Frequently asked questions

Register in the Meest China Shop buyout account at http://za.meest-shop.com/en/

Please note: upon registration, you automatically receive a unique ID, which is used for both the Meest China Shop buyout account and the Meest China delivery account, as these services are interconnected and share login data.

Select the required product in the catalog in the top menu of the site. Specify the required product parameters and click the “Add to Cart” button. After that, go to your shopping cart, place an order and pay for it.

To order products from the largest marketplaces in Asian countries:

1. Register on the chosen marketplace.

2. Register on https://za.meest-shop.com/en/

3. Copy the product link from the marketplace.

4. Paste the link into the “Buyout via Link” field in your Meest China Shop personal account.

5. Fill in all fields in the product form.

6. Top up your buyout balance.

7. Pay for the order.

8. Track order statuses in your account.

9. Arrange delivery once the product arrives at the warehouse.

To use the "Payment of a friend" service to purchase goods on the 1688 marketplace, log in to your Meest China Shop account and select the "Payment of a friend" section. 
To check your current AliPay account, please contact the support service and the operator will provide you with the necessary information.

1. “New Order” – The order has just been created and not yet paid. To pay, top up the buyout balance and use the funds to pay for the order.

2. “Paid” – The order has been paid and will be purchased by our agent (estimated time: 1 day).

3. “In Purchase” – The order is in the process of being purchased.

4. “Awaiting Confirmation” – The agent encountered issues during the purchase process, such as a price change, delivery cost adjustment, or product unavailability. The reason is specified in your account notifications.

5. “Awaiting at Warehouse” – The product has been purchased, and we are waiting for the seller to ship it to the warehouse and provide a tracking number. The tracking number will automatically be entered in your Meest China delivery account.

6. “Canceled” – The order may be canceled upon your request or if the “Awaiting Confirmation” status remains unresolved for over 5 days.

Data synchronization between TaoBao and https://za.meest-shop.com/en/ may experience delays. This means the seller on TaoBao may change the price, temporarily causing a discrepancy with the price displayed on Meest China Shop. For the best deal, search directly on TaoBao and then arrange a buyout using the product link in your Meest China Shop account.

Orders are purchased within 1 day after payment is made. If the product requires clarification, is out of stock, or its price has changed, the process may take longer—after new terms are agreed upon with you.

Meest China Shop waits for the tracking number from the seller and immediately registers it in your account. If the seller does not provide a tracking number within 7 days, the order will be canceled, and the funds will automatically be returned to your buyout balance.

Yes, upon your request, we will organize the product return to the seller and assist with reimbursement. Contact support or submit a request via your account.

The Meest China Shop service does not allow the purchase of used products.

The buyout service includes product purchase via link, delivery to our warehouse, tracking number registration in your account, product inspection, and, if necessary, its return or replacement. 

Other interactions with the seller or marketplace are not included.

The supplier search service is currently unavailable. However, you can independently choose sellers on available marketplaces for buyout.

The product will be delivered to the warehouse as shipped by the seller—under one tracking number or multiple tracking numbers if the sellers are different. However, the warehouse offers a product deconsolidation service. You can request this service and specify how the products should be separated (by color, weight, nomenclature, etc.). The cost of deconsolidation is $0.2/kg + $0.5 for inspecting each separate item.

Purchase of goods is available from China.

You can cancel an order if the product has not yet been purchased or delivered to the warehouse. 

Please note that if there are clarifications required by the agent, we await your decision in the Meest China Shop account for 5 days. If no decision is made, the order will automatically be canceled.

To checkout a parcel in the web version:
1. In the delivery area, go to the “Items” section (on the left).
2. Select the necessary items that you want to combine into one parcel.
3. Click “Add parcel” at the top of the screen.
4. Fill in the information about the delivery and the recipient of the parcel.

To checkout a parcel in the mobile app:
1. Go to the “Products” section (at the bottom of the screen).
2. Click “Create a parcel”.
3. Select the items you want to combine into one parcel.
4. Enter the necessary information and the recipient.

A photoreport includes 3–5 photos of the product from different angles, including packaging, which the warehouse employee uploads to your personal account.

A service for transferring goods from our warehouse to another warehouse is available. To transfer goods to another warehouse, create a request in the Meest China account under the topic “Return to Seller/Redirection within China.” 

Provide the full address of the warehouse in Chinese, along with the recipient’s name and phone number. The service cost is calculated as follows: parcel weight * $2/kg (+ additional warehouse services if they have already been provided). Please note: shipment of goods to another cargo warehouse occurs only after the service has been paid for.

The storage period for goods at the warehouse is 1 month, including consolidated parcels. Storage service is provided free of charge. 

After the specified period, goods will be disposed of without compensation.

To combine multiple goods into one parcel via the web version of the personal account:

1. Go to the “Goods” section.
2. Select the goods you want to combine by marking the checkboxes to the left of their tracking numbers.
3. Click the “Create Parcel” button at the top of the screen.

Note: If a red square with “oversized unconsolidated cargo” appears near the tracking number, it means the dimensions exceed 60×40×40 cm. Such items can be sent separately or combined with other items of similar size.

To combine multiple items into one parcel via the Meest China mobile app:

1. Go to the “Goods” section.
2. Click the “Add Parcel” button at the bottom of the screen.
3. Select the items you want to combine.
4. Click “Create Parcel.”

Note: The same rules for oversized cargo apply as in the web version.

If an order’s tracking number is not entered, the item receives the status “unidentified.” In this case:

1. We recommend contacting support and reporting the issue.
2. The operator will check if the tracking number matches one of your orders. If confirmed, the tracking number will be automatically entered in your account.

Please note! If no action is taken regarding the unidentified item, inspection services for the item will not be included.

Every parcel delivery automatically includes standard insurance. In case of loss or damage to the contents caused by the company, compensation for the parcel value will be provided after claim review, but no more than $100 per parcel. If additional insurance is required, you can arrange it during parcel consolidation in your personal account. The cost of this service is 2.5% of the declared insurance amount.

To pay for an order in the Meest China Shop account:

1. Log in to the Meest China Shop account and go to the “Balance” section (left menu).
2. Top up the buyout balance for the required amount. It is recommended to add at least $0.1 to the calculated amount to avoid issues due to currency fluctuations.
3. After topping up the balance, find the desired order, check it, and click “Pay.” Your order will be processed after payment confirmation.

In order to pay for goods from 1688:

1. Log in to the Meest China Shop account and select the “Payment of a friend” service.
2. For the current AliPay account details, contact support. The operator will provide the necessary information.
3. Go to the “Balance” section (left menu). Top up the balance for the required amount. Add at least $0.1 to avoid issues due to currency fluctuations.
4. After topping up the balance, select the necessary order, mark it, and click “Pay.” Your order will be processed after payment confirmation

All shipments are subject to duty, regardless of their value, as there is no duty-free limit for imported goods in South Africa.
However, South Africa does have an annual limit on the value of goods that can be imported without an importer code. According to the Legal LSec CE RA Customs and Excise Rules 1995 as amended on 12 April 2024, the current annual limit is R150 000 (or USD 7 900), with no limit on the number of parcels. 
According to paragraph ‘59A.03(1) Persons who must and may apply for registration) (a) (ii) (aa)’ (see page 963 of the Legal LSec CE RA Customs and Excise Rules 1995 as amended), an importer code is not required for:
- Individuals importing or exporting an aggregate value not exceeding R150 000.00 in a calendar year in one or more consignments.
- Persons importing or exporting household or personal effects.
- A person who is not a South African citizen and exports a vehicle to a country that is not a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

Goods that are prohibited from being sent to South Africa include:
1. Optical devices and their imitation
2. Cold steel, knives and tourist equipment
3. Lighters, burners and other gas products
4. Tobacco and electronic products, alcohol
5. Chemicals and medicines
6. Flammable, explosive and radioactive substances
7. Items and materials of unknown origin
8. Quadcopters and drones
9. Certain categories of food and beverages
10. Living organisms and biological materials
11. Items of national importance or cultural value
12. Documents, money and securities
13. Goods with fake trademarks or counterfeit products
14. Gold and precious metals

Basic rules and recommendations for the correct declaration of the contents of your parcel for customs clearance in South Africa:
1. The recipient of the parcel in South Africa must be a real person (name, address, phone number).
2. It is important to indicate the correct value of the goods - underestimation of the value may result in the confiscation of the parcel or fines.
3. It is important to provide a detailed description of the contents, indicating the exact quantity of goods. 
4. We recommend no more than one parcel per person per flight.
5. The presence of prohibited items in the declaration is unacceptable.
6. It is recommended to send a quantity of identical goods that meets personal needs to avoid being classified as commercial imports.

If the parcel is delayed by the South African Customs Service, you will need to pay duties and fees, as well as prepare invoices, screenshots of the order and a bank card statement of payment.

Customs officials may ask you to provide additional documents (invoice, certificates, permits, proof of payment). 

Parcels pass through the customs zone within 72 hours, after which they are handed over for delivery to the recipient.

Customs duties (Customs Duties):
Duty rates:
Depending on the type of goods, duty rates can vary from 0% to 45%.

Value Added Tax (Customs VAT): 
The VAT rate is 15% of the added tax value (ATV), which is calculated using the formula: ATV = (Customs value + 10% of the customs value + duty)
VAT = ATV × 15%.

Special fees:
Service Fee - a fixed amount of 100 ZAR
VAT on Service Fee - 15%.

Total amount payable = Customs Duties + Customs VAT + Service Fee + VAT on Service Fee

If the parcel is delayed at customs, you will need to obtain the necessary documents: 
1. Invoice (order) of the order from the store where the purchase was made. 
2. A link to the product on the marketplace where the order was placed. 
3. A bank statement confirming payment in accordance with the amount specified in the invoice.
4. Additional documents: depending on the type of goods, certificates of origin, licences or permits may be required.  
If your order was not purchased independently, but through a buyback service via a link, please contact Meest China support (delivery service). Provide the operator with your order number and ask for an invoice for the South African Customs Service. The relevant documents will be sent to the specified email.

For branded goods, please note that delivery is at your own risk. In the event of confiscation, no compensation for the cost of goods and shipping is provided.

Sending branded goods to South Africa is possible, but there are restrictions and requirements:
1. Original branded goods can be sent if:
- It is an original product and does not violate intellectual property rights.
- You have an invoice or receipt confirming the legality of the purchase.

2. Counterfeit goods.
It is forbidden to import counterfeit branded goods.
If customs detects counterfeit goods, the parcel will be confiscated and the recipient may be fined. 
Trademark owners have the right to block the import of goods if they are unauthorised.

3. Commercial supply
If goods are imported for sale, you need to obtain the permission of the brand owner.

When sending branded goods by air to South Africa, the customs authorities do not impose specific restrictions on the number of such goods in one parcel. However, it is important to bear in mind that a large number of identical or similar goods may be regarded as a commercial consignment, even if personal use is declared. 

Certain categories of goods may be subject to additional restrictions or require special permits. For example, electronics may require certification of compliance with South African standards.

The prohibited goods will be automatically excluded from the parcel at the stage of picking at the warehouse. In this case, the goods will be returned back to the seller in the country where the order was placed, or the seller may send their own courier to pick up such goods from the warehouse.
If the South African Customs finds prohibited goods in the parcel, the Customs has the right to seize the goods and destroy them without compensation.

Branded goods must be declared (marked) as branded goods in the Meest China Shop account.

If such a mark is not added when entering the goods into the account, it will be automatically set when the goods arrive at the warehouse.

For a correct declaration, you must: 
1. Select the category of goods corresponding to the contents of the parcel. 
2. Indicate the real value of the parcel.
3. Check the ‘Brand’ box when entering the goods in the Meest China account. 
4. Limit the number of identical items in the parcel to avoid being classified as a commercial import

If the goods are original, standard customs duties will be charged. Additional fees may apply:
Brand Verification Fee - may be charged if customs checks the goods for counterfeiting
Intellectual Property Fee - in case the official representative of the brand demands a fee for the import of branded products.
If the goods are found to be counterfeit, only confiscation is possible. In case of confiscation, no compensation for the cost of goods and delivery is provided.