I've tried buying from China many many times over the past year. Each and every company I try and deal with are EXACTLY the same and I've gotten to the point where I just give up:

1) They claim to manufacture the goods and yet have the exact same product as about 10 other companies claiming to manufacture the goods.

2) After enquiring about pieces and shipping, the seller ALWAYS insists on being paid by Western Union or Bank to Bank transfer. The most unstable and fraud exploited payment methods in the world!

3) Never ever have I come across a Chinese seller willing to accept Paypal or any form of credit cards whatsoever. How hard is it to set up a Paypal account in China? Even if you offer to pay all their fees they still won't do it.

4) Every single company I have ever dealt with e-mails me from a Hotmail, Yahoo or other free e-mail account. Never do I get e-mails from the domain name they are listing their products on.

5) Every Chinese manufacturers web site I've ever visited doesn't work properly, partially loads or just completely junks out.

In short, everything these companies do smacks of a potential fraud and I have therefore never bought anything and probably never will.

Can anyone explain to me why the Chinese think it's acceptable to do business this way?

Replying to [grigo]:Girgo , As you are experienced man, Can you answer my question ,

We are printer from India , Buyer has send the sample of books and ask for the quotation , after a negotiation price has been agreed , Now buyer wants to check the quality of the material and printing , but at this stage , I have not even talk ,tell my payment terms , I want the best payment terms , what will be the best payment terms ,buyer is from CANADA.
Should I ask for the 100%T/T and except 50%T/T and 50% confirmed Irrevocable L/C at sight.

If you can please guide me , I am in the statuse of approving the sample. I have to prepare the sample and it will also cost a good amount ,

Replying to [shumbro]:yes i almost agree what shumbro said on business. because business is apparently based on mutual trust.when you are the first order by overseas even you can't find anyone believed ,so you have to use the third party (such as bank )for guaranteewhile business is going well .but if you have someone worth to trust ,you may let him/her help you deal with something you can't reach .

Replying to [Bobbieboy]:
I have bought from here, if it is under $500 i do western union, this amount is really in the 'sample' price range. It is a little gamble (though everyone i have bought from has sent me the goods).
Western union is quick and easy, for small amounts of money it is easier than doing bank transfer (these take days or a week to go thru, banks will bounce them to another bank if the recipitants bank doesn't deal in your currency and require exact details on deposit... if you do the person you are sending to and their account is in the company name it creates problems, i had to post thru normal mail my company registration details so one of my sellers could get their money from the bank).
I am enjoying my import business and it is growing slowly, my attitude is to practice 'due diligance' but also follow instinct, if seller seems genuine then i go ahead.
Paypal is what i offer my BUYERS... not what i offer the people i buy from... paypal is only good for very small amounts of money (under $100) as if a buyer makes a complaint (for good reason or not) the money is reclaimed. I would not leave myself open to this. I can afford to lose a $24 sale to paypal because of a customer who has my goods and decides they dont want to pay... but hundreds of dollars, no way would i accept a paypal payment.

Replying to [jagdeep]:T/T is a way of payment ,such as L/C ,L/T, D/A,D/P,they are kinds of payments.

Replying to [Susanny]:Yeah ! I am on you side .
there are risks everywhere , pls don't consider all china company to as frauds ,there all so many companies in China ,but you are cheated only by very few of them ,most Chinaese are honesty and sincerely . anymore ,China is a traditional nation and famous for it's warm and honesty .
if you worry about the risk ,you can set up cooperation relationship with a company , provide you detail imformation about his company , also a trust pass member , a non-free mailbox ,right ?
we company are a manufatory in adapter , charger field , we certainly choose to spend some money on fax , mailbox , and a trust pass membership on alibaba .it's necessary ,right ?

Replying to [jagdeep]:

T/T is Telegraphic Transfer, meaning it is money transfer from bank to bank. In the USA, it is often referred to as Wire Transfer. This is the preferred method of payment for most small manufacturers especially if you are not buying a huge quantity and not a large amount of money involved.

Quoting from [Bobbieboy]:


I've tried buying from China many many times over the past year. Each and every company I try and deal with are EXACTLY the same and I've gotten to the point where I just give up:


1) They claim to manufacture the goods and yet have the exact same product as about 10 other companies claiming to manufacture the goods.
You cannot fault the entreprising lot  of Chines who know manufacturers and trade in the same . You could ask and verify from them if they are manufacturers or traders. Not for nothing has China become a  strong Exporter. Get the initial answers and you' d save the trouble


2) After enquiring about pieces and shipping, the seller ALWAYS insists on being paid by Western Union or Bank to Bank transfer. The most unstable and fraud exploited payment methods in the world!
 You could ask for Company certification and regristration and verify the same. any payment made to a legitimate Company account should be okay but make no payment in an individuals name.

3) Never ever have I come across a Chinese seller willing to accept Paypal or any form of credit cards whatsoever. How hard is it to set up a Paypal account in China? Even if you offer to pay all their fees they still won't do it.
Stay away from a seller who insist on WU. if he refuses paypal it would only be nnecasuse he is not a manufacturer but a small time trader who may genuinely be wanting to trade. in anycase you should stay away.


4) Every single company I have ever dealt with e-mails me from a Hotmail, Yahoo or other free e-mail account. Never do I get e-mails from the domain name they are listing their products on.
 Let that not put you off because most of them like me prefer them than having to spend dollars on domains and then mainting them. Collect other details like Telephone numbers and get to a web conference and ask for position change of the web cam. ask for fax numbers and then verify

5) Every Chinese manufacturers web site I've ever visited doesn't work properly, partially loads or just completely junks out.
Traffic on line is heavy as some of the work is outsourced to single PC BPO's too Remember China is a BIG EXPORTER

In short, everything these companies do smacks of a potential fraud and I have therefore never bought anything and probably never will.
Please do not entertain this view as i said CHINA is an exporter and there may  be frauds existing but our due diligence could prevent con and lets not be greedy to ask for cheap goods on which cons exist.


Can anyone explain to me why the Chinese think it's acceptable to do business this way?
Salute the spirit of endeavour and the way Chinese do business is because its a module it has successfully tried tested and worked. hard work enterprise and i can do it has helped China

Quoting from [Bobbieboy]:

                   Shenzhen Dianshang Trade Co., Ltd. -


Two weeks ago, we were searching alibaba.com web site looking for a genuine Laptops and Apple Mac seller, when we contacted the above so-called company, ant then the so-called "BILL ZHEN" replied and convinced us that they will supply us these items.


We tried to be careful though but never knew what we were going get in at the end.


Now today after 17 days that the sellers:(1) cn200403005 ------ Jophin Zhen
(2) cn200403006 --------- Bill Zhen


 claimed to have shipped our goods, today we received a shocking delivery.


We had initially made a payment of $980 via Western Union to one Bill of  ShenzhenDianshang Trade Co., Ltd ( cn200403006) on 4th February 2009 to supply one Apple Mac Desktop and a Toshiba laptop, and after chasing them up they provided us with a tracking number .


They had delibrately used China Post surface service to delay such report as this. Without us aware of this fraud and scam, we sent yet another payment using  the same method (10th February 2009) as they will not accept other means of payment rather than Western Union, this time we paid $1,540 exactly to the same Person but the payment beneficiary has been one person:  first name- TIANFU and with a surname as-FENG to supply us with 7 extra laptops.They provided us yet another tracking number.



So today the 2nd tracking number arrived with a pair of Nike (White) canvass trainer as the content. We were completely shocked to found out that we have been scammed.


Since the date these people collected the funds, they have been ignoring our emails, online chat room attempt which has been our usual way of communicating  since inception.



PLEASE, STAY CLEAR OF THESE FRAUDSTERS!!!



Here is our email in case you have any hint as to these fraudsters


Email us at: debowa20@yahoo.co.uk