5 Mistakes Every Beginner Importer from China Makes

# 5 Mistakes Every Beginner Importer from China Makes Importing from China can save you thousands of riyals, but beginners often make costly mistakes that eat into their savings — or worse, cost them money. After talking to hundreds of Saudi importers and analyzing thousands of purchases, we've identified the 5 most common mistakes and exactly how to avoid them. ## Mistake #1: Not Calculating the TOTAL Cost This is by far the most common mistake. A beginner sees a product for 100 SAR on AliExpress and thinks they're getting a steal compared to 250 SAR locally. But they forget to add: - **Shipping:** 30–80 SAR depending on weight and method - **Customs duty:** 5–15% depending on product category - **VAT:** 15% on everything (product + shipping + duty) - **Currency conversion fees:** 1–3% depending on your bank That 100 SAR product actually costs 145–175 SAR all-in. Still cheaper than 250 SAR locally, but not the "70% savings" they imagined. **How to avoid it:** Use Farq's total cost calculator before every purchase. Input the product price, weight, and category, and get the real landed cost including all fees and taxes. **Real example:** Ahmed from Riyadh ordered a gaming keyboard for 80 SAR from AliExpress. He thought he was saving 110 SAR compared to the 190 SAR local price. But after 40 SAR shipping, 9 SAR customs (5%), and 19 SAR VAT (15%), the total was 148 SAR. He still saved 42 SAR, but not the 110 SAR he expected. ## Mistake #2: Choosing the Cheapest Seller Without Checking Reviews In the race to find the lowest price, beginners often buy from sellers with few or no reviews, or sellers with suspiciously low prices. This leads to: - Receiving a product that looks nothing like the photos - Getting a lower-quality version than advertised - Receiving an empty box or the wrong item - Waiting months for an item that never arrives **How to avoid it:** 1. **Check the seller's rating** — Only buy from sellers with 95%+ positive feedback 2. **Read reviews with photos** — These are the most honest reviews 3. **Check the order count** — Products with 100+ orders are generally safer 4. **Compare prices realistically** — If a product is 50% cheaper than all other sellers, something is wrong 5. **Look for the "Choice" badge on AliExpress** — These products are quality-verified **Real example:** Sarah from Jeddah found AirPods Pro for 50 SAR on AliExpress (real price: 900+ SAR). She knew it was too good to be true but ordered anyway. She received cheap earbuds worth maybe 10 SAR that broke after one day. The dispute process took 3 weeks to get a refund. ## Mistake #3: Ordering Too Many Different Items in One Shipment Beginners get excited by the low prices and order 15–20 different items from different sellers. This creates problems: - **Multiple tracking numbers** to manage - **Different arrival times** — some items come in 7 days, others in 45 - **Customs complications** — if multiple packages arrive together, customs may combine the values and push you over the 1,000 SAR duty-free threshold - **Harder to file disputes** — if something is wrong with one item, you're dealing with multiple sellers **How to avoid it:** 1. Start with 2–3 items from 1–2 sellers for your first order 2. Wait for your first order to arrive before ordering more 3. Try to consolidate orders to the same seller when possible 4. Keep a spreadsheet tracking all your orders, expected dates, and tracking numbers **Real example:** Khalid from Dammam ordered 22 items from 18 different sellers on his first AliExpress shopping spree. Six items never arrived, three were wrong, two were damaged, and he spent an entire month filing disputes. He saved money overall, but the stress wasn't worth it. ## Mistake #4: Ignoring Product Specifications and Compatibility Chinese products often have different specifications than Saudi/international versions: - **Electrical plugs** — China uses Type A/I plugs; Saudi Arabia uses Type G (British). You'll need an adapter. - **Phone bands** — Some Chinese phone variants don't support all Saudi network bands (especially 5G). Check the band specifications before buying. - **Voltage** — Some devices are 110V only (China uses both 110V and 220V). Saudi Arabia uses 220V. Plugging a 110V device into a 220V outlet will destroy it. - **Software** — Chinese variants of phones may have Chinese-only software or lack Google Play Services (Huawei/Honor). - **Sizes** — Chinese clothing sizes run 1–2 sizes smaller than Saudi/Western sizes. Always check the size chart in centimeters. **How to avoid it:** 1. Always read the full product specifications 2. Ask the seller about Saudi compatibility before buying 3. Look for "Global Version" or "International Version" products 4. Check clothing size charts carefully and measure yourself 5. For electronics, verify the voltage and plug type **Real example:** Omar from Mecca bought a Xiaomi air purifier from China. It arrived with a Chinese plug and Chinese-only app. He needed an adapter (15 SAR) and had to change the app region settings. The air purifier works fine, but these were annoyances he could have avoided by buying the global version. ## Mistake #5: Not Understanding the Return/Dispute Process Many beginners don't know what to do when something goes wrong. They either: - Accept the loss and never complain - Leave a bad review but don't file a formal dispute - File a dispute incorrectly and lose Understanding the dispute process is critical for protecting yourself: **For AliExpress:** 1. Open a dispute within 15 days of delivery (or before buyer protection expires if item hasn't arrived) 2. Select the correct reason (item not received, not as described, damaged, etc.) 3. Upload photo/video evidence 4. Be clear and factual in your description 5. If the seller doesn't agree, AliExpress will mediate **For Temu:** 1. Go to Orders > Return/Refund 2. Select the item and reason 3. Temu usually processes refunds within 3–5 business days 4. Free return shipping is often included **For DHgate:** 1. Similar to AliExpress — open a dispute through the platform 2. Never agree to cancel the dispute for a "discount" — this is a common scammer tactic **Key tips:** - Always open disputes THROUGH the platform, never resolve privately - Take photos/videos of the package and product when it arrives - Save all communication with the seller - Be polite but firm — evidence wins disputes **Real example:** Fatima from Riyadh received a damaged smartwatch from AliExpress. She took photos of the damaged box and the scratched watch. She filed a dispute with clear photos and a calm description. The seller offered a partial refund of 30%, but Fatima declined and let AliExpress mediate. She got a full refund within 10 days. ## Bonus: The Beginner's Checklist Before every order from China, run through this checklist: - [ ] Calculated total cost including shipping, customs, and VAT - [ ] Checked seller rating (95%+ positive) - [ ] Read photo reviews from real buyers - [ ] Verified product specifications (voltage, plug, size, compatibility) - [ ] Confirmed the product ships to Saudi Arabia - [ ] Started with a small order to test the seller - [ ] Saved screenshots of the product listing - [ ] Know how to file a dispute if needed Follow this guide, avoid these 5 mistakes, and you'll be importing like a pro in no time. Use Farq to compare prices and make sure every purchase is worth it.