On bulk, do the per-unit math

Item and domestic postage

The item price is per unit what the store charges; multiply by the case. Domestic postage gets it to the warehouse — often free on Taobao, sometimes not on smaller shops. Read both before you celebrate a low unit price.

A 'cheap' unit with hidden domestic postage isn't cheap once the case adds up. The total is the only number that matters.

Agent fee, split across the case

The agent charges a percentage to buy, QC, and ship. On a case that fee splits across every unit, so your share per item is a fraction of the solo rate. That's the discount nobody posts a code for.

Know the rate before you cart; on a case it barely registers per unit.

Freight, the dominant line on a case

Freight is what the line charges to fly your parcel. It scales with weight and volume — and a case is heavy. But divided by the unit count, per-item freight often beats a solo parcel.

Tight packing shrinks the volume multiplier. The case rewards neat packing more than anything.

Declare true value, avoid loss

You set a declared value for customs. On a valuable case, under-declaring risks a seizure, not just a hold — and a seized case is gone. Declare the real value.

Over-declaring just pays unnecessary duty. Sane and consistent with the price is the move; FX on it is small but log it.

The one-line math

Total = (item × units) + domestic + agent fee + freight + duty. Divide by units for the real per-item cost. Run it before checkout. The listing unit price is 60% of the story, not 100%.

Once you do this twice, the surprise disappears and the cases stay cheap per unit.

FAQ

Further reading