Order from Dangdang

[hquek]

hi empressplace,


I'm assuming you don't have a china address to send to.

If you can wait (about 6-8 or more weeks) for delivery, I feel that ordering from DD is most cost efficient. Create an account with DD, place your stuff in your wish list and then at the end, select and put these in your shopping cart.

Select pay via online means, then choose pay with overseas credit card. The system will lead you to an external webpage for you to key in details. I've been using Amex (DBS for that matter) without issue for the past couple of years. The system will later return ok, and then refresh to DD page that says there is an error.

Since you are likely first timer, wait for email to come in - probably about 2 days. They will ask you to send your name, some numbers of your card to [email protected]. Send! After that, they will be able to match your payment to your order, pass audit and the boxes will be packed and sent via snail mail. I've ordered many times, so now they dun bother to audit my account, payment is matched usually 1 day after it was made and the stuff sent out directly.

So far, my packages have been delayed (max 2 months) but they HAVE arrived. Although once it was sent to another mummy and her stuff was sent to me. But that was happily resolved becos they include our phone numbers somewhere in the packages.

My friend tried daigou or something, but it was horribly expensive (becos that goes by weight - and you may not know the actual weight until the order is dispatched).

DD shipping rates are 50% of the RETAIL (not discounted hor) price. becos I can see how much was actually paid for shipping - sometimes they make profit, sometimes they make loss.

Have not tried vpost china but strongly feel it may be expensive. but that may be fast also. All boils down to whether you can wait.

IF you have friends/relatives in china who can help, then best way is to indicate 'pay upon delivery'. Delivery in this case is very fast as there is no audit procedure. I've had books delivered within 24 hours of ordering via express (pay a bit nevermind), even normal orders only take a couple of days to arrive.

Hope this helps.

[empressplace]

Thanks very much to hquek.


Does anyone have experience with using the Bank of China Union Pay credit card to do online purchase in China and with Dangdang? I wonder if it makes the transaction easier compared with Amex DBS.

Vpost China rates are as follows.

China
Shipping
Charge= Base Charge S$12.00 + Weight charge S$9.00/kg + Fuel Surcharge S$1.00/kg

[hquek]

hi empressplace,


Wow the rates are expensive! $9 per kg? many of the books from DD are hardcover, although thin, this will add up. For instance, the kameila special edition should be about 4+kg (I didn’t weigh but it was really heavy).

I used vpost europe before. never again. it’s way too expensive. May be cheaper to buy from opentrolley/bookdepository etc. There’s now NOQ in Singapore - operated by Times.

Never used China’s UnionPay. May be cheaper, but only if you have the card. I see that annual fees are charged, so for me, I won’t apply just to pay for DD purchases. Amex worked well for me. May have to send some emails, but so far that’s okay.

[tamarind]

Hi empressplace,

Recently I ordered books from China using peeka :
http://buy4u.peeka.sg/

I ordered a box of 34 books, over 12 kg, shipping is only $21+ using the cheapest economy shipping. They don't use the actual weight, they use the size of your parcel to calculate the shipping. The books arrived within 4 weeks. Peeka accepts bank transfer, no credit card needed. They accept orders from taobao or dangdang.

I have only ordered from them twice without any problems though I am not sure whether they are always reliable. I will try them again. You can use them at your own risk.

I have totally given up on direct order from dangdang. Though they have never lost any of my parcels, the last time they gave me a tracking number that does not exist. I did receive the parcel but will not order from them again unless I am in China. Now their overseas shipping is not reliable at all, it did not use to be like this when I first ordered from them.

[hquek]

Thanks Tamarind for the lead. Will check them out next time.


Yes, the last 2 times DD also gave me non-existent tracking numbers…at least they were non existent until somehow the parcels appeared on my doorstep. After this, I learn to just have faith and keep waiting. I don’t go to China much and hate (now) to ask pp to lug back for me.

[empressplace]

Thanks Tamarind for peeka. Will have a look.


The Bank of China Greatwall card with union pay currently has a 2 year fee waiver. Some telemarketer called me up. I was interested to know more only because it can be used in China. But looking at the complicated Dangdang payment instructions for online payment and having no PRC phone no. to set up the unionpay account, I doubt it can be easily used for online purchase.

[hquek]

hi empressplace,


Although ordering from DD can be tedious, mind-boggling, nail-biting, each time I get the books, it’s like Christmas - so I keep going back for more.

The prices of these books are incredible (incredibly low that is) and many of the good titles are translated from foreign languages, and no longer available in English form.

[empressplace]

Tamarind


How to order from dangdang using peeka? It seems to offer taobao only?

[tamarind]

empressplace:

Tamarind


How to order from dangdang using peeka? It seems to offer taobao only?

Just paste the dangdang link. The auto fetch only works for taobao but you can enter the other fields manually.

[tamarind]

hquek:

Thanks Tamarind for the lead. Will check them out next time.


Yes, the last 2 times DD also gave me non-existent tracking numbers...at least they were non existent until somehow the parcels appeared on my doorstep. After this, I learn to just have faith and keep waiting. I don't go to China much and hate (now) to ask pp to lug back for me.

dangdang is a reliable bookseller, it is just that their courier service is very bad and they refused to acknowledge it.