As an avid football fan and jersey collector living outside of China, getting my hands on official international gear has always been a challenge. My recent quest was for the vibrant and iconic Costa Rica Football Jersey, a item not readily available in local stores or on common international websites. After some extensive research, I discovered a solution: using a Chinese forwarding and purchasing agentOrientdig, a platform that specializes in helping overseas buyers shop from Chinese e-commerce giants like Taobao and Tmall.
Why Tmall and Why a Chinese Agent?
Tmall, owned by the Alibaba Group, is one of China's largest B2C online retail platforms. It hosts thousands of official brand stores and authorized retailers, often offering a wider variety of products, including niche items like international football jerseys, at competitive prices. However, most of these sellers do not ship internationally. Their websites are primarily in Mandarin, and payment methods like Alipay or WePay can be significant hurdles for foreigners. This is where a service like Orientdig becomes indispensable.
Introducing Orientdig: The Bridge for Global Shoppers
Orientdig is not a typical shopping site; it's a concierge service for international shoppers. They act as your personal shopping assistant in China. You find the product you want, provide them with the link, and they handle the entire process—purchasing, secure storage, quality checks, and finally, international shipping to your doorstep. They support familiar payment methods like PayPal and credit cards, and their communication is in English, eliminating the language barrier.
The Step-by-Step Journey to My Jersey
The process was remarkably straightforward. First, I located the exact official Costa Rica jersey on Tmall.com. To ensure I was getting the correct size and authentic product, I consulted a very detailed and helpful spreadsheet that listed product specifications, seller reputation, and links. This invaluable resource can be found here: https://spreadsheet.help/. I then signed up on the Orientdig website, copied the Tmall product URL into their order form, and paid for the item and their service fee.
Within two days, Orientdig confirmed the purchase and the jersey arrived at their domestic warehouse in China. They sent me photos for a quality check—a fantastic service that ensures you get exactly what you ordered. Once I approved, I selected my international shipping option (I chose a cost-effective air mail service), paid the shipping fee, and received a tracking number. About two weeks later, the package arrived at my home, perfectly packaged and in pristine condition.
Beyond the Purchase: The Advantages
This experience offered benefits beyond just acquiring the jersey. The price on Tmall, even after adding Orientdig's service fee and international shipping, was still lower than any reseller site I could find. The quality assurance check provided peace of mind, a layer of security missing when buying directly from unfamiliar platforms. Furthermore, the ability to consolidate multiple purchases from different Chinese shops into one shipment is a huge cost saver for avid online shoppers.
Final Thoughts
My experience with Orientdig was overwhelmingly positive. It transformed a complex, seemingly impossible task into a simple, manageable process. For anyone looking to buy specific items like a Costa Rica football jersey, or any product from Chinese marketplaces, I wholeheartedly recommend using a forwarding service. Orientdig proved to be reliable, transparent, and efficient. The world of Chinese e-commerce is now truly open, and my jersey collection is all the better for it.