Upfront summary: Is DHGate worth it? 

DHGate is a legit, third-party selling site out of China. As with all online marketplaces, the chances of buying from a less than reputable seller are real. DHGate has a buyer protection program to help avoid scams and fraudulent activity; however, this doesn’t fully guarantee the buyer’s information is safe. DHGate uses third-party sellers and does not sell its own products, meaning the actual site may be legit, but the sellers using it may not be. 

DHGate is extremely popular due to the fantastic rock-bottom prices buyers can find. The enormous selection of products can also be hard to resist. Whether buyers are looking for a new cell phone case or a name-brand handbag replica, they are virtually guaranteed to find it on DHGate. With so many deals readily available, it can raise the question, “what’s the catch?” Let’s dig a little deeper and find out. 

DHGate Company Information 

Official Website: https://dhgate.com
Founded: 2004
Owner: Diane Wang
Location: 8F Bldg A, U-Center 28 Chengfu Rd Haidian District Beijing
Customer Service Contact: Online Chat
Social Media: Not available at this time

What Is DHGate? 

Dhgate is the largest online wholesale site in the world. It acts as the intermediary between buyers and sellers. Many manufacturing companies use DHGate to offer their products directly to the public and businesses seeking to buy large quantities of items. Due to the nature of the wholesale market, the prices are incredibly low, some starting at just $0.01. DHGate was founded in 2004 by Diane Wang, who has experience creating online giants such as, Joyo, the Amazon to China. She is also the representative for China at the G20 business summit.

Thousands of different sellers use DHGate as their online business store, which creates a highly competitive market and allows for rock bottom prices on virtually every product offered. Primarily based in China, the sellers and manufacturers have low production costs, which help keep their 

overhead down; This is another reason DHGate can offer its buyers deals other sites may not have the ability to match. 

>>MORE: Urban VPN: Authorized & Safe? To What Extent Are They Reliable?

Is DHGate Legal Or A Scam? 

The answer to the question, “is DHGate legal” is yes. The answer to “is it a scam?” is…kinda. The actual DHGate site is legal and has been in business for almost 20 years, serving 222 countries. The gray area arises with the sellers that use DHGate to sell their products. Although it does offer a buyer protection program, the customer service to enforce any disputes is completely unreliable. Suppose a customer purchases from a seller who decides not to send the item described or the item is damaged or broken. It is difficult to resolve the problem and receive a refund, making the chances of getting scammed relatively high. 

Since the site is legit, the chances of receiving a virus or malware are low, but there is a high risk of having sensitive data stolen, depending on the seller chosen. One way DHGate tries to combat this is by offering a seller rating system. With this system, the buyer can see how many satisfied or dissatisfied customers each seller has and make an informed choice on who to use. Similar sites offer the same experience, like AliExpress, but fake sites are rare, as DHGate is known worldwide. 

>>MORE: Can I Trust Stripe? Really, How Trustworthy & Legit Are They?

Is DHGate Reliable And Trustworthy? 

Due to its size and customer outreach, there are a lot of customer reviews for DHGate. Overall, customers reported a low rating for the site and were generally dissatisfied with their experiences. The ratings from four top review sites are as follows: 

  • BBB – 1/ 5 ( 29 ratings; F review) 
  • TrustPilot – 2.4 /5 (27,496 ratings) 
  • Site Jabber – 3.45 / 5 (6,646 ratings) 
  • Resellerratings – 3.51 / 5 (116,430 ratings) 

DHGate promotes its buyer protection program prominently on its website to help ease customers’ minds about purchasing from the site. The program states five things: 

  • Payment is only released to the seller once the buyer confirms the safe delivery of the order 
  • The buyer will have adequate time to inspect their order to ensure accuracy and file disputes
  • Sellers have a set amount of time to ship the order to receive payment – Buyers can chat with the seller to help avoid miscommunication, with the option to record the communication 
  • Payment details never exposed to third-party sellers 

Even with this plan in place, the number one complaint among customers is scamming. Most report they either never received their order or the item they receive is not what was purchased. These scam reports far outweigh the positive reports on every rating site. 

>>MORE: Binance: Is It Safe? How Trustworthy & Legit Are They Actually?

DHGate Shipping Info 

Shipping time varies significantly on DHGate depending on the seller and the shipping service the buyer chooses. International shipping can take anywhere from 14-54 days, depending on the rate selected. Cost also varies from seller to seller. Each one can decide if they would like to offer free shipping on certain orders. The site provides a shipping options chart to help the buyer determine what option works best for them.

DHGate provides tracking numbers for all orders and provides a link on its site to use them. Currently, there are 222 countries that DHGate ships to, with a listing showing each one on the shipping options chart on the site. 

>>MORE: Offerup: Is It Safe? How Trustworthy & Legit Are They?

Does DHGate Have Good Customer Service? 

With a site as large as DHGate, customer service is critical for providing the buyer with a satisfying purchasing experience. Unfortunately, the customer service DHGate offers is horrible. They do not have a phone number or an email for customers to reach out to when they have a question or problem; it only provides an online chat. Even with the chat option, customers report receiving no help with lost or missing orders, broken or damaged merchandise, or stolen personal data. DHGate offers social media links, but they either do not lead to an actual page-specific site, or a chat tab pops up instead. Customers report giving up on receiving any help for their issues or experiencing an extended wait time, especially when receiving a refund. 

>>MORE: Can You Trust Ssense? How trustworthy and safe are they?

How To Cancel An Order On DHGate 

There are four ways to cancel and order on DHGate: 

  • For unpaid orders – in the “my orders” tab, click awaiting payment, then “cancel order” – For payment pending orders – email safetycenter@dhgate.com with the order number asking to cancel the order 
  • Within two hours of order status changing to “item being processed” – in the “my orders” tab, click “cancel order”
  • After two hours of order status changing to “item being processed” – buyer cannot cancel and must request a refund from the seller. 

>>MORE: How Safe Is Webull? Really, How Trustworthy & Legit Are They?

Does DHGate Have Promo/ Discount Codes? 

DHGate offers a wide array of promo and discount codes to its customers. These include free shipping, discounts on orders over a certain amount, and deal days. 

Does DHGate Have A Return Policy? 

Each seller provides their own refund policy on DHGate. They set the guidelines and deal with the customers’ complaints about the order in question. If the buyer is not happy with how the seller handles the return dispute, they may contact DHGate for continued assistance. 

DHGate Payment Methods 

DHGate offers many payment options to its customers. Listed below are the most common, but the site offers a comprehensive list of accepted payments in each country. 

  • Major credit cards – Visa, Discover, Mastercard, American Express, Maestro, Union Pay, 
  • Local Payment – Skrill, Apple pay 
  • DHPay Account 

>>MORE: Is Stockpile Secure? How Trustworthy & Legit Are They Actually?

The Pros And Cons Of DHGate 

As with every online marketplace, there are pros and cons for buying through DHGate. Some of those reasons are listed below. 

Pros 

  • A wide range of products to choose from 
  • Incredibly low prices 
  • The ability to buy wholesale amounts of all products 

Cons 

  • High likelihood to get scammed 
  • Long shipping times
  • Little to no customer service 

>>MORE: Hotspot Shield: Is It Safe? How Trustworthy & Legit Are They Actually?

DHGate Careers 

Employees at DHGate give a 2.9 / 5-star review on Glassdoor. They mainly report the company is adequate to work for with no major pitfalls or downsides. Currently, there is an unreported number of job openings. Being hired seems moderately complex, with employees reporting callbacks and thorough questioning during interviews. 

Best DHGate Alternatives 

There are a few well-known sites that are alternatives to DHGate. They all offer the same types of deals and wholesale savings to the buyers. 

  • Aliexpress 
  • Alibaba 
  • Global Sources 
  • Made-in-China 

>>MORE: Coinbase: Is It Safe? How Trustworthy & Legit Are They Actually?

Additional FAQ’s 

I would like to sell on DHGate. Is that possible? 

Yes, DHGate offers dropshipping. This allows potential sellers to purchase products and sell them on a wholesale site. 

Does DHGate offer membership programs? 

Yes! DHGate now offers VIP prime membership. Customers can purchase either a monthly, seasonal, or yearly package. Each choice includes savings, freebies, VIP-only deals, and more. 

Does DHGate offer a rewards program? 

Yes! Customers receive DHcoins for every applicable purchase. Coins used can go toward coupons or monetary discounts for future orders. 

What does DHGate use to help ensure my credit card security? 

DHGate uses 3-D Secure to help ensure customers’ credit card information is not stolen. Upon placing an order, a tab will appear asking customers to verify some of their information. Once complete, this data is verified, and the customer may complete the order.