Strictly speaking, Amazon Global Store is not about buying from Amazon China. Purchasing through Amazon Global Store means buying certain products from other Amazon marketplaces (currently available from Amazon US, Amazon Japan, and Amazon UK) via the Amazon China platform. These items are sold and shipped directly from overseas Amazon stores. If you trust Amazon US, Amazon UK, and Amazon Japan, you should also trust Amazon Global Store. To help you better understand Amazon Global Store, we have compiled this guide to answer your questions:
1. What to Know Before Buying
[1] Are products from Amazon Global Store authentic? Is Amazon Global Store reliable?
Generally, products on Amazon Global Store are sold directly by overseas Amazon stores, currently including Amazon US, Amazon Japan, and Amazon UK. As long as you trust these Amazon stores, you can trust Amazon Global Store. The three country-specific Amazon stores currently available on Global Store are as follows:
Amazon Global Store Japan (Click here) Amazon Global Store US (Click here) Amazon Global Store UK (Click here)
[2] Is the website easy to access? Do I need a VPN?
The website is in Chinese and can be accessed directly.
[3] Does it support direct shipping to China?
Yes, it supports direct shipping to China, delivered straight to your door. Just place the order and wait for delivery at home without any worries.
[4] Does it support Alipay, WeChat Pay, and domestic credit cards?
It supports payment methods such as Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay, and credit cards. Huabei is also accepted.
If you have a credit card, it is recommended to use it, as many banks currently offer points or cashback rewards for credit card spending.
[5] What is the threshold for free shipping?
Non-Prime members enjoy free shipping on orders over 300 RMB. Prime members enjoy free shipping with no minimum order. Additionally, free shipping only applies to Prime-eligible items, meaning items marked with the Prime logo.
If you are not a Prime member, you will not see this logo on Amazon Global Store product pages. Only Prime members or those on a 30-day free trial can see it.
[6] Will my package be held by customs for tax if shipped directly?
Import duties are prepaid at checkout for Amazon Global Store items, so the price you pay is the final price. No additional customs duties need to be paid upon arrival in China.
Amazon Global Store's prepaid duty policy is: refund for overpayment, no charge for underpayment. This means if the actual duty incurred during customs clearance is less than the prepaid amount, the difference will be refunded to you within about 2 months. If the actual duty is more than the prepaid amount, Amazon covers the difference, and no additional payment is required. Regarding the final tax paid, users can contact Amazon customer service for inquiries about 2 months after receiving the package.
2. How to Buy? (Ordering Process)
Ordering is really easy, just like shopping domestically: Register an account -- Add a shipping address -- Select items and add to cart -- Proceed to checkout and place the order. The specific steps are as follows (Amazon Global Store website link here, click to visit directly):
1. Click "Login/Register" in the top right corner to create an account. Fill in the required information, or log in directly with your WeChat account.
2. Select the product and add it to your cart.
3. Click "Proceed to Checkout" in your cart.
4. Select your shipping address or add a new one, then click "Deliver to this address".
5. Choose your payment method, complete the payment, and wait for your package to arrive.
3. Important Notes
Having covered all this, we believe you now have a good understanding of Amazon Global Store. But what else should you pay attention to?
1. The recipient's name, payment account, and the ID number provided must match. Otherwise, customs clearance may fail.
2. The single transaction limit for cross-border e-commerce retail imports is 5,000 RMB, and the annual personal purchase limit is 26,000 RMB. When buying multiple items on Amazon Global Store, please adhere to the principle of "personal use, reasonable quantity" and ensure you do not exceed these limits.
4. Further Reading
"Detailed Guide to the Amazon Global Store 30-Day Prime Free Trial"