My LitBuy Spreadsheet

How to order on LitBuy, step by step

From the first click on a find to the parcel at your door: what happens at each stage, what you pay when, and the checks that save you money.

Create your LitBuy account

  1. Create a LitBuy account

    Everything on LitBuy happens inside your account: the cart, your balance, the warehouse and your parcels. Sign up with an email address you check regularly, because LitBuy uses it for messages about your orders, such as a seller being out of stock or a parcel waiting for payment.

    Before you order, add your delivery address. Write it in Latin characters exactly as it should appear on the label, including the postcode, and add a phone number with the country code; couriers in many countries use it to arrange delivery or to ask for import charges.

  2. Choose size, colour and quantity

    Select the size and colour, set the quantity and add the item to your cart. Use the measurements in the size chart rather than the size label: compare them with a garment you own, measured flat. If you are between two sizes, the remark field is the place to ask the agent to check with the seller.

    Collect everything you want in the cart first. Paying for several items at once is easier to keep track of, and the items will meet in the warehouse anyway before you ship them together.

  3. Pay for the items

    At checkout you pay for the items and the seller’s domestic shipping to the warehouse. International shipping is not charged yet; that comes later, when you know the final weight of your parcel. LitBuy shows the payment methods available for your account at this step, and many users top up their balance first so that later payments, such as shipping, go through in one click.

    After payment, LitBuy’s purchasing team places the order with the seller. If the item is sold out or the price has changed, you get a message and can choose another option or a refund to your balance.

  4. Wait for the item to reach the warehouse

    The seller ships to LitBuy’s warehouse in China. How long this takes depends on the seller: some ship the same day, others make items to order. You can follow the status of each item in your account, from purchased to shipped to the warehouse to stored.

    Items stay in the warehouse while you wait for the rest of your order. Check the storage rules in your account so that nothing sits there longer than the storage period allows.

  5. Check the QC photos

    When an item arrives, the warehouse takes quality-control (QC) photos. This is the most important step. Look at stitching, prints, logos, labels, colour and any visible flaws, and compare measurements with the size chart if they are included.

    If something is wrong, act now: request an exchange or a return to the seller while the item is still in China. Sellers set their own return conditions, and domestic returns are far cheaper than anything sent back from abroad. If the standard photos do not answer your question, request extra photos or measurements of the detail you care about.

  6. Build your parcel

    Once you are happy with the items, select them in the warehouse and submit them as one parcel. Combining items saves money, because shipping is priced per parcel by weight and size. This is also where you choose packing options, such as removing shoe boxes, vacuum packing knitwear or adding protection for fragile pieces.

    Many shipping lines charge by volumetric weight as well as actual weight, so a bulky box can cost more than its weight suggests. Removing boxes and packing tightly often makes a noticeable difference. Some agents offer a rehearsal or packing preview with photos of the packed parcel before you pay; check whether it is available for your parcel.

  7. Choose a shipping line

    LitBuy lists the shipping lines that serve your country, each with an estimated price, delivery time and a list of restrictions. The main differences are speed, price per weight, which items a line accepts (some do not take items with batteries, liquids or certain brands), and how customs is handled.

    Read the notes for each line before choosing. Some lines include import duties and taxes in the price, others leave them to you, and the courier will ask for payment on delivery. Rules and thresholds differ by country and change over time, so check the current situation for your country rather than relying on older forum posts.

  8. Pay for shipping and track the parcel

    After the parcel is packed and weighed, pay for shipping. LitBuy then hands it to the carrier and shows a tracking number in your account. Tracking usually updates in bursts: departure from China, arrival in your country, customs clearance and then the local courier.

    When the parcel arrives, open it on camera if the contents are valuable; it makes claims easier if something is missing or damaged. If tracking stalls for a long time, contact LitBuy support with your parcel number before the claim window closes.

Two payments, not one

The most common surprise for first-time buyers is that an order is paid in two parts. The first payment covers the items and the seller's shipping inside China. The second payment, for international shipping, comes once your parcel has been packed and weighed. Plan for both when you set a budget, and add any import charges your country applies.

Where to start

For a first order, pick two or three light items such as tees or a cap from the T-shirts or accessories pages. A small parcel lets you learn the process, see how long each stage takes for your country and judge the QC photos before you order heavier pieces such as shoes or jackets.