FAQ
Questions BD importers actually ask, answered in plain English.
What you actually pay — four parts
Every order is these four, and nothing else. The first three are on your CIEF bill; the fourth is paid to the courier, not to us.
- 1Product price
The real 1688 price in ¥, converted to ৳. No markup and no purchasing service fee — the seller's price is the price.
- 2China domestic freight (CN freight)
Getting the goods from the 1688 seller to our China warehouse. Charged at the supplier's actual cost, and shown per item in your cart before you pay. Combining several parcels from different suppliers is free.
- 3International freight
China → Bangladesh, charged per kg by lane. Billed after we weigh the parcel in China, so it is not part of the amount you pay at checkout. Bangladesh import duty and customs clearance are already inside this rate.
- 4Bangladesh local delivery
Free if you collect from our Dhaka warehouse. If you want it delivered to your door, a Bangladeshi courier does that and you pay their charge directly — we do not add anything on top.
Total = product price + CN freight + international freight + local delivery (optional)
Bangladesh customs can value a shipment differently from what we estimate, so the final landed cost can move. We tell you before it does.
See the per-kg rates →Costs, shipping & refunds
The answers our CS team sends every day — kept in one place so the website and WhatsApp never disagree.
Buying
▸▾Do you charge a service fee for buying from 1688?
We do not charge any service fee for purchasing your goods from 1688. You only pay the product price, the China domestic freight, and the international shipping cost.▸▾How is China domestic freight (CN freight) calculated?
China domestic freight is charged at the supplier's actual cost, with a minimum of 100 TK. When you add an item to your cart, the CN freight for that item is shown right there.▸▾Can I order just 1-3 pieces, or mix several different products?
Yes. There is no minimum order value on CIEF Source BD. If the supplier's MOQ is 1 piece, you can order 1, 2 or 3 pieces - and you can mix several different products in one order. Some products have a higher MOQ set by the supplier; it is shown on the product page. Many customers start with a sample order of ৳500-1,000 across 5-6 items to test the quality before ordering in bulk.
Placing an order
▸▾Do I need an account to see prices or to order?
You can browse every product and see the full price breakdown without an account. To place an order, top up your wallet and track your parcels, sign up with your Gmail (Google) account or with any email and password. It takes a minute, and your orders then appear under My Orders.▸▾1688 is in Chinese - how do I find and order a product?
You do not need to read Chinese. Copy the product link from 1688 and paste it into the search box on CIEF Source BD. The product opens on our site with the details in English or Bangla, and you order from there. Watch our step-by-step video tutorial: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DdNsjKw5B/▸▾How do I check stock, MOQ or ask the supplier something before ordering?
The stock and MOQ shown on the product page come live from 1688. For anything else - current stock, customization, an English-language version of a product - use the "Direct Chat" button under the product to message the 1688 seller directly, or send us the product link on WhatsApp and we will confirm with the supplier for you. Please confirm size, colour, quantity and specification BEFORE you place the order: once we have purchased from the supplier the order usually cannot be changed.
Payment
▸▾Do you accept cash on delivery (COD)?
We do not take cash on delivery for the product price or the international shipping fee. The goods are paid from your CIEF wallet before we purchase from the supplier, and the shipping invoice is paid before the parcel leaves China. The only thing paid on delivery is the Bangladesh local courier fee, if you choose home delivery: you pay it to the courier (Steadfast / RedX) when the parcel arrives, not to us. Collecting from our Dhaka office is free.▸▾What do I pay when I order, and when is the shipping fee due?
When you place the order you pay 100% of the product price plus the China domestic courier fee (from your CIEF wallet). The supplier will not release the goods to our China warehouse without full payment, so there is no 50% or 70% option. International shipping is NOT charged at checkout. When your goods reach our China warehouse we weigh them and the shipping invoice appears in My Orders. Pay it from your wallet and the parcel is dispatched to Bangladesh. The Bangladesh local courier fee (if you choose home delivery) is paid to the courier when the parcel is delivered.▸▾How do I pay - bKash, bank transfer or cash?
All payments go through your CIEF wallet: 1. Add the products to your cart. 2. Click "Top Up Wallet", enter the amount and choose bKash or Bank. 3. Make the payment and upload the payment screenshot / bank slip. 4. Our accounts team verifies every top-up and credits your wallet. 5. Go back to your cart and click "Place Order". If you collect from our Dhaka office, you can also pay the shipping fee there in cash. We do not take cash on delivery for the product price or the international shipping fee.
Shipping & costs
▸▾What are your air and sea freight rates?
*Air freight* - General goods: 750 TK/kg - Battery, liquid, ordinary cosmetics: 1,150 TK/kg - Cosmetics line: 850 TK/kg (minimum 400 kg) *Sea freight* - 280-550 TK/kg depending on product type (minimum 100 kg) These rates already include Bangladesh import duty and customs clearance. _Please note: Bangladesh customs valuation can vary, so the final cost may change._▸▾Is there a minimum order quantity or a minimum shipping weight?
There is no minimum order quantity for the products you buy. Shipping, however, is billed from a minimum of 0.5 kg.▸▾Why is it ৳750/kg for some products and ৳1,150/kg for others, and how long does each take?
The rate depends on the product type. Days are counted from the day your goods leave our China warehouse: - General goods (most apparel, accessories, household items): ৳750/kg, about 10-14 days. - Sensitive goods (battery, liquid, chemical, small cosmetic lots): ৳1,150/kg via Hong Kong, about 14-18 days. - Cosmetics line: ৳850/kg, about 18-25 days. Needs BSTI clearance in bulk, minimum 400 kg of one item. - Sea: ৳280-550/kg depending on product type, about 30-40 days, minimum 100 kg of one item. Guangzhou and Hong Kong are separate routes, so a mixed order may arrive as two parcels on different days. All times are estimates; customs inspection, flight delays and holidays can add a few days. Not sure which rate applies? Send us the product link and we will tell you.▸▾Is shipping charged on actual weight or volumetric weight?
Whichever is higher. Volumetric weight = length x width x height (cm) ÷ 5,000. Example: a handbag weighs 0.5 kg but its box is 30 x 20 x 10 cm → 6,000 ÷ 5,000 = 1.2 kg. Shipping is charged on 1.2 kg. Bulky-but-light items (shoes in boxes, bags, diapers, furniture) are usually charged volumetric. The weight on the product page is the supplier's estimate. We weigh every carton at our China warehouse (carton included) and the actual chargeable weight is shown in My Orders - shipping is billed from a minimum of 0.5 kg.▸▾Is customs duty included? Are there any hidden charges?
Bangladesh customs duty, tax and clearance are included in the per-kg shipping rate - you never pay duty separately, even if the duty on your item is high. The full cost of an order is only these items: 1. Product price (the 1688 price, no markup, no service fee) 2. China domestic courier fee (supplier → our warehouse, minimum ৳100) 3. International shipping per kg (duty included) 4. Bangladesh local courier fee, only if you choose home delivery - paid to the courier Example: a ৳500 handbag weighing 1 kg → ৳500 + ৳100 + ৳750 = ৳1,350 to our Dhaka office. Optional extras: wooden crate for fragile goods (৳1,000-2,000 per parcel). That is all - no warehouse handling or consolidation fee.▸▾Can I bring phones, laptops, medical items, food, chemicals, ceramics or live plants?
- Live plants: no - they do not survive the transit. - Mobile phone displays / screens: no, these cannot be shipped. - Phones, laptops and other electronics: possible in many cases. Send us the model and a photo first; we check duty and lane and quote you. We give no warranty beyond the supplier's. - Medical items: equipment and gloves are usually fine; anything that goes into the body is not. Send a photo and description first. - Chemicals: some can go by sea with the right documents; the rate differs. Ask first. - Food: some items by sea only, in a refrigerated container, and subject to BSTI rules. Ask first. - Ceramics and other fragile goods: ask the seller or us for wooden-crate packing before shipping. Without a crate, breakage is at your own risk. Our system also blocks a list of banned goods (lighters, weapons, fireworks, pressurised gas, corrosives, signal jammers) at checkout.▸▾I bought on my own 1688 or Alibaba account - can you ship it to Bangladesh?
Yes. Ask CS for our China warehouse address, have the seller send the goods there, and we ship them to Bangladesh. Because the purchase was not made through CIEF Source BD, there is a surcharge of ৳30/kg on top of the normal shipping rate (e.g. ৳750 + ৳30 = ৳780/kg for general goods). You pay the seller yourself and are responsible for confirming specification, quality and stock with them. Orders placed through our website pay the normal rate.
China warehouse
▸▾Do you charge to combine parcels, and what does a wooden crate cost?
Combining parcels from several suppliers into one shipment is free - we do not charge a consolidation packing fee. If you want a parcel reinforced with a wooden crate, that costs 1,000-2,000 TK per parcel depending on its size.
Delivery in Bangladesh
▸▾After customs clearance, do you deliver to my door?
After customs clearance in Bangladesh, your goods come to our Dhaka warehouse. You then have two options: 1. Collect from our Dhaka warehouse yourself - no local delivery charge. 2. Have it delivered by a Bangladeshi local courier - the courier's door-delivery charge is paid by you.▸▾How much is home delivery in Bangladesh, and who do I pay?
Collecting from our Dhaka office (Level 6, Ascott, Urdu Road, Chawkbazar) is free. For home delivery we book Steadfast or RedX, whichever you prefer. The fee starts from ৳80 inside Dhaka and ৳130 outside Dhaka for a 1 kg parcel, and rises with weight on the courier's rate card. You pay it to the courier when the parcel arrives - it is not part of our shipping charge and we do not collect it. Parcels booked today usually arrive the next day in Dhaka, 1-2 days outside. We send you the courier tracking number.▸▾How do I know where my order is, and what if it is late?
Open My Orders in your account: every order shows its current status, the actual weight once weighed, and tracking details. We also message you at each important step, and you can ask us on WhatsApp any time. If the estimated time has passed, send us your order number and we will check the shipment status for you. Customs document processing or inspection sometimes adds a few days - we will tell you the reason and the new estimate.
Refunds & claims
▸▾How do I get my wallet balance refunded?
Refunds go to your CIEF wallet first, and you can spend that balance on a new order straight away. Your wallet balance is always refundable: message customer service any time and we return it - no conditions, no handling fee. If you have not used the balance for a new order within a week, you can ask for it to be paid out to your bank or bKash account. The payout is completed within one week (working days) of your request.▸▾Can I cancel an order, and is there a fee?
You can cancel free of charge any time before we place the purchase with the 1688 supplier. Once we have already bought the goods, the order can no longer be cancelled free of charge.▸▾What if the product arrives damaged, wrong, short or does not match the listing?
Record a video while opening the carton, before anything is taken out - it is the evidence we claim with. - Damaged or broken: send photos + the unboxing video within 2 days of receiving. - Wrong product, size or colour, or not as shown on the site: send photos + video. - Pieces missing: the full unboxing video. - Lost in transit: we check the shipment status and act. We verify, claim against the supplier, and arrange a refund or replacement where applicable. Claims after 2 days may not be accepted. Minor colour differences due to lighting or screens, and "changed my mind", are not grounds for return. After you receive the parcel, please send us a short "received" message on WhatsApp.
About CIEF
▸▾Is CIEF Source BD trustworthy? Where is your office?
CIEF Source BD is run by CIEF Worldwide Sdn Bhd, a logistics company that has shipped China → Malaysia for years and has served Bangladeshi importers in Chawkbazar, Gulistan, Nawabpur and Chattogram with air and sea freight for over 10 years. Search "CIEF Worldwide Sdn Bhd" to see our history. Dhaka office: Level 6, Ascott, Urdu Road, Chawkbazar, Dhaka. WhatsApp: 01846293041. New here? Start with a small sample order and scale up once you are happy with the service.
About CIEF Source BD
Watch our team explain how CIEF Source BD works
▸▾Do I need a Letter of Credit (LC) to buy on CIEF Source BD?
No. You pay us in Bangladesh taka via bKash or local bank transfer. We handle the CNY-side settlement to the 1688 supplier through our Hong Kong subsidiary — entirely legal, fully audited, no LC paperwork on your side. This is the single biggest reason experienced BD importers switch to us.▸▾How do I pay?
Top up your wallet on cief-source-bd.com via bKash or local bank transfer. The amount sits in your CIEF wallet in BDT. When you place an order, we debit the wallet. If a product can't ship, the BDT goes back to your wallet (withdrawable to your bank).▸▾Can I really see the original 1688 price?
Yes. We display the live ¥ price from 1688 unchanged. There's no service fee — we earn only on the shipping margin and FX, both shown on every product page before checkout. We do not mark up the product itself — that's our core differentiator vs typical BD resellers who mark up the product itself.▸▾Can I negotiate the listed price further?
Yes. Click Request Quote on any product page. Our CS team chats with the seller on 旺旺 using our 超级买家 (Super Buyer) account tier and pushes the price down 5-10% on average. Free to use, no commitment. We're the only platform in Bangladesh that does this.▸▾What products can't you ship?
Banned categories include: weapons, drugs, counterfeit brand goods, certain liquids/powders/chemicals beyond customs limits, and items 1688 sellers don't ship internationally. Our system flags banned items at order placement. If a product can't be shipped, we cancel and refund your wallet immediately — you're never charged for an unshippable order.▸▾What if customs holds my goods?
We handle customs clearance through our Bangladesh-side partner. If goods are held for a clearance issue, we work it out with the customs agent — usually within 1-3 days. If a shipment is ultimately rejected by customs (rare, usually a category we missed), the wallet is refunded.
Still stuck? Ping our WhatsApp CS team, or read the full guides for in-depth walkthroughs. Learn guides · Terms & Conditions