Short answer
Check the return or exchange terms and deadline for the specific order as soon as an issue appears. For a buying-agent order, contact support with the order reference, the mismatch and available photos before approving dispatch. Ask whether a return or exchange is available, what steps and costs apply, and when action is required. The warehouse storage period does not extend the seller's after-sales deadline.
Choose between requesting a return, requesting an exchange or shipping the item only after the available options and unresolved issues are clear.
The clock and where it starts
Read the terms displayed for your order and any after-sales request. Check the qualifying conditions, the required action and the relevant deadline. Do not assume that every item has the same return period or that submitting a question creates an approved return. If you cannot access the marketplace order because an agent placed it, ask support to confirm the applicable instructions.
Keep the domestic delivery record and the warehouse Received status available when asking about a deadline. These records describe different stages, so ask which event the applicable terms use. Waiting for other parcels or planning international shipping does not by itself confirm that a return remains available.
Why intake photos come first
Use the available intake photos to explain the issue. Where relevant, request views of the packaging, the affected area and the item label, and ask whether extra photos or checks are available and what they cost. Provide a short description of what differs from the order. Photos can document visible details, but do not establish every defect or guarantee that a claim will be accepted.
For a size issue, specify the measurement and method you need checked. For a colour issue, compare the selected variant, label and available images while allowing for lighting and screen differences. Keep the original listing and seller replies alongside the warehouse record.
Three outcomes, and what each costs
Return for a refund. If a return is approved, confirm the return address, deadline, required item condition and domestic return-delivery charge before sending it. Ask which amounts may be refundable and whether service or handling charges remain payable. A return request does not itself confirm the refund amount or timing; if shipping has already been paid or prepared, ask how that affects the order.
Exchange. If an exchange is agreed, record the replacement specification, return steps, additional costs and expected next update. Ask whether the affected item can be held apart from other goods while the request is resolved. Match any replacement tracking number and received item to the exchange record before approving its shipment.
Ship anyway. Compare the item's usefulness in its received condition with the confirmed costs and options. Do not approve dispatch while an essential condition, safety or route question remains unresolved. If you decide to proceed, record what you are accepting and retain the evidence; a note does not replace the applicable after-sales terms.
Consolidation cautions
Before approving consolidation, identify any item with an unresolved question. Ask whether it can be held separately and whether changing an existing packing plan involves extra work or charges. Confirm which goods you want included, the route and the updated parcel measurements before paying the final international freight.
CNCartGo storage is free for the first 100 days from the date the order is marked "Received". Days 101–200 cost USD 0.10 per parcel per day, with a maximum storage period of 200 days. After 200 days, the parcel is treated as automatically destroyed and cannot be recovered or shipped. Check the storage deadline and the separate after-sales deadline; a pending return request does not establish an extension of either.
Fees and timing on the rest of the shipment
For CNCartGo buying-agent orders, the service fee is 6–15% of the product order value. First pay the goods, seller-to-warehouse delivery and service fee. International freight is confirmed separately after warehouse receipt and parcel measurements, using the actual or volumetric weight applicable to the selected route, and paid before dispatch. Check route eligibility and the current quote; an earlier estimate is not a final charge or delivery guarantee. Any cancellation or refund requires review of the order status and applicable terms.
Checklist
- Applicable return conditions, required action and deadline checked for this order
- Available evidence collected and any extra photo or check requested promptly
- Visible fault or mismatch described with relevant photos and a short note
- Available return, exchange or shipping option confirmed before the decision
- Handling plan for the unresolved item agreed before consolidation
- Approved return instructions, costs and tracking details kept in writing
Where to go next
For a new buying request, send the product link, exact variant, quantity and destination through /en/buy/. Ask about any essential return condition before purchase. For an existing issue, include the order reference, relevant photos and the action you want reviewed. Follow the current instructions for that order rather than assuming a general guide confirms eligibility.
About the author: Prepared by the CNCartGo editorial team as a checklist for reviewing return, exchange and shipping options for buying-agent orders.
Last reviewed: September 5, 2026. Check the current return conditions, delivery charges and any deadline shown for your specific order; ask support if the instructions are unclear.
Related guides
These guides cover buying details, warehouse evidence and shipping questions to review alongside an after-sales decision.
- How to Buy From Taobao as an International Buyer in 2026: A Practical Step-by-Step Guide
- Can You Buy From Taobao and 1688 Without Speaking Chinese?
- Warehouse Photo Shows a Damaged Box in China: Should You Repack, Return, or Ship Anyway?
- How to Avoid Return-to-Sender Problems When Shipping From China Before a Good Parcel Turns Into a Costly Loop
- Taobao Seller Shipped the Wrong Size: What Overseas Buyers Should Do Before International Forwarding
