Cheapest and safest way of paying for frameset from China?

[PeterJG81]

Hi guys,


What is the cheapest and safest way which did you use for paying for frame from China?

To avoid 5% Paypal fee & method which also includes tax and customs.

From the other side Alibaba will collect the tax if person doesn't have tax-free status in Alibaba (I don't have).

[Sander2177]

Hi guys,


What is the cheapest and safest way which did you use for paying for frame from China?

To avoid 5% Paypal fee & method which also includes tax and customs.

From the other side Alibaba will collect the tax if person doesn't have tax-free status in Alibaba (I don't have).

THe only other way besides PayPal is an International Bank Transfer, but that does come with risks and wether it is a reputable seller say LightCarbon or TanTan.
I just made a payment via bank transfer myself. As for tax being included, that’s often misleading. Some sellers use freight shipping methods to try to circumvent customs duties or declare a lower value on the package. However, if customs opens the package and doesn’t believe the declared value (e.g., if you paid $500 but they declare it as $100), they will likely request proof of purchase before releasing it."

Fact-checking points:
Payment Methods – Besides PayPal and International Bank Transfers (T/T), some sellers also accept services like Wise, Alibaba Trade Assurance, or even cryptocurrency in some cases.

Tax Inclusion – Some sellers claim "tax included," but unless they use a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping method, the buyer is usually responsible for taxes.

Customs Declarations – It is common for sellers to declare lower values, but customs authorities can request proof of purchase and may impose fines if they suspect fraud.

Obviously buying in this manner is not completely risk free, if you want risk free order on Aliexpress and pay Taxes, as this is the safest way.
If you want to save the taxes you have to be prepared to take the risk unfortunately.
UK Taxes and Duties are about 25%.

[PeterJG81]

Thank you for your comment 1st of all-full of interesting insights about this topic.

You mention that you made bank transfer. By going down this path did you confirm with seller that tax & customs will be covered by himself and that he will declare real value on the package ?

I'm trying to use the most optimal method here=avoid paying high transfer fees and be sure that once package will arrive at home I won't be issued to pay extra taxes & customs.

THe only other way besides PayPal is an International Bank Transfer, but that does come with risks and wether it is a reputable seller say LightCarbon or TanTan.
I just made a payment via bank transfer myself. As for tax being included, that’s often misleading. Some sellers use freight shipping methods to try to circumvent customs duties or declare a lower value on the package. However, if customs opens the package and doesn’t believe the declared value (e.g., if you paid $500 but they declare it as $100), they will likely request proof of purchase before releasing it."

Tax Inclusion – Some sellers claim "tax included," but unless they use a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping method, the buyer is usually responsible for taxes.

Customs Declarations – It is common for sellers to declare lower values, but customs authorities can request proof of purchase and may impose fines if they suspect fraud.

[BeR]

From my experience, avoid DHL and FedEx in order to skip duty taxes. DPD is great for that.

But ask to the seller what he recommands to you.

[Sander2177]

Thank you for your comment 1st of all-full of interesting insights about this topic.

You mention that you made bank transfer. By going down this path did you confirm with seller that tax & customs will be covered by himself and that he will declare real value on the package ?

I'm trying to use the most optimal method here=avoid paying high transfer fees and be sure that once package will arrive at home I won't be issued to pay extra taxes & customs.

THe only other way besides PayPal is an International Bank Transfer, but that does come with risks and wether it is a reputable seller say LightCarbon or TanTan.
I just made a payment via bank transfer myself. As for tax being included, that’s often misleading. Some sellers use freight shipping methods to try to circumvent customs duties or declare a lower value on the package. However, if customs opens the package and doesn’t believe the declared value (e.g., if you paid $500 but they declare it as $100), they will likely request proof of purchase before releasing it."

Tax Inclusion – Some sellers claim "tax included," but unless they use a Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping method, the buyer is usually responsible for taxes.

Customs Declarations – It is common for sellers to declare lower values, but customs authorities can request proof of purchase and may impose fines if they suspect fraud.

for me bank transfer was the most optimal payment method—. I opted for a bank transfer because the exchange rates were more favorable, and there were no additional charges like the typical 5% fee. However, the risk is that I have never purchased from DFS Carbon before, so once the money is transferred, there’s always the possibility of being ghosted. That said, I did as much due diligence as possible, and communication with the seller was ongoing when I made the payment. I have yet to receive the products, but I’m confident that they will arrive.

The seller has stated that taxes are included, but I believe they might be using alternative shipping methods and declaring a lower package value. If I were to ask, they would probably confirm this, and I’m willing to take that risk. There is also an option for duty-paid delivery, but again, with a lower declared value. The downside is that if something goes wrong—such as the items being damaged or lost—the compensation will only cover the declared value, not the actual worth of the goods.

Again, you might as well buy from AliExpress, eBay, or more established brands like YoEleo, where there’s no risk involved.

If you're looking for budget-friendly options—whether you call it cheap, inexpensive, or cost-effective—there is, unfortunately, an unavoidable element of risk. However, based on my experience, that risk is relatively low when making these purchases.