yet to start on TB and am keen to get onboarded!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Matilda,

      generally, I use 4px for just about everything I buy (unless it's huge like furniture)... of course, you'd need to figure out if the item is still cheaper (overall) as opposed to getting it locally after shipping costs (:

      Delete
  53. Hi can I know where you got this dress? (: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pwjIMN-xIAU/VC1Zk-QfsbI/AAAAAAAAWxY/GhGvOOx7vZA/s1600/6.jpg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, i got it from seller haoduoyi a long time ago. Not sure if it's still available. I actually have mine but I've not worn it before. If you don't mind, I can sell you mine (:

      Delete
  54. Hi Cynthia! First time user of Taobao, and I'm pretty nervous gosh. When I first created my taobao account, an alipay account got created together as well. Does this mean I have to use alipay to make payment, or am I able to use a more familiar method such as dbs's ibanking? I've also seen "enets" being mentioned a couple of times here! Is that similar to ibanking?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, your alipay (assuming it's zhifubao) is your 'wallet' for tb.. you don't have to use alipay (credits) to pay. enets uses ibanking. hope that helps.

      Delete
  55. Hi Cynthis, seller notify 4px 已签收 on 15/11, but until now I still not yet rec confirmation from 4px. What should I do now? Any way to contact them?

    ReplyDelete
  56. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Hi cynthia
    have got a pretty bad problem with 4px now. i paid for 14 invoices but they shipped out 13 invoices. the cost of that 14th invoice is 120 rmb. what can i do ? any advice?

    ReplyDelete
  58. Hi cynthia, what do you think abt dex-l?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, that's the local counterpart for one of the forwarders right? I personally like 4px.. wouldn't really wanna use the other 2.

      Direct is fine though!

      Delete
  59. Hi,

    What happens if the delivery man come to your house and you are not at home? Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hello, items will be sent back to the post office where you'd need to collect.
      Alternatively, opt for popstation.
      SOME courier guys will give you a call and you can have them pass to your neighbour or store in a safe place for you (but not all would do it.. if they do, you'd have to authorise them).

      Delete
  60. Hi Cynthia ,

    You did a very detail Taobao guide! However, I'm not sure what step I was wrong when confirming the payment .. I do not have option for shipping ... It directly to the page where I uses enet ... Therefore I missed out selecting global consolidate shipping to 4PX .

    I have total of 13 items, I'm worry the shipping fee would be very high if it's all sent direct.

    Would you be able to assist me? If you experience changing direct shipping to consolidate .

    Thanks in advance :)
    Emmeline

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Emmeline,

      you may have missed it. You may want to CANCEL the items and re-order.

      Delete
  61. 4PX:the volume of your order1693358xxxxxx is bigger than(37*42*61cm)can't deliver to POPstation,pls ctc 4PX's CS:to change channel..... Hi Cynthia, what should I do? What is the 4px contact?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Cynthia

      Can I just ask what do you mean by ALWW? I'm currently facing the same issue too =/

      Thanks

      Delete
  62. Hi Cynthia,
    I noticed that you are a teacher too. I've been contemplating with the idea of using Taobao ti buy stationery for the kids but haven't got the chance to try it yet. Any links to recommend for good stationery?
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  63. thanks for this informative post. good reference.
    Any idea what is the average time 4px takes to reply alww?

    ReplyDelete

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