How to buy from China and get it delivered in Indonesia
Goods from China can reach your door in Indonesia in three ways: buy from a seller on a local marketplace, shop on a Chinese site yourself and use a freight forwarder, or buy from a store that does the buying for you. All three are legitimate. They differ in the choice of goods, who handles the purchase, and when you know the full cost.
Three ways to buy from China
1. From a seller on a local marketplace
Many sellers on Indonesian marketplaces sell goods they imported from China themselves. The goods are already in Indonesia, so you pay as you would for any local purchase.
The limit: you can only buy what that seller chose to import. Other models, colours or sizes sold in China may not be there.
2. Shop on a Chinese site yourself, then ship through a forwarder
You open an account on a Chinese shopping site, pay there, and send the order to a forwarder's warehouse address in China. The forwarder weighs your parcel, ships it to Indonesia and charges you for the shipping.
This suits you if you have done it before. What you handle yourself:
- reading item pages and chatting with sellers, often in Mandarin
- a payment method the site accepts
- copying the warehouse address exactly, including your customer code
- registering tracking numbers and declaring what is in each parcel
- working out shipping and customs, which are billed separately
3. Through a store that buys the goods for you
You choose items in your own language, pay in rupiah, and the store buys from the seller in China, receives the goods at its warehouse and ships them to your address. This is how Singaya works.
What to check: whether the total you pay already includes shipping and customs, or whether there is still a bill when the parcel arrives. The full list is in what to check before you shop.
The costs that add up
The item price is only one part. For goods sent from China, the total is made of:
| Cost | What it is |
|---|---|
| Item price | The price of the option you chose |
| Shipping from China | Usually by parcel weight |
| Import duty and tax | Set by Indonesian Customs for consignments |
| Shipping in Indonesia | From where the parcel enters to your address |
Import duty and tax on consignments are set by Indonesian Customs. If these costs aren't counted when you pay, you can be billed again when the parcel arrives.
What to check before you pay
- The option. The colour, size and model you chose must be what gets bought.
- Total to your door. Ask whether shipping and customs are included.
- Final price. Whether the price can change after you pay.
- Who the seller is. Company name, address and how to reach them.
- Tracking. Where you can see your order's status.
How to buy from China on Singaya
- Search for the item in Indonesian or English, or by photo with the camera button in the search field. Tips are in finding items.
- Choose the option and add it to your cart. See choosing options.
- Check out. You need an account with a confirmed email, a mobile number and a delivery address. The order summary shows the total to your door: item prices, shipping to your address, and customs.
- Pay in rupiah by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or DANA. The price is final when you pay: no later bills, and no extra customs charge when the goods arrive.
- We buy and ship. We check and combine your items at our warehouse in China, then ship them to your address. Every stage shows on your order receipt.
Singaya is run by Huper Technology Pte Ltd, a Singapore company. Start shopping on Singaya.
Common questions
Can I buy goods from China for my own use?
Yes, as long as they are not goods that are banned or restricted from entering Indonesia. Consignments can still carry import duty and tax.
Why don't Singaya's item prices include shipping?
Shipping is worked out once for the whole order, from the total weight of everything in your cart and your delivery area, so it can only be calculated at the payment step. See how shipping is worked out.
Do I need to read Mandarin?
Not if you buy on Singaya. Item titles, descriptions and options show in Indonesian or English, and our team buys from the seller.