My love for cars has no bounds and while I may only own a simple second hand Beamer, I decided that it is high time I add some aftermarket accessories to supe it up.
The problem with aftermarket accessories in the States is that everything costs a hand and a leg.Â
For example, a good muffler and decals for the car can set you back a couple thousand dollars.Â
This was not going to work out for my budget because I only paid a couple of thousands dollars to buy the car from a friend, and wasting the same amount of cash just to make the car look presentable will be a complete loss for me.
So I took to sites like DHgate and AliExpress because I remember buying car accessories from there for cheap. Trust me, these are two fantastic online marketplaces where you can get your hands on any Chinese car accessory you want without breaking the bank.
This guide will teach you how to choose a Chinese car accessories seller to buy from and what to look for when getting your products shipped from overseas.
Here’s what i’ll cover:
- How to Find a Reliable Chinese Car Accessories Seller?
- How to Ensure the Quality of the Accessory is Good?
- Why Buy Car Accessories from China?
- Things you Need to Know when Importing Car Accessories from China
And i’ll list out a couple of sellers that I trust, so feel free to get in touch with them for all your needs.
Let’s begin!
How to Choose a Chinese Car Accessories Seller to Buy From?
How to Find a Reliable Chinese Car Accessories Seller?
Choosing a reliable car accessories seller from China is a daunting task and I found this out the hard way.Â
Not all sellers are trustworthy and there are quite a few who actually tried duping me by avoiding my messages and sending bad quality products.Â
After going through a bunch of different sellers and manufacturers, I decided to pen down a couple of points to keep in mind every time I’m about to make a purchase online.Â
I’m sharing these tips so you can learn how to choose the right seller and your money won’t have to go down the drain.
Check the Seller’s Reputation
The first thing I did before placing an order is to check the reputation of the seller and see whether or not the seller has positive reviews from other buyers.Â
Sellers on Chinese marketplaces such as DHgate and AliExpress can either be manufacturers that deal in genuine high quality products or third-party vendors that sell low quality accessories that are, at times, not safe to use.Â
Accessing the sellers profile and checking their store rating is one way to find out if they are the real deal or not and by doing this, I was able to weed out the bad sellers and only buy good quality accessories from genuine, top-rated sellers.
I would also recommend buying from sellers that have been around for a while. New sellers can be good at times, but because they are new in the market, some accessories may not be up to the mark simply because they lack the experience.
Check the Seller’s Online Presence
Another point I considered is the online presence of the seller. Is the seller going to reply to my question or are they simply updating the catalog and sitting back without doing any work.Â
Some sellers made it a point to respond to my queries in a timely manner, whereas others did not even bother.Â
From my understanding, it’s never a good idea to buy from the latter simply because if they do not respond to a chat or message then chances are that the order will either not get fulfilled or the seller will keep citing a delay in shipping out the order.Â
My advice to you is, buy Chinese car accessories only after getting in touch with the seller and confirming if they are genuine or not. Also, check if the seller has a registered website where you can view their complete catalog of accessories, before placing an order.
Make sure the Seller offers After Sales Service
This is a tricky one because not all manufacturers and suppliers offer after sale services especially if the order is getting shipped overseas.Â
As a rule of thumb, when buying car accessories in bulk or retail, always pick a seller that provides after sales service. This can range from the seller getting in touch with you post the sale to check if there’s anything wrong with the shipment to providing installation tips in case you’re stuck in a rut.
I even found a handful of sellers that offer replacements and refunds on defective goods while others did not, so it’s essential to check the sellers policies before placing an order online, especially if it’s a bulk order.
Variety of Products
When it comes to the car accessory industry, there are hundreds of different accessories available online and it’s always ideal to buy from a seller that specializes in more than one particular product.
The reason why i’ve included a variety of products on this list is because I ended up saving money on my shipping and import duties while buying from a supplier who deals in different accessories.Â
I was also able to get a discount on the entire order rather than a particular product and I found that it was much easier to get in touch with a single entity regarding my after sales service rather than reaching out to 10 different sellers and only receiving a response from 2-3.
How to Ensure the Quality of the Accessory is Good?
While this might seem near impossible since the products are manufactured and sold from China, there are ways we can check to see if the product is of good quality or not.Â
There are three things that I came across while dealing with different sellers from China, they are factory audits, certifications and warranty.Â
Products that lack any of these three checks are usually fakes or knock offs made from low quality materials.Â
A factory audit basically means that the product has undergone a preliminary inspection at the factory and has been deemed safe to use. These are normally denoted by stickers or embossed markings on the accessory itself.
Certifications are scores provided, stating that the product manufactured by the seller meets the expected standards and is safe to use. Certifications are generally attached to the company itself and accessories would have an imprint of the certification number on them showcasing their authenticity.
Finally, warranties are given out by companies and manufacturers to assure customers that if the product has any defect or flaw, then the company is liable to replace or repair the unit. If a product doesn’t come with a basic 3-6 month warranty period, then as a buyer you will not be able to claim a refund or replacement.Â
Another point I’d like to share with you, especially if you’re a wholesale dealer who’s going to buy in bulk, is to check if the seller offers samples of the products.Â
I was able to pick up samples of some car accessories by paying the retail price (some even gave them for free) and this was one way I was able to check the quality of the product before buying in bulk quantities from the seller.
Here are Some Reliable Top-Rated Chinese Car Accessory Sellers That I Came Across
Rating: 94.2%
Years in the market: 5 Years
I’ve dealt with this seller a number of times and they have a wide variety of car accessories such as electronic equipment, replacement parts, tools, lights, decals and even diagnostic devices. A lot of their products are cheap and affordable, and they offer discounts on retail as well as wholesale purchases.
Rating: 97.2%
Years in the market: 7 years
DSYCAR is one of my go-to sellers simply because they offer really high quality products at bargain prices. I love their selection of muffler tips, interior accessories, range of valve caps, badges and decals for cars. I found the seller to be quite responsive and they had a timely way of processing orders without causing any delays.
Rating: 95.8%
Years in the market: 3 years
Though the store is relatively new to the scene, they have some of the best quality air intakes and car stickers I could find online. Their AliExpress store has hundreds of products listed from steering wheel accessories to license plate holders and exterior trims. One thing that stood out about this seller is that they primarily focus on producing aftermarket components for Tesla and Porsche range of cars.
Rating: 97.5%
Years in the market: 3 years
Baseus is a well known brand and i’ve featured some of their products in my earlier articles. I loved their level of professionalism and because they manufacture high quality accessories such as vacuum cleaners, jump starters, electronics, chargers and other gadgets for cars, they are probably one of the best car accessory suppliers in the market right now.
Rating: 98.8%
Years in the market: 1 year
Probably the baby brand on this list, Godiag doesn’t have many products under their sleeve, but they do have some of the best auto diagnostic and programming tools money can buy. I found this seller on DHgate and was pleased at how easy it was to buy from them. Some of their diagnostic tools cost over $500, but because the quality is good, it makes sense buying from them.
Rating: 96.8%
Years in the market: 4 years
Here’s another seller on DHgate that I happened to come across during my search for reliable chinese car accessories. They provide cleaning devices for the car, fuel filters, diagnostics tools, USB gadgets and much more at affordable prices. The quality of their products also stand out and almost everything can be bought at discounted prices in bulk.
Why Buy Car Accessories from China?
Well, to start things off, the one reason why I decided to buy car accessories from China instead of Europe or within the States is because of the low cost of good quality accessories in China.
I came across accessories such as decals, mufflers, rims, dashboard accessories and even devices like GPS navigation systems and car diagnostics tools that cost a fraction of the price, if sourced directly from China.
But that’s not all, there are actually a number of reasons why China is a great place to source accessories for your car regardless of whether you’re buying it for personal use or to resell.Â
Based on my findings, here are some important points why I’d recommend buying car accessories from Chinese manufacturers.
Affordable PricingÂ
First off, car accessories that are manufactured in China are quite affordable. This is because manufacturers there have unlimited access to an abundance of raw materials and their labor laws are lax, so products get mass produced for cheap.Â
The affordable pricing is only if you buy the products directly from Chinese manufacturers or from Chinese online marketplaces like DHgate or AliExpress.
Shipping Costs are LowÂ
Secondly, since China has a large market presence, goods get shipped across the world at reasonable prices and in a timely manner.Â
You can place an order today and expect to receive the item within 2 weeks through various means of transportation such as freight and air.Â
However, it’s good to note that it’s cheaper to ship goods in bulk rather than individual pieces as the shipping costs are generally associated with the number of items in the shipment.
Availability and Variety of Accessories
Another reason why I prefer buying car accessories from China is because they are easily available and there are hundreds of sellers that specialize in different car accessories.Â
For example, while searching for a good compressor for my car, I came across pages and pages of products, all from different manufacturers and all carrying different price tags.Â
This vast selection and ease of availability made it easier for me to single out the one I wanted to buy.
So, if you’re planning to buy car accessories for cheap and would like a variety, then consider buying the accessories from Chinese sellers as you will be able to find variations of everything you want.Â
Things you Need to Know when Importing Car Accessories from China
It’s a given that when importing goods from China, you will need to take care of import duties and must ensure that the accessories you buy adhere to the policies and regulations of your country.
I’ve made a list of important things you need to know if you’re importing car accessories from China.
- Order Quantity – When buying products from China, in order for your order to make sense financially, it’s important to buy more than a single item. Importing accessories in bulk will help you save money on shipping, get additional discounts and have a lower import fee that you’d have to pay.
- Payment Method – Since the seller is based in China, buying accessories may seem hard if you don’t have an international card or a valid PayPal account. So ensure that you and the seller have a common mode of payment so the transaction can go through successfully. Also, try and maintain an agreement with the seller on the payment terms for your orders if you’re buying in bulk and are going to import items from a particular seller over a period of time.
- Import Duties and Local Taxes  – As an importer, it’s important that you fulfill your tax duties and pay the import fees to the relevant authorities. If the seller assures you that he/she will take care of the import fees through the shipping company, then just ensure that you have your documentation in place ready to show at the time of customs clearance.
- Check for Cargo Insurance – Cargo insurance is a type of insurance that’s applied to freight by sea so that in instances where the shipment gets lost at sea then you will receive compensation for the lost goods and not everything will be a loss. Check the terms and conditions of the insurance policy and always choose a reliable insurance partner so you get the right compensation.
- Delivery Timelines – Another important thing you need to know is that the delivery timeline depends solely on the mode of shipping you select upon checkout. If you want your shipment to arrive soon because of requirements and you have a deadline, choose the fastest shipment option. However, if you wouldn’t mind waiting for a couple of weeks then you can always choose the cheapest option and get the order delivered by freight or cargo. The fastest delivery time from China to the rest of the world is usually 7-10 days, however if the shipment is via freight, it can take anywhere from 10 days to 4 weeks to arrive.
Takeaway
Well, there you have it. A quick guide to choosing a car accessory seller from China with everything you need to know so you don’t get duped with bad quality products.
I hope this guide has helped you understand what to look for when buying car accessories overseas and how to go about importing aftermarket components and parts.
Until the next one, ciao!
Also Read:
- I Tested Over 30 Cheap and Portable Chinese Car Jump Starters | Here are 6 That I Personally Liked
- Popular Car Air Diffusers on AliExpress
- What is Chinese Anti-Fog Mirror Film for your Car?
- Chinese Car Tyre Pressure Monitors
