You send photos. We buy, check, pack and ship. Here is the whole thing on one page — including when money changes hands.
This page is written from your side of the order — the timeline, what you do, and when you pay. If you want the operational detail of what we do at each stage, read How It Works.
Jump to the timeline ↓ · Download the one-page PDF
The timeline at a glance
| Stage | You | Us | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Send your photos | Upload photos of the items (or tell us the product name) from Taobao / 1688 / Pinduoduo in the photo upload box on our home page with colour, size, quantity and your country. | — | You: about 5 minutes |
| 2. One quote back | Read it. Ask anything. Change colours, drop items. | Check availability, the item against our prohibited list, and the right shipping line. Send one figure covering everything. | Within 48 hours · quote holds 5 working days |
| 3. You pay, we buy 💳 first payment | Pay the quote by PayPal. | Order from the Chinese seller in RMB the same or next working day. | Day 1 |
| 4. Goods reach our warehouse | Nothing to do. | Log the parcel and photograph it — appearance, colour, quantity, obvious damage. | Day 2–5 (seller’s delivery speed) |
| 5. Photos and a check report | Look at the photos. Reply ship it, wait, or send it back. | Email you the photos and a short inspection note. Hold everything until you answer. | Within 24 hours of arrival |
| 6. Weigh, consolidate, settle 💳 balance | Pay any shipping balance (or get a refund if it came in lighter). | Combine everything into one parcel, remove surplus cartons, weigh it, send you the final statement. | Day 5–6 |
| 7. Customs paperwork and dispatch | Nothing to do. | Declare the parcel truthfully, hand it to the line, send you the tracking number. | Day 6 |
| 8. It arrives 🧾 duty may be due | Pay any import duty, VAT or clearance fee your customs authority charges. Your local carrier will tell you. | Help you chase the carrier if something is lost or damaged, and handle the Chinese seller if the wrong item was sent. | +5–12 working days in transit |
Before you send your photos — a 4-item checklist
- The photos. Up to four a day in the upload box on our home page — Taobao, Tmall, 1688, Pinduoduo and JD are all fine. If a photo is not enough, give us the product name and we will find the item.
- The variant. Colour, size, model, quantity — exactly as you want it, because after payment the order goes to the seller.
- Your delivery address and a phone number the local carrier can actually call.
- Your country, so we quote the right shipping line rather than a guess.
Who pays what, and when
| Payment | What it covers | When |
|---|---|---|
| First payment | Item cost + our 5% service fee (3% on a first order, minimum $5) + packing + estimated international freight | Before we buy anything |
| Balance (if any) | The difference between estimated and actual freight after weighing — or a refund if it came in lighter | Before dispatch |
| Import duty / VAT | Charged by your customs authority, not by us. Never included in our prices. | On arrival |
We ship with retail rates only: freight is passed on at the carrier’s actual rate, with no markup. Our margin is the service fee and the packing line, nothing else. What has changed in 2026 →
What lands in your inbox
- The quote — item costs, our fee, packing and the freight estimate, valid for 5 working days.
- Photos and a check note — when your items reach the warehouse, before anything is shipped.
- The final statement — chargeable weight and any balance before dispatch.
- Tracking — the number and the declared value, the moment the parcel leaves.
If something goes wrong
- Wrong or damaged item from the Chinese seller — tell us within 7 days of the photos. We open the case in Chinese, hold the parcel, and you choose: replacement, refund of the item, or ship as is.
- Lost or damaged in transit — we file the carrier claim under their rules and keep you updated. Claims need the photos we already took, which is why we take them.
- The package is held by customs — send us the notice. Usually it is a duty payment or a missing description; we will re-issue the paperwork.
- You changed your mind before the seller ships — tell us fast. Once a Chinese seller has dispatched, the item cost is normally not recoverable.
How long does the whole thing take?
Typical total: 10–18 days from your payment to the parcel at your door. Chinese sellers take 2–5 days to reach our warehouse, we take 1–2 days to check and pack, and the international leg is usually 5–12 working days depending on the line. Peak season, Chinese public holidays and a customs inspection will all add time.
Ready? Send us your photos — the quote is free and there is nothing to pay until you approve it.
Download this page as a one-page PDF · The detailed version of how we work
Written and maintained by the ElovyrHaven team — we run this service ourselves from China and answer every message personally. Last updated: . Questions? Email info@elovyrhaven.com or use the photo upload box on our home page.
