Two direct-buy platforms, compared
Hacoo and DHgate are often mentioned together because both let you buy from Chinese sellers without an agent. The similarity ends there. DHgate began as a wholesale-oriented marketplace and has ordinary web pages for every product; Hacoo is an app-first store with no web checkout. That one difference shapes how their spreadsheets work.
| Question | DHgate | Hacoo |
|---|---|---|
| Agent needed? | No | No |
| Website checkout? | Yes, plus app | No, app only |
| Who sets shipping? | Each seller | Hacoo, by country and weight |
| Problem route | Buyer-protection dispute | Return within 15 days of delivery |
| How lists are shared | Google Docs, Linktree | App links, Telegram, sheets |
| Search interest (world) | ~17,300 / month | ~3,200 / month |
Both are direct; DHgate is web-friendly and seller-led, Hacoo is app-only and store-led.
What DHgate lists contain
Google's autocomplete for "dhgate spreadsheet" suggests clothing, men, women, Reddit, Linktree, Google Docs and Europe, plus year variants. That mirrors Hacoo lists: category tabs, a link per row, and a creator who updated it once. The format is the main difference. Because DHgate links open in any browser, lists live happily in Google Docs and on Linktree pages, and you can check them from a laptop. Hacoo links need the phone app.
Many DHgate lists, like many Hacoo lists, are built around items carrying other companies' trademarks. We don't publish those. Customs in the EU, UK and US can seize trademark-infringing goods however they were bought.
Browser-friendly lists, the same need to test before trusting.
Testing a DHgate list
- Open five random links. Count how many show the pictured product from a seller with recent reviews.
- Check each seller's rating and the number of orders on the listing.
- Read the shipping options: method, estimated time and whether tax is collected.
- Note the date on the list; undated lists are usually old.
The same routine works on Hacoo lists; see our Hacoo links guide. If a DHgate item also appears in Hacoo, compare the landed price on both. Our calculator can be used for any two totals, not just agent routes.
Seller reviews and shipping terms matter more on DHgate than on Hacoo.
Protection in practice
DHgate describes a buyer protection model in which payment is released to the seller after delivery is confirmed, with a dispute window for problems; check its current terms. That puts more weight on documenting delivery: photograph the parcel and items on arrival, and don't confirm receipt of something that is wrong. Hacoo's model is a 15-day return window after delivery; it covers return postage for faulty or wrong items and charges you for change-of-mind returns. Our Hacoo returns page has the details.
Don't confirm a DHgate delivery until you've checked it.
Europe and tax
DHgate autocomplete includes "europe" for a reason: since 1 July 2026 the EU charges a €3 customs duty per item category on low-value IOSS parcels, on top of VAT from the first euro. Whether you pay at checkout or on delivery depends on the seller's shipping method. The rules are the same for Hacoo; our Berlin, Madrid and Paris pages explain them.
Check where tax is collected before choosing the cheapest shipping.
Where agents fit
Neither DHgate nor Hacoo needs an agent. Agents become useful when a list points at Taobao, Weidian or 1688, whose sellers mostly don't ship abroad. Our agent and platform page explains which platforms need which route, and our WhatsApp service quotes one delivered price if you'd rather hand any of it over.
Direct platforms direct; marketplaces through an agent.
For a first DHgate order, choose a seller with a long order history on the listing, and keep the order small.
DHgate's long product pages often include bulk-price tiers, a reminder of its wholesale roots. For a personal order, look at the single-unit price and shipping to your country, not the lowest tier.
Record the seller's name in your own list too, so you can find good sellers again when a listing disappears.
DHgate questions from Hacoo shoppers
Do I need an agent for DHgate?
No. DHgate sellers ship internationally, so you order and pay on DHgate's site or app, just as you would on Hacoo. Agents are for marketplaces like Taobao and Weidian whose sellers mostly don't ship abroad. Using an agent for DHgate adds a warehouse step and extra shipping without a clear benefit for most buyers.
How is DHgate's buyer protection different from Hacoo's returns?
DHgate describes a buyer protection system where payment is held and released to the seller after delivery is confirmed, with a window to open a dispute if an item doesn't arrive or isn't as described. Hacoo uses a 15-day return window after delivery, with Hacoo paying return postage only for faulty or wrong items. Read the current terms on each platform before ordering.
Why are DHgate lists in Google Docs and Linktree?
Creators share DHgate finds through link-in-bio pages and shared Google Docs because DHgate, unlike Hacoo, has normal web product pages that open in any browser. Google autocomplete for 'dhgate spreadsheet' suggests 'google docs' and 'linktree' alongside 'clothing', 'men' and 'women'. As with any shared list, check five random links before you trust it.
Is DHgate cheaper than Hacoo?
It depends on the item and seller. DHgate shows prices and shipping per seller, and some sellers offer lower prices for several units because the platform grew out of wholesale. Hacoo shows one checkout total per order. Compare the landed price, item plus shipping plus any tax, for the same kind of item on both before choosing.
Do EU buyers pay tax on DHgate orders?
Yes. In the EU, import VAT applies from the first euro, and since 1 July 2026 a flat €3 customs duty applies per item category to low-value parcels sent under the IOSS scheme. Whether VAT is collected at checkout or on delivery depends on how the seller ships. The same rules apply to Hacoo orders.