DHgate Spreadsheet: Buying Direct on DHgate, or Through an Agent?

What happened to DHgate in April 2025?

For most of its twenty years DHgate was a niche wholesale site. Then, in the second week of April 2025, it became one of the most downloaded apps in America. TechCrunch tracked the jump with app-analytics data:

• Friday, April 11, 2025DHgate ranks #352 among top free iPhone apps in the US.
• Saturday, April 1235,400 downloads worldwide; US installs up 98% on the 30-day average.
• Sunday, April 13117,500 iOS downloads, up 732%; the app reaches #6.
• Monday, April 14#3 overall in the US App Store.

The trigger was a wave of TikTok videos from Chinese manufacturers claiming luxury goods are made in Chinese factories, posted as the US raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%. Many viewers went looking for the factories, and DHgate was the English-language marketplace they found. "DHgate spreadsheet" searches followed, with Google now suggesting month-stamped versions such as "may 2026" and "august 2026" — buyers want lists that are current.

Verdict: The surge brought DHgate millions of first-time buyers. What it didn't change is how DHgate handles problems — which is where reviews are harsh.

Why is DHgate's Trustpilot score only 1.7?

DHgate's Trustpilot page holds 34,495 reviews and a TrustScore of 1.7/5, even though half of all reviews are five-star. Trustpilot's score weighs recent reviews more heavily, and recent ones skew negative: 35% of all reviews are one-star, and complaints centre on defective or mis-described items, orders that never arrive, and refunds refused. One reviewer said DHgate closed their dispute even though the seller's own label showed the mistake and they had supplied photo proof.

DHgate replies to 99% of negative reviews, and positive reviewers mention reliable sellers for items like sports jerseys. The pattern is familiar from open marketplaces: the platform is only as good as the seller you pick, and when a seller gets it wrong, the dispute process decides whether you get your money back.

DHgate has also been on the US Trade Representative's list of notorious markets since February 2022, over intellectual-property concerns. That matters practically: branded items are more likely to be removed, and parcels to the US and EU can be inspected by customs.

DHgate direct or a shopping agent: which fits your order?

Our comparison, September 2026. DHgate figures from Trustpilot and Wikipedia; agent process as described on our agent pages.

DHgate wins on simplicity for a single item: one app, one seller, one parcel. An agent wins as soon as you want several things, because it combines them into one parcel with one shipping charge — and lets you reject a bad item before paying to ship it. Since the US ended its duty-free allowance in August 2025 and the EU started charging €3 per item category on small parcels in July 2026, several DHgate orders from different sellers also mean several separate duty charges.

Verdict: One cheap item, one seller: DHgate is fine. Three or more items, or anything you'd want to inspect first: use an agent.

If you do buy on DHgate: five habits that help

1. Pick sellers, not listings. Check the seller's rating, order count and how long they've been on DHgate before looking at the price.
2. Screenshot the listing — photos, description and size chart — at the moment you pay. Listings change.
3. Message the seller first about size and colour, and keep the reply. It's evidence if the item arrives wrong.
4. Film the unboxing. Many disputes turn on whether the item was damaged or different on arrival.
5. Open a dispute promptly and escalate to your card issuer or PayPal if DHgate closes it despite clear evidence.

Our landed-cost estimator shows what duty adds to a DHgate or agent parcel in your country.