DHgate

DHgate is a Chinese online marketplace that has been connecting customers with a large number of independent sellers and manufacturers since 2004. DHgate itself does not sell most of the products; it provides the platform, the payment system, order management and the claims process. It therefore works similarly to AliExpress, but the quality of stores, communication and after-sales service can vary dramatically between individual sellers. Choosing the right store is absolutely crucial on DHgate.

The best prices only through our verified sellers

We recommend using the DHgate marketplace exclusively through the verified offers on the Xiaomi Planet, China Planet and Deal Planet websites. We select products from sellers we know and have experience with, and many offers are available from warehouses in Germany, Poland or Spain. That means delivery within a few business days without import fees. Do not forget to also use the coupon from the price box.

An important warning before shopping on DHgate

We do not recommend browsing DHgate for random products and sellers on your own. It is an open marketplace with millions of listings that can differ in the origin of the goods, real availability, quality, shipping method and the seller's willingness to handle a claim. Shopping with an unverified seller, or via a link that does not come from our websites, is at your own risk.

Our rating of DHgate therefore applies primarily to purchases made through the links we have verified. Xiaomi Planet, China Planet and Deal Planet are affiliate partners of the platform with their own direct contact at DHgate. Through it, as part of our VIP support, we can escalate problems with an order, shipping, a refund or communication with a seller. A regular customer who picks a random store on their own does not automatically get this extra level of support.

Currently verified sellers on DHgate

We regularly update the list of safe stores based on real orders, communication and feedback from our readers. As of July 2026, we recommend the following sellers:

• funwater – authorized seller of FunWater paddleboards / warehouses in Germany / Poland / Canada / USA
• funwater2 – authorized seller of FunWater paddleboards / warehouses in Germany / Poland / Canada / USA
• Ninebot Global Store – electric scooters and mountain bikes / Polish warehouse
• mi668 – Xiaomi smartphones / tablets / electronics and home appliances / German warehouse
• better_goods – smartphones from major global brands / Chinese warehouse, some offers from Hong Kong
• mi_fans_store – Xiaomi smartphones / tablets / electronics and appliances / Spanish warehouse

Even with a verified store, we do not recommend automatically buying everything in its catalog. What is safe is the specific offer that we have checked and published on our website. A seller may over time add other products, a different warehouse or different shipping that we have not yet had a chance to review.

DHgate coupons and stacking multiple discounts

DHgate offers its own platform coupons known as DHcoupon, plus coupons from individual sellers. The official rules allow combining a DHcoupon with a Seller Coupon, with the seller's coupon applied first. The platform then automatically selects the most suitable available coupon in the cart. The minimum order value is calculated without shipping, and one DHcoupon can be used only once per order.

The biggest discounts appear during sales, but DHgate also issues coupons for specific products or partners. Always check the final price before paying, because a cheaper listing may come with more expensive shipping, a less favorable warehouse or worse warranty conditions. A coupon cannot be added retroactively after the order is created.

Shipping depends on the specific seller

DHgate does not have one universal shipping arrangement for the whole site. Each seller sets its own warehouses, carriers, postage and dispatch time. Each product therefore shows its own delivery estimate based on the chosen warehouse and shipping method. The platform notes that the first tracking updates may appear only after 5, 7 or even 10 days.

In our offers we prioritize European warehouses, from which a parcel typically arrives in roughly 2 to 7 business days. We use the Chinese and Hong Kong warehouses mainly for smartphones, where the price difference is large enough. Delivery may then take several weeks, so always follow the details stated in the specific price box.

VAT, customs and purchases from outside the European Union

A product dispatched from Germany, Poland or Spain travels within the European Union. The customer therefore normally does not deal with import VAT, customs duty or customs clearance. For a shipment from China or Hong Kong, the conditions can vary depending on the value, the shipping used and the specific offer. DHgate itself states in its help center that any import taxes are generally the buyer's responsibility.

Since 1 July 2026, the EU applies a temporary customs fee of €3 per item in shipments up to €150 arriving from countries outside the European Union. The fee is set to apply until 1 July 2028. In our offers we always state whether a product is in an EU warehouse, or how the fees are handled for shipping from Asia.

Payment goes through the platform

DHgate supports credit and debit card payments, with the specific options shown only in the cart. For some orders, the security system may request additional payment verification or an authorization code from your bank. The official help center recommends that if a transaction is declined, you first contact your bank and check whether the card allows cross-border online payments.

Never send money directly to a seller — via WhatsApp, a bank account or any other channel outside the order. DHgate holds the payment in its system and releases it to the seller only based on the order status. Communication and agreements made off-platform may not be accepted as evidence in a dispute.

How do disputes, claims and refunds work?

If a shipment does not arrive, the product is damaged or it does not match the description, the customer must open a Return & Refund dispute in the order details. Attach good-quality photos, a video, a screenshot of the tracking or a confirmation from the carrier. After the dispute is opened, the seller has five days to respond. If they do not cooperate, the customer can escalate the case to DHgate, where a platform claims officer takes it over.

For a more expensive order, we recommend filming the entire unboxing from the moment the intact parcel and shipping label are visible. Do not throw away the original box and do not blindly confirm that the order is fine. Once a dispute is open, do not click that the case is resolved until the money is genuinely back in your account.

Returns to China tend to be the most problematic

The biggest complications arise when DHgate grants a full refund only after the product is returned. International postage can be expensive and the process can drag on considerably. The official rules state that after the return is sent, the seller has up to 30 days to accept the shipment. The postage receipt and shipping label must be uploaded to the system, and the reimbursement of shipping costs may be credited to your Dhpay account only after the whole case is closed.

Similar problems frequently appear in user discussions. Customers describe lengthy mediation, expensive return postage or fears that the seller will refuse to accept the parcel. But you will also find cases where DHgate ruled in the customer's favor after evidence was submitted. The outcome therefore depends heavily on the seller, the quality of the evidence and correctly following the claims procedure.

Why does DHgate have such bad online ratings?

At the time of our research, DHgate had a Trustpilot rating of just 1.7 out of 5 across more than 34,000 reviews. The results are also highly polarized: 50% of customers gave five stars, but as many as 35% gave just one. The negative experiences most often involve an undelivered or different product, poor communication, complicated refunds and high return costs.

This rating cannot be ignored, but it describes the entire platform with its millions of independent sellers. A customer who randomly picks an unknown store with no history takes on a completely different risk than a reader buying a specific product from an EU warehouse through our verified link and with VIP support. The independent magazine WIRED likewise points out that DHgate is only a marketplace and the experience depends above all on the choice of merchant.

Counterfeits do exist on the platform

DHgate is known for a large number of knock-offs of branded clothing, watches, footwear and accessories. The US Trade Representative kept the platform in its Notorious Markets overview for 2025. The report acknowledges improvements in seller vetting and the use of AI to find problematic listings, but also states that counterfeits remain easy to find and repeat offenders manage to work around the system.

We do not recommend buying counterfeits. Beyond the uncertain quality, there is a risk of the shipment being seized by customs, and Buyer Protection may not cover all the consequences of a customs intervention. On DHgate we focus on original smartphones, tablets, electronics, electric scooters, bikes and paddleboards from specific verified stores.

Our rating is conditional on VIP support

With the right offer, DHgate can deliver excellent prices, especially on Xiaomi, POCO, OnePlus and OPPO smartphones, electric scooters or paddleboards from European warehouses. However, the platform cannot be recommended for carefree browsing and buying from the first seller with the lowest price.

At Deal Planet we therefore separate the general marketplace rating from the experience with our own offers. Without a verified link and assistance, DHgate is riskier than a classic e-shop. When buying from a seller we have verified, through our link and with active VIP support, it can be a very attractive route to original electronics at prices local stores often cannot match.