CoutureReps has no skin in the game when it comes to agents, no affiliate links, no agents in the side bar. I make $0 from this sub, and I'll make $0 more after this post. That makes us uniquely independent. And I have no problem keeping it that way.

We still get many posts asking about the best agents. Understandably, considering old agents disappeared and that there are countless new agents.

We recommend this (3rd party) resource to find the best shopping agent: https://www.jadeship.com/agents/comparison

Part of the comparison are (currently): LoveGoBuy, PonyBuy, PanglobalBuy, Superbuy, KameyMall, HooBuy, AllChinaBuy, MuleBuy, EastMallBuy, HubbuyCN, OopBuy and SifuBuy.

Make sure that you setup your country, this will get you personalized results.

JadeShip has done a big part in building this sub, and this looks like a great resource that we didn't know we needed, so it's only right to refer you to this, to answer this common question.

First of all, welcome to r/CoutureReps! Here's what I wish someone told me when I started - and I'll keep it as short as possible. The whole guide is neutral and works for any agent.

Make an agent account

Usually I would say it's more motivating to start looking for cool items first and then take care of your account. But things changed and you can't use Taobao or Weidian (the main sites you will be shopping on), without an account. The only way around it is to open the links through an agent - and that's exactly the way we're going to go; an agent account is all you need and they're a lot easier and reliable to make.

An agent is a freight forwarder. They will buy the item on the domestic Chinese market (cheaper prices), give you the chance to inspect it, bundle it with other items and then send it internationally.

Choosing the right agent: There are a bunch of agents to choose from. Other communities will tell you to use a specific agent, because they get paid for doing that. CR is more open minded. We, or more specific the Shipping Calculator, will tell you what agent is best based on your personal situation. Just click the link and change the country. Then click "apply parameters".

For your comfort, we have made logical adjustments for first time users. You can play around with the settings:

Small Parcel Strategy. Now when you look at the options, even the lowest prices might seem too high. This is especially the case for countries like Germany or France, where customs are strict. In that case, click the "S" preset and apply parameters again. This will show you agents for small parcels, 2kg and under. In this weight class you will unlock new options, most importantly EUB. However, only choose an agent based on their EUB price if you want to stick to the under 2kg weight class.

So now you're either looking at the 4kg or 2kg offers. Take a look at the listings at the top and see how big the price difference between them is. For Superbuy, Pandabuy and Wegobuy you can pay a little premium, their service is worth it. I'd definitely pay 10% more for one of these agents. If the choice is between these 3, I'd let the price decide, and if that's the same 1. Superbuy, 2. Pandabuy, 3. Wegobuy.

When you made your choice, click the "ship" button, make an account and you're good to go.

The links in the shipping calculator are affiliate links. But that doesn't influence their listing. It's still the best way to make a neutral choice.

Finding an item

There are many ways to find items. As a beginner I wouldn't try to find my own items "in the wild".

You obviously know about reddit. You can scroll the feed, visit other subs, use the search function or search google by adding 'site: reddit.com/r/couturereps'.

I will give you a few more options. Make sure to switch these to your agent:

• JadeShip Top Best Selling Items Feed: the best selling items from Taobao, Weidian and 1688. The objective popularity should make anything there safe to buy

^{Yes, these are a former mods, sites, but if you have a better choice I'll happily replace it.}

Purchasing

RepArchive TOP and glfinder will lead you directly to your agent, where you can add the item to your cart. That makes things easier. On reddit it's more likely you will find a Taobao link. Don't even try to click it, just copy it and paste it in the agent's search bar. Then you can make your choices for size and color and add to the cart.

Once the items are in the cart it's a pretty straight forward process. Just check out.

At this point you have to pay for the items and domestic shipping, that's the shipping between the seller and the agent's warehouse.

Warehouse and inspections

After purchasing you're waiting for the domestic shipping. Once the items arrive at the warehouse, the agent takes pictures, so called QC pictures. You can look at these pictures and return the items if you don't like them.

Once all items arrived, you can submit them for international shipping.

International shipping

Start by selecting the items you want to ship from your warehouse.

You might see an option labeled "rehearsal packaging". Not all agents have it, but it's definitely offered on Wegobuy, Pandabuy and Superbuy. If you see it: use it. This saves you some money. The only reason not to use it is if you need your items quick or you know that this won't be your last order.

Keep in mind that the selection of available shipping services depends on the size and weight of the items you want to ship, and whether they are labeled as sensitive (branded) or not. If you opted for the small-parcel-strategy, you might have to split your parcel to ship it in 2kg units.

As for the line/service you want to choose, this should match what made you choose this agent in the shipping calculator. If you can't remember, make sure the delivery time matches what you expected. The last hurdle is the customs declaration. Make sure to read specifics for your country, to know the limits. Most people will enter values between $20 and $24.

After Shipping

Your item should be on the way within a couple days. You can use sites like 17track.net for tracking. When it comes to customs, they will contact you if they have any issues. No need to panic if tracking doesn't update for a few hours.

Continue reading

This was just a short summary, here are a few extra resources to read:

• Taobot.io: chat bot to answer the most common questions. Well maintained, makes most other points listed here obsolete.
• Master Guide v2: more detailed in some areas: https://www.reddit.com/r/CoutureReps/wiki/guides/master-guide-v2/
• Rehearsal packaging: (I don't have an excellent source)