Module eight of the guide
Getting help with a Basetao order
Basetao runs several channels and they are not interchangeable. Sending an item question to the warehouse team is the most common reason a reply takes days.
Where to go
Five kinds of problem, five different doors
The routes below are what the official after sale page and FAQ describe. We have not tested response times and will not invent any.
| If this is your problem | Go here first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A question about one item you have ordered | A note on the item itself | The purchasing team sees it in context, against that order. |
| No reply on an item within 24 hours | Email support | The after sale page names email as the escalation, excluding holidays. |
| A problem with a parcel already made up | A note on the parcel ID | That reaches the warehouse team rather than the purchasing team. |
| Missing or damaged items on delivery | Report within 24 hours, with photographs | That is the window the after sale page sets. Photographs are requested. |
| General questions, or you want to ask other buyers | The Basetao Discord | Linked from the footer of every official page. |
Support hours are given as 9:30 to 20:30, Monday to Saturday, and the footer contact address is [email protected]. Read 2026-08-04.
The official help centre, mapped
Basetao splits its documentation across two groups. Under how it works you will find the self help order form, how forwarding works, the make a parcel page, the search service, the FAQ, the cost calculator and a walkthrough for whitelisting the activation email.
Under policy you will find after sale service, storage, customs and tax, insurance, returns, prohibited items and inspection standards. That second group is the one worth reading before you spend money, because it is where every limit lives.
Everything on this site is a rewriting of those pages with the consequences spelled out. Where we disagree with a reading, we say so rather than quietly changing it.
Frequently asked questions about Basetao
Twelve answers, each traceable to an official page. Where the official pages contradict each other, we show both readings rather than picking.
Is the Basetao Spreadsheet an actual spreadsheet file?
No. In this hobby the word describes a browsing site of product cards, arranged by category, where each card carries a picture, a name, the platform the item sits on, and a link. The name is a leftover from when people really did trade finds in shared files.
How long does Basetao store my items for free?
The storage policy states 120 days free of charge. It also states that if no shipping request or feedback arrives within that window, Basetao will assume you have given up on the order and reserves the right to dispose of the parcel without further notice.
What does Basetao actually check when my item arrives?
Colour against your order, visible damage, stains, the size printed on the label, and the model or version number. The same page states that colour difference, actual size difference and how the item performs in use are outside that scope.
Are electronics tested before they ship?
No. Basetao states that for electronic and digital products the inspection is limited to external appearance, does not include checking whether accessories are complete, and does not include powering the device on. The page adds that functional issues are therefore not covered under the insurance policy.
How much is insurance, and what does it pay?
The policy page states 2 percent of parcel value for basic cover and 4 percent for full, applying to parcels with a maximum product value of 3500 CNY. The reimbursement grid on that page pays broken items at 100 percent under either level, and a lost parcel at 33 percent basic or 100 percent full.
Note that the prose above that table describes a lost parcel as refunding shipping, service fee and half the value, which does not match 33 percent. Ask support which reading applies.
Can I get insurance on a Ship for me parcel?
The policy page states that it applies exclusively to Buy for me orders, and that for Ship for me orders the maximum insurance amount is 200 RMB.
What can Basetao not buy or ship?
Two separate lists. Purchasing refuses knives, pure batteries, imitation brands, food, liquid, powder, chemicals, flammable and explosive materials, and animal and plant specimens. Forwarding refuses gun shaped products, liquid, lighters, powder, computers, laptops, cellphones, pure batteries and anything over 1.5 metres.
Can I send a parcel to the Basetao warehouse from my own country?
Basetao asks you not to. It states that the company does not have import qualifications and that packages sent from abroad to its warehouse would probably be returned or seized.
Why did my parcel get heavier after packing?
Some lines charge on volumetric weight. Basetao gives the formula as length times width times height in centimetres divided by 5000, and says the larger of actual and volumetric weight is used. Not every line uses it, and those that do do not all use the same divisor.
Who pays the import duty?
You do. The customs and tax page states that Basetao handles Chinese customs, that policies in your country are outside its control, and that the recipient is the importer of record and responsible for duties and taxes.
How do I contact Basetao about a specific order?
The after sale page asks you to leave a note on the order itself first, so the purchasing team sees it against that order. If there is no reply within 24 hours, excluding holidays, it asks you to email. Parcel problems go on the parcel ID instead, which reaches the warehouse team.
What happens if the seller sent the wrong thing?
If items differ from what you saw in the arrival photos, the insurance page states Basetao will fully refund the cost of those items once it has checked and confirmed the issue. If the problem is with the seller rather than the warehouse, most sellers accept a return or exchange within seven days of arrival, and return shipping is yours.
What this site can and cannot do for you
We can explain what an official page means and where two of them disagree. We can point you at the right form. We can tell you which decisions have to happen before money moves.
Use the official help routes for order and parcel questions.
Glossary: the jargon you will see
Four shorthands carry most of the conversation in this hobby, and the official pages explain none of them.
QC
Quality check. At Basetao it means the arrival inspection plus the free photographs uploaded to your order. The official wording is that a few pictures go up automatically with no extra fee for more.
GL
Green light. Buyer slang for approving the item after seeing the QC photographs, so the warehouse can hold it for packing. It is not a Basetao term and you will not find it on their site.
RL
Red light. The opposite call: you look at the photographs and ask for a return or exchange instead. Whether that is possible is the sellers decision, inside the window the after sale page describes.
Haul
Several orders, bought on different days, flying out as one box. It is the normal way to run an agent account, and the reason the 120 day free storage ceiling matters.