Amazon Global Shopping is a dedicated overseas shopping zone for Chinese consumers. Products are shipped directly from Amazon sites in the US, Japan, the UK, and Germany, with all pages in Chinese. It supports mainstream domestic payment methods like Alipay and WeChat Pay, making it the first stop for many cross-border shoppers.
Below, we'll go over some key points to note when placing an order on this site, hoping to help those who haven't ordered yet or those who have bought but haven't noticed certain issues.
[1] What is Prime membership and how much does it cost?
Amazon Prime is a membership shopping增值 plan launched by Amazon. After signing up for Amazon Prime, you can enjoy free shipping on all items with no minimum purchase, free access to millions of e-books, exclusive member discounts, and special prices. The annual Prime Day promotion in July, as the name suggests, is only available to members.
Currently, membership cards are available as quarterly cards and annual cards. The quarterly card costs 79 yuan, and the annual card costs 288 yuan. Last year, a 50% discount quarterly card promotion for 39 yuan was launched before the July Prime Day and the November Double 11 promotion. This offer was only available to users who were not members at the time and was limited to 7 days. Everyone can look forward to it this year as well.
PS: From our experience, member accounts sometimes have slightly lower taxes than non-member accounts. You can test this yourself.
[2] What is the Prime free shipping policy?
Prime members enjoy free shipping with no minimum purchase. Non-members get free shipping on orders over 300 yuan. Items eligible for free shipping will have the "Prime" logo below them, and below that, it will show which country's Amazon is shipping from. The Prime quarterly card costs 79 yuan, and the annual card costs 288 yuan.
[3] What does prepaid customs duty mean?
When paying, prepaid customs duty is included. The number below the price is the total of shipping + tax. Therefore, when calculating taxes, sometimes the tax displayed on the product page may differ from the checkout page. The checkout page is the final reference. Also, from our experience, member account taxes can sometimes be slightly lower than non-member accounts.
[4] Does the recipient's name have to match the ID information provided at checkout?
When ordering on Amazon Global Shopping, the orderer's information must match the payer's information. According to the General Administration of Customs regulations, "Domestic agents of cross-border e-commerce enterprises shall verify the authenticity of transactions and the identity information of consumers (orderers) and bear corresponding responsibilities. If the identity information has not been certified by the national competent authority or its authorized agency, the orderer and the payer must be the same person."
[5] How do I submit my ID information for an order?
When shopping on Amazon Global Shopping, after placing an order, you will enter the payment method selection page, and then proceed to the ID submission page. On the ID submission page, you need to add the "Payer's ID Information," ensuring that the submitted ID matches the payer's information.
When using the website or mobile app, if the system detects a mismatch between the orderer's and payer's information after you place an order, you will receive a text/email notification to modify it. There will also be a text reminder on your "My Orders" page. Update the orderer's ID information to match the payer's as required, and the product can be shipped normally.
[6] How long after ordering does it ship?
Products generally ship within 1-2 days and are received within 7-15 days. If an order is delayed for a long time, it's recommended to contact customer service to find out what the issue is.
[7] Can I cancel an order at any time?
If you want to cancel an order, you need to do so before it ships. After shipping, you can only choose to return the item, and the return shipping cost is very high. Be sure to check product details carefully before ordering, such as shoe sizes. For any returns not due to product issues on Global Shopping, the buyer bears the shipping cost, which can easily be over a hundred yuan.
[8] Can I buy home appliances from overseas?
When buying electrical appliances, check the voltage carefully. If unsure, it's recommended to consult customer service. Generally, small appliances from Japan and the US require a voltage transformer, while those from Amazon Germany and Amazon UK only need a plug adapter.
[9] When are the promotional events for Global Shopping?
The biggest events of the year are Prime Day in July and the Double 11 promotion in November. Before these promotions, there is usually a half-price quarterly Prime membership card offer. This offer is for users who are not currently in a membership period and cannot be used for renewal. You can plan your Prime membership end time accordingly.
Amazon Global Shopping differs from other overseas shopping sites. It is essentially a Chinese website, so it is more closely tied to Chinese holidays. Events like 618 and Double 11 are becoming increasingly significant, similar to domestic sites. There are also weekly promotions, and occasionally ultra-low-priced products. Keep an eye on our site's deals for timely updates on good discounts.
[10] What does the personal cross-border annual limit of 5,000 yuan mean?
The single transaction limit for cross-border e-commerce retail imported goods is 5,000 yuan, and the personal annual transaction limit is 26,000 yuan. When buying multiple items on Amazon Global Shopping, be sure to follow the principle of "personal use, reasonable quantity" and avoid exceeding this limit.
[11] What is the difference between Amazon Global Shopping and domestic shopping?
Global Shopping is very similar to domestic shopping, but the differences are also clear. First, although Global Shopping allows returns/exchanges within 30 days for unused items with intact accessories, there is no shipping insurance. This means the cost of returns/exchanges is very high. The habit of returning items just because you don't like them or they don't fit is not feasible here. Second, shipping speed cannot compare to domestic shopping. Global Shopping synchronizes shipments from Amazon US, UK, Japan, and Germany, and it takes at least half a month to arrive. If you need a gift for a holiday, it's recommended to buy a month in advance. Also, price adjustments are not possible here. If you bought something and it's cheaper later, and it hasn't shipped, you can cancel and re-buy. If it has shipped, you can try contacting customer service, but the chances are slim. Customer service contact is here. Of course, given the huge price differences between domestic and international markets, these minor drawbacks are not a big deal.
[12] What is the difference between Amazon Global Shopping and shopping directly on Amazon US, Japan, or UK?
First, we must understand that the three major foreign Amazon sites and China's Amazon Global Shopping are interconnected. 90% of products from these foreign Amazon sites that support direct shipping to China can be found as the same items on China's Amazon Global Shopping. The search method is to search by name. Here are a few key characteristics:
1. 90% of products that support direct shipping from Amazon US can be found as the same items on Amazon China Global Shopping by searching the name directly.
2. Prices are basically the same. The prices on Global Shopping are converted to RMB based on real-time exchange rates from Amazon US, Japan, and UK, and they change with the prices on those sites. Inventory status is also the same, although occasionally there might be data delays for some products.
Their specific differences:
1. The advantage of shopping directly on foreign Amazon sites is the ability to use their promotional codes (20% off, 30% off, etc.), coupons, and the S&S (Subscribe & Save) button. (Note: S&S means Subscribe & Save. For example, for milk, medicine, health supplements, etc., buying a large quantity at once might lead to expiration, but if you need them regularly, you can use the S&S function. You get a 15% discount per period, and Amazon delivers at a specified interval with automatic payment each time. Consumers can also cancel subsequent periods after the first delivery to get the 15% discount.) These offer instant discounts at checkout.
2. The advantage of China's Amazon Global Shopping is that the price before applying codes is the same as Amazon US, and most products support Prime member free shipping (including a one-month trial membership).
3. Ordering from Amazon Global Shopping means no need for a forwarding service, a Chinese interface, and the ability to pay with Alipay (orders shipped from Amazon Japan and UK currently cannot use Alipay; debit cards or UnionPay credit cards can be used).
Overall, you need to compare the price on Amazon US after using promotional codes, coupons, and S&S plus shipping and taxes, with the price on China's Amazon Global Shopping after using Prime free shipping. If the two are similar, we recommend using Amazon US, as it doesn't require a Prime membership. If China's Amazon Prime is significantly cheaper, then Amazon Global Shopping is recommended.
[13] Is China Amazon's Prime membership valid globally? I already have a US Amazon Prime membership. Does it apply to China's Amazon Global Shopping?
Amazon Prime membership services exist in various countries globally, but they are not universal. Unlike some countries where Amazon accounts can be shared, Prime memberships in different countries are independent.
The benefits of China Amazon's Prime membership only apply to Amazon China, including purchases of items shipped by Amazon China and items from the Amazon Global Shopping channel. They cannot be used on other country-specific Amazon sites, including Amazon US, Japan, UK, etc.
[14] Can I use my Amazon US or Japan account to log in and buy from Amazon Global Shopping?
No. To purchase items from Amazon Global Shopping, you must use an Amazon China account. Amazon China accounts are independent and are not shared with Amazon accounts from other countries.
The current status of Amazon accounts worldwide is:
Accounts for Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, and Amazon Italy are shared.
Amazon China and Amazon Japan are independent and are not shared with Amazon accounts from any other country.
[15] Can all products on Amazon US be purchased on Amazon Global Shopping?
No. The Global Shopping channel on Amazon China only lists products from Amazon US, Japan, and UK that support direct shipping to China. Some products from foreign Amazon sites that support direct shipping may not be available on Global Shopping. For some specific products you need, you may still need to purchase them directly from foreign Amazon sites and bring them back via forwarding or direct shipping.