DHgate, a popular online marketplace known for its wide selection and competitive prices, can be a shopper's paradise.
But when it comes to getting those purchases in hand, the wait time can be a mystery.
This guide unravels the factors affecting DHgate shipping and delivery times, giving you a clear picture of what to expect from order to doorstep.
So, how long does DHgate take to ship and deliver? Shipping and delivery times can vary depending on a number of factors, including the product, the seller, and your location. Typically, DHgate orders are shipped within 3-15 business days, and delivery can take an additional 3-30 days depending on the shipping method you choose.
Here's a quick breakdown of the approximate shipping time for orders on DHgate to various destinations. Do note, the actual shipping time may vary depending on the specific product, shipping method chosen, and customs clearance procedures.
| Destination Country | Approximate DHgate Shipping Time |
|---|---|
| United States | 15-30 days |
| Canada | 15-30 days |
| United Kingdom | 10-25 days |
| Australia | 15-30 days |
| Germany | 10-25 days |
| France | 10-25 days |
| Spain | 10-25 days |
| Italy | 10-25 days |
| Netherlands | 10-25 days |
| Belgium | 10-25 days |
| Sweden | 10-25 days |
| Norway | 10-25 days |
| Denmark | 10-25 days |
| Finland | 10-25 days |
| Poland | 10-25 days |
| Brazil | 15-45 days |
| Russia | 20-40 days |
| Mexico | 15-30 days |
| South Africa | 20-40 days |
| India | 15-45 days |
Everything You Need To Know About DHgate Shipping
There are several modes through which DHgate can deliver your order. This, coupled with the factors that influence the shipping time, decides how long it will take to get your order delivered.
How Long Does DHgate Take to Process Orders?
Order processing time refers to the time it takes for the seller to prepare and dispatch the product to the courier service. The processing time can vary depending on the number of goods or orders and the volume of orders.
The processing time can take anywhere from 3 to 15 working days to complete. Products with low stock take longer to get processed as DHgate needs to wait for their sellers to refill their supplies.
What are the Factors that Determine DHgate's Shipping Time?
The shipping time depends on the following factors, as discussed below.
- The item processing time as discussed earlier.
- The shipping time also depends on the shipping method, which the importer can choose at their discretion.
- It depends on the location of the buyer and the seller and how far apart they are located.
- It may be affected by holidays, festivals, or unforeseen accidents on the way.
- It is influenced by the type of products ordered, order volume, and the rarity and availability of the products.
- While not as critical as the abovementioned factors, the seller's reputation may also affect delivery times. Depending on how established they are, they may or may not have the facilities and resources to deliver products faster.
What Shipment Methods Does DHgate Offer?
DHgate has a wide array of shipping methods to deliver products, depending on the distance the package needs to travel. You will gain access to a tracking number once your order has been dispatched for delivery.
Generally, this is provided by the seller. You can use this tracking number to sign in to your registered account on the DHgate website.
Following this, visit the "Order Detail" tab. This tab will offer you every insight regarding your package, including the delivery time. DHgate uses delivery services like China Post, EMS, DHL, FedEx, TNT, Singapore Post, Post Link, and HK Post.
Shipment through air freight
Customers in a hurry can avail of air freight shipping for the fastest delivery. The expected time of delivery is 5 to 14 days. However, it depends on individual sellers and the shipping partners they choose. The costs, however, are really high.
Air freight is your go-to option when the cargo being shipped is not considerable volume-wise but has a significant weight. Examples include electronic equipment, medical, and clothing products.
Air freight is also a highly preferred option when shipping precious items like gold and silver jewelry as it offers considerable security. Air freight remains the best shipping option when shipping perishable items like flowers and food.
Shipment through sea freight
Sea shipment is the most common delivery option availed by customers. It is slow but cost-effective. For a 20ft container, the shipping cost is typically about USD 3000-3900. The usual time frame for shipping across the sea is 30 to 45 days.
Since many factories are located near the sea, choosing sea freight is often convenient if you are not in a hurry. Waterways are often the only option for a considerable volume of goods since Airplanes can't carry so much load.
Rail Freight
Rail freight is a relatively unpopular shipping method, but they sit somewhere between sea freight and air freight in terms of utility and convenience. There are not a lot of countries connected with China through railways that import products - most of the countries are overseas.
However, countries like Germany and the UK have railway connections with China and it provides a significantly cheaper and faster shipping method compared to the waterways.
Some of the goods you can quickly ship from China via rail include dry cargo, liquid cargo, heavy machinery, bulk cargo, etc.
China Express shipment
China Express Shipment is the fastest delivery option, used by logistics companies like FedEx and DHL. With this shipment method, delivery times can be as low as 3-5 days.
However, there are strict weight limits in express shipment as the product will be coming by air. Usually, small and lightweight items that are precious in value are express shipped. The costs are pretty high too.
Usually, after the product is shipped, it's better to contact the freight forwarder for details regarding the product's delivery time. 95% of the time, the freight forwarder chooses China Express Shipment.
How long does DHgate take to ship and deliver goods?
How long does DHgate take to ship and deliver via Air Freight
Air freight is the most common method of shipping used by most e-commerce websites. It is faster but can be more expensive than other shipping methods. Air freight delivery usually takes 5 to 14 days. Buyers can receive their orders through their country's parcel delivery service to their doorstep.
How long does DHgate take to ship and deliver via Ocean Freight
Sea freight or Ocean freight is also a popular shipping method for bulk orders. It is generally slower than air freight, and a 20ft container shipment can cost around $4000 to $5000 and take 30 to 40 days for delivery.
Shipping Time from China to the US
It's important to note that beyond the actual time taken for the cargo to cross the sea, several days are usually spent in packaging, handling, customs, and other processes the cargo has to go through.
It can take from a month to 33 days to prepare a cargo and six additional days after it reaches the US for it to be released from customs.
What's the Shipping Time from China to the US via Air Freight
Even though planes are the fastest, it can take up to 10 days for the cargo to reach the USA. Using Express shipping can cut 1the time by 2-3 days. For express freight, the rule of thumb for lead times is three days, while regular posts take about one to two weeks.
What's the Shipping Time from China to the US via Ocean Freight
Ocean freight usually is the slowest, taking about 30-40 days to deliver the product.
Shipping Time from China to the UK
Ocean freights can take up to 7 weeks if there are no unexpected delays on the way. The actual time depends on your location and the cargo ship's route.
For air freight, it takes 4-7 days. The actual flight is completed in just a couple of hours. Most of the time is spent on the processes before and after the flight.
Shipping Time from China to Canada
Delivering products to Canada is a little complicated when compared to the USA. DHgate, on their official website, provides an estimated delivery time of 20-25 days when shipping to Canada.
Who Does DHgate Ship with?
DHgate uses big, international couriers like China Post, EMS, FedEx, DHL, TNT, Singapore Post for delivery. Usually, expressionless deliveries are handled by UPS, FedEx, and DHL for fast delivery times. The other shipping partners handle the less urgent deliveries in this list.
DHL is one of the fastest delivery partners for DHgate. They are capable of delivering products within 3-4 days.
Delivery time is also affected by the type of product. Bulkier items may take longer to be processed. Primarily, ocean freight is the only way to ship bulky products.
Free Shipping vs. Paid Shipping
Free shipping is sometimes available on select few products, or you can apply coupons that eliminate shipping costs on products. E-Packet is a delivery service provided by DHgate which offers free or low-cost shipping. Sellers using economy class delivery services like China Post, Singapore Post, etc., usually result in longer delivery times.
Choosing DHL, UPS, or other top-tier delivery services is faster but not free most of the time. Only if the product has a high value or a significant demand in the market the seller may consider shipping them for free.
Sellers may sometimes mislead buyers by offering free shipping with every product, while in fact, they don't. The shipping providers vary with sellers, hence the variation in shipping times.
On-Time Delivery and Estimated Delivery
DHgate usually displays two delivery times: estimated delivery and on-time delivery. We have discussed them in detail below.
On-Time Delivery Guarantee
The sellers on DHgate are bound to provide the guaranteed date to the customer regarding their on-time delivery of products.
Now, this delivery time is made of two parts.
- The first part is the time taken by the seller to ship the product, i.e., the processing time.
- The second part is the time taken by the shipping company to deliver the product to the customer.
Once the seller uploads the tracking number, which you can check on the DHgate website, the guaranteed on-time delivery period starts.
According to the DHgate website, every seller should abide by specific regulations. Each of them is bound to provide an 'on-time delivery' guarantee on the page that lists their products. The sellers must set up and display this delivery guarantee against every item that finds its place on the item details page. The buyer is entitled to a complete refund if their desired goods are not received on time despite an on-time delivery guarantee.
Some factors that may hamper guaranteed delivery:
- Your order might not reach you if you provide the wrong delivery address.
- Natural disasters or other factors outside DHgate's control may affect the delivery times.
Estimated Delivery
This is the period that the official website provides as a reference to the on-time delivery period. It is a rough estimate that deviates somewhat from the on-time delivery guarantee. The estimated time of delivery has no parameter for accurate calculation as well.
Estimated Delivery Time vs. On-Time delivery
Some points separate the two that are provided below.
- The seller offers an on-time delivery guarantee. On the other hand, the estimated delivery time is provided by DHgate.com.
- The time provided by the seller is genuine and precise, but the estimated time is just a reference provided by the platform to delineate the rough delivery time.
- The guaranteed delivery time is calculated from the exact moment the seller uploads the tracking number. However, there are no such stringent regulations when it comes to the estimated delivery time.
What Factors Can Cause a Delay in the Shipping?
Several factors could delay the shipping even if the seller had previously provided them with an 'On-Time' delivery guarantee.
- During overseas delivery, the reshuffling of the flight times due to bad weather or other causes can result in delayed shipping.
- Low efficiency in customs clearance may also cause delays. Workers may show unprofessional behavior and don't perform the task on time, delaying delivery.
- The lower number of flights during the COVID-19 Pandemic has severely affected the delivery time in many areas. Especially when the COVID graph keeps climbing up in a particular location, sellers may decide to stop all deliveries to that location midway in fear of a lockdown.
- Holidays or major events may cause delays too. Although, it's worth mentioning that holidays are fixed throughout the year, giving buyers enough time beforehand to plan out their purchases so that the delivery period doesn't fall within the holidays.
DHgate Shipping FAQ's
What is the typical order processing time on DHgate?
DHgate order processing time varies depending on the seller and the products ordered. For items in stock, processing time can take 3-15 working days, while for customized or large orders, processing time may take longer.
How long does it take for DHgate to ship orders?
DHgate shipping time depends on the shipping method selected by the buyer and the destination. On average, DHgate orders take 3 to 25 working days for delivery.
Can I track my DHgate order during shipping?
Yes, once your DHgate order has been shipped, you will receive a tracking number that can be used to track your package's location and status.
Does DHgate offer expedited shipping options for urgent orders?
Yes, DHgate offers expedited shipping options through their partnership with top delivery companies such as DHL, FedEx, and UPS. This option takes 3 to 5 days for delivery.
Does DHgate offer free shipping?
Yes, DHgate offers free shipping for certain products and sellers. However, shipping times may be longer than paid shipping options.
Can I choose my shipping carrier on DHgate?
No, the choice of shipping carrier for your order is dependent on the seller and the shipping method they offer.
How long does it take for DHgate orders shipped via air freight to arrive?
DHgate orders shipped via air freight typically arrive within 5 to 14 days, depending on the destination.
How long does it take for DHgate orders shipped via sea freight to arrive?
DHgate orders shipped via sea freight usually take longer to arrive than air freight, with an average delivery time of 30 to 40 days.
Takeaway
With these points, you can have a rough fair estimate of the shipping times for various modes of transport from DHgate. Keeping in mind the various factors that influence the delivery time, use this knowledge to plan before making purchases.
Although DHgate prioritizes customer experience, the fact that they have to coordinate with a bunch of 3rd party sellers and freight forwarders means that something can go wrong. So it's better to be aware of the processes that come into play for the best purchase experience.
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