Suzybuy Finds
As an American expatriate living in Shanghai, finding authentic NFL merchandise has always been challenging. When I decided I wanted to purchase a Brett Favre rugby jersey from his brief stint with the gridiron-star-turned-rugby player experiment, I knew conventional shopping methods wouldn't suffice. After extensive research, I discovered CNFans, a Chinese reverse purchasing platform that helps international buyers access products from Chinese e-commerce sites like TMall.
The process began with navigating the language barrier. TMall, Alibaba's business-to-consumer platform, hosts numerous official team stores but remains largely inaccessible to non-Mandarin speakers. CNFans solved this problem by providing bilingual support and acting as an intermediary purchasing agent. Their service model is straightforward: customers find products on Chinese websites, provide the links to CNFans, and their team handles the purchasing, consolidation, and international shipping.
While Brett Favre is predominantly known for his legendary NFL career with the Green Bay Packers, few recognize his brief connection to rugby-style jerseys that gained popularity during the early 2000s. These hybrid jerseys blend football heritage with rugby aesthetics, featuring heavier fabric, distinctive collars, and a cut that resembles traditional rugby wear. The particular version I sought was a limited TMall exclusive that wasn't available through international NFL shops.
To organize my product research, I created a comprehensive spreadsheet documenting different sellers, prices, and jersey variations. For others interested in similar purchasing processes, I've shared my methodology and template at https://spreadsheet.help/. This resource helps compare products across different Chinese platforms while accounting for factors like seller reputation, domestic shipping costs, and CNFans' service fees.
My purchasing journey involved multiple phases over three weeks. After selecting the preferred Brett Favre jersey on TMall, I submitted the product URL through CNFans' website interface. Their system automatically calculated the item cost, domestic Chinese shipping to their warehouse, international shipping to my Shanghai address, and service fee—approximately 8% of the product value.
A unique advantage of using CNFans emerged during the quality verification stage. Unlike direct international ordering, their staff physically inspected the jersey upon arrival at their warehouse, confirming it was the correct size, authentic merchandise, and free from manufacturing defects. They even provided photographs before proceeding with international shipment—a valuable service layer that addressed my concerns about receiving incorrect items.
The payment process accommodated international credit cards and PayPal, circumventing China's prevalent Alipay and WeChat Pay requirements. For expatriates without Chinese bank accounts, this financial flexibility makes otherwise inaccessible shopping avenues suddenly available.
CNFans' consolidation approach proved cost-effective. While the initial TMall seller offered free shipping within China, international delivery would have been prohibitively expensive ordered directly. CNFans combines multiple purchases into single international shipments, dramatically reducing per-item shipping costs. My jersey arrived packaged with protective plastic wrapping and arrived in perfect condition despite the complex logistics chain.
The timeline spanned 18 days from order placement to delivery: 4 days for TMall domestic delivery to CNFans' warehouse, 2 days for quality inspection and consolidation, and 12 days for international shipping with real-time tracking updates. While not as rapid as Amazon Prime, the overall experience felt remarkably smooth for a cross-border purchase.
The successfully delivered Brett Favre rugby jersey exceeded my expectations. The embroidery was precise, the fabric quality matched the product description, and the fit was true to size. The total cost—including product price, all fees, and shipping—remained approximately 25% below what I would have paid through specialty importers targeting international customers.
CNFans fills a crucial niche in China's e-commerce ecosystem, bridging the gap between domestic platforms and global consumers. While the process requires more time and effort than conventional online shopping, the access to otherwise unavailable merchandise justifies the additional steps. For collectors, expatriates, or anyone seeking specific Chinese-market products, reverse purchasing platforms represent an invaluable resource in our increasingly connected global marketplace.
For those venturing into this purchasing method, meticulous research and organization are paramount. The spreadsheet template I developed (available here) helps track every detail from seller ratings to final costs, ensuring your CNFans experience remains positive from product selection to delivery.