What Is DHgate? How Does it Work, and More In 2023

Are you curious about what is DHgate?

Are you interested to learn about one of the largest e-commerce marketplaces that offer great products at affordable prices in China?

If so, you have landed on the right page.

In this post, you’re going to learn about DHgate, how the e-commerce platform works, what types of products you can buy from DHgate, tips to avoid scammers, how long it takes for your products to be delivered, and more.

So without wasting your time, let’s get started.

What is DHgate?

DHgate is one of the largest online marketplaces founded in 2004 that connects Chinese manufacturers, sellers, and suppliers with sellers around the world.

It is among the largest B2B cross-border e-commerce site that enables medium to small retailers to buy products at affordable prices directly from suppliers.

DHgate operates pretty similar to AliExpress and eBay in that you can find Chinese suppliers, wholesalers, and manufacturers offering good products at cheap wholesale prices.

Since it’s a marketplace, DHgate doesn’t sell its own products but enables third-party sellers to avail their products to buyers.

Who Owns DHgate?

DHgate was founded by Diane Wang in Beijing, China but officially started its operations in 2005.

The “DH” is an abbreviation for Dunhuang, a famous Chinese city located in Gansu province along the renowned Silk Road that connected civilizations in the East and West from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century.

Therefore, the name symbolizes the modern, online version of the Silk Road connecting SME suppliers in China to global buyers.

Where is DHgate Located?

DHgate is headquartered in Beijing, China, and has branch offices in North America, Latin America, Europe, and other locations that operate as offices or warehouses.

Besides, it’s one-stop trade and service marketplace for small and medium retailers from across the world.

Here is an image showing the DHgate group structure:

What is DHgate Used for?

As mentioned above, DHgate is a B2B cross-border e-commerce marketplace that caters to Chinese wholesalers, suppliers with dropshippers, and customers from around the world.

Unlike other major e-commerce sites like Alibaba, DHgate focuses on small wholesale orders to support small and medium e-commerce sellers.

Products on this platform have clear MOQ requirements.

The good thing about DHgate is that customers get a lot of great benefits such as a large volume and a wide range of products in different categories and at reasonable prices.

How Does DHgate Work?

DHgate works similarly to other e-commerce platforms where manufacturers, wholesaler, and suppliers avail their products to dropshippers and customers around the world.

It’s important to mention that the platform facilitates transactions between customers and third-party vendors who list their products on the platforms.

Specifically, DHgate offers the following services to wholesalers/suppliers/manufacturers and customers:

• Traffic marketing
• Warehousing and logistics
• Payment transactions
• Customer support
• Risk control
• Business training and empowerment Etc.

When you join DHgate as a customer and purchase products from sellers, the platform facilitates the transaction while the sellers handle the sales and shipping.

This means that when you pay for products, the cash isn’t transferred directly to the seller but via the website. This increases safety and provides buyer protection.

If you’re not satisfied with the products delivered to you, you can always ask for a refund of your money before the Buyer Protection window elapses.

Want to join DHgate today?

It’s free!

Follow the simple steps below and start and start ordering good quality products at affordable prices from DHgate:

• Head over to DHgate.com and sign up for a new buyer account
• Search for the products you want to buy
• Read the product and store reviews thoroughly
• Place your order
• Choose your preferred shipment method
• Complete the payment

Your funds will be held on the DHgate Escrow account until the seller ships your order and you confirm that you have received it and it’s in a good state. The funds will then be released to the seller.

How Many Users Does DHgate Have?

As of December 31, 2020, the giant e-commerce marketplace served more than 36 million registered enterprises and individuals from over 223 countries connected to over 2.3 million suppliers in China and across the world.

Currently, according to the website, DHgate has:

• Over 46 million enterprise and individual buyers from over 223 countries and regions
• Approximately 2.4 million sellers globally
• 37 million product listings

According to statistics by SimilarWeb, the e-commerce website generated traffic as follows in February, March, and April:

What Types of Products Are Available On DHgate?

Currently, there are over 30 million products on the DHgate website listed in the following categories:

What Is the Average Product Price On DHgate?

There is a wide range of products listed on the DHgate e-commerce platform at different prices. You can find products that are very cheap and others more expensive depending on your preferences.

If you want to save money, we recommend buying in bulk at a wholesale price.

What we like about DHgate is that over 90% of products have no minimum order so you can buy a few items for yourself or start a dropshipping business.

Why Is Stuff On DHgate So Cheap?

If you’re using DHgate for the first time, you will be surprised to see that most of the stuff is so cheap compared to other e-commerce marketplaces.

Well, don’t be afraid.

Here are some of the best reasons why you can find such good deals on this world’s leading e-commerce platform:

• Some sellers sell cheaply to empty excess stock from their warehouses
• DHgate connects wholesalers and customers directly thus you can negotiate the price with the seller
• The website has put great measures to keep the costs down
• When you buy in bulk you get good deals
• There is high competition among sellers
• Low production costs
• DHgate offers a low fee structure compared to other e-commerce sites
• Taxes for products are low
• Sellers don’t spend money on advertising

Top Tips for Buying from DHgate

Just like any other e-commerce marketplace, there are tips for buying from DHgate that can help you avoid scammers and get good deals.

Here are a few practical tips to help you:

• Read the products reviews and feedback from customers carefully and thoroughly
• Scrutinize the seller’s details thoroughly before placing an order
• Don’t confirm delivery before you receive your order and verify that it’s in a good state as you ordered
• Avoid handling transactions outside DHgate
• Watch out for deceptive and alluring descriptions
• Start by placing small orders if you’re using DHgate for the first time

Is DHgate Legit and Safe?

Is DHgate a safe website to buy from?

This is the first question everyone wanting to buy products on DHgate would ask—and it’s understandable because the internet world is full of scammers these days.

DHgate is 100 legit and safe.

First off, the website has a very strict policy for sellers, data security, and payment protection.

The website also offers returns and refund guarantees. You can always ask for a refund of your money if the products delivered aren’t as described.

Besides, DHgate has a Buyer Protection system that operates as an Escrow service thus, your funds will be held by the website once you purchase until your order has been shipped to you and you accept it.

What’s more?

DHgate also tracks your shipment until it’s delivered to you and will step in to help resolve any disputes regarding product quality.

NOTE: To enjoy all these protections, you must always conduct transactions through the DHgate platform.

DHgate Competitors

If you’re looking for other e-commerce marketplaces like DHgate to buy products from China here are three you should look at:

1. AliExpress

AliExpress is an e-commerce platform owned by the Alibaba Group that operates similarly to DHgate. Founded in 2010, the platform connects customers globally with Chinese manufacturers and sellers.

It also offers a wide range of products, shipping options, and payment methods and has no minimum order.

However, unlike DHgate, AliExpress is a B2C e-commerce marketplace. It also doesn’t have strict returns and refunds policy. Besides, it has long shipping times plus some sellers don’t accept PayPal payments.

Another thing is that most products on AliExpress aren’t as cheap as those on DHgate.

2. Banggood

Banggood is also another leading global leading online platform founded in 2004 and offers a wide range of products like DHgate.

The website provides free or inexpensive shipping to customers from across the globe and also accepts a wide variety of payment options.

You can also find a wide variety of products ranging from phones to clothes, and garden items, but not as many as you could get on DHgate.

There is also no minimum order on this website.

However, unlike DHgate, Banggood has long delivery times for some goods. Besides, the products listed on the website aren’t as cheap as those on DHgate.

Furthermore, the website is not as well-known as DHgate thus you might not get what you want to buy on this website.

3. Shein

Shein is also a great e-commerce platform but, unlike DHgate which offers a wide range of products, this website focuses on fashion clothes for women and kids.

We could generally classify Shein as a global fashion and lifestyle e-commerce marketplace.

Also, the website doesn’t offer a wide range of payment options plus, shipping can be costly for international customers.

Some customers have also complained of poor-quality products. Besides, the buyer protection window is also low.

Overall, even though AliExpress, Banggood, and Shein are large online stores, DHgate outshines them in many aspects including the prices of products, buyer protection window, return and refund policy, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the common questions about what is DHgate.

How Long Does It Take for DHgate to Deliver?

On average, DHgate takes around 3 to 15 working days to deliver orders.

However, the delivery time will depend on several factors and the shipping methods you choose.

Here is the average delivery time for different shipment methods:

How Can I Contact DHgate Customer Services?

DHgate focuses on delivering outstanding customer service to customers. Currently, the website offers the following customer service communication channels on a 24/7/365 basis:

• Phone
• Live Chat
• Social Media
• Message
• Email
• Fax
• Physical Address

Do You Get Your Money Back If You Get Scammed On DHgate?

Yes, but on certain conditions as mentioned below.

As mentioned above DHgate is a safe and secure e-commerce marketplace with strict policies for both buyers and sellers.

Here are the conditions to ask for a refund for your money in case you’re scammed.

Immediately you receive your DHgate order, you must inspect it for quality right away.

If you’re not satisfied with your order, you should contact the seller immediately.

Note that DHgate offers a Buyer Protection window of 90 days.

If the seller doesn’t respond to you within that timeframe, apply for a refund by opening a dispute. DHgate will step in and refund your money.

Remember that the Buyer Protection program only applies when you conduct transactions within the website so you will not get a refund of your money if you transact outside of the site.

What Is the Safest Way to Pay On DHgate?

To securely pay for your purchase on DHgate it is recommended to use the accepted payment options below:

• PayPal
• Credit card
• Bank transfer to bank wire transfers
• Western Union

Based on feedback from many customers who have used DHgate, paying by credit card gives you double protection from fraud.

However, no matter the payment method you use, you’re always protected by DHgate’s Buyer Protection provided you pay via the platform.

Is DHgate a Dropshipper?

DHgate is not a dropshipper but an e-commerce dropshipping platform and a popular alternative to AliExpress that dropshippers can use to source products.

What Currency Does DHgate Use?

DHgate uses Skrill, which offers multicurrency options. Besides, the platform accepts all major credit cards, plus money is exchanged through the site.

Does DHgate Have an App?

Yes. The DHgate app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

What Are Widely Accepted Payment Methods?

Considering that DHgate caters to buyers all around the world, the website accepts more of the major payment methods as below:

• PayPal
• Bank-to-bank wire transfers
• Credit card (VISA, MasterCard, American Express)
• Western Union
• E-wallet (Skrill, MasterPass)
• Debit Cards (UnionPay, Diners, Maestro Card, Discover)
• Apple Pay

DHgate also offers country-specific payment options. You can find out here.

Which is safer DHgate or AliExpress?

Both of the marketplaces are safe to use. However, you need to do thorough background checks on the supplier or seller you’re intending to buy from for maximum safety.

Conclusion

DHgate is no doubt the best e-commerce platform for all types of products. The website also offers good prices, reliable sellers and multiple safety and security features to protect buyers from fraud.

Even though scams are inevitable, if you maintain your transactions within the platform, you’re safeguarded.

Hopefully, this post answers your question about what is DHgate.

Do you have any experience buying from this website?

If so, please share it with us in the comment section.