Banggood Review – The Good and Bad of This China-Based Ecommerce Site

Banggood Review – Banggood is a Chinese ecommerce company that sells a wide variety of products directly to consumers worldwide. Founded in 2006, it has grown to become one of the largest online retailers originating from China.

Banggood primarily focuses on consumer electronics, toys, tools, home appliances, clothing, and other general merchandise. It ships items worldwide from its warehouses based in China.

The low prices and huge selection of obscure items from Chinese suppliers has made Banggood popular with electronics hobbyists and bargain hunters. However, Banggood’s rise has not been without controversy.

In this Banggood review, we’ll cover the pros and cons of buying from this China-based retail giant to help you decide if it’s right for your next purchase.

Overview of Banggood

Banggood has grown quickly since its founding in 2006. The company now:

• Has over 1 million diverse products available
• Ships to over 200 countries and regions worldwide
• Handles over 1,000,000 orders monthly
• Employs over 2000 people globally

Banggood App is able to offer such low prices because it buys wholesale directly from Chinese manufacturers. Cutting out the middleman lets Banggood sell items near cost.

The company is still headquartered in Guangzhou, China but has warehouses worldwide to stock items and reduce shipping times.

Banggood stands out from other Chinese online retailers by having English as its default language. This makes it more accessible for international customers.

Product selection has also expanded over the years to include more reputable brands. However, the bulk of items are still no-name products direct from Chinese factories.

What Can You Buy on Banggood?

Banggood boasts a huge catalog of products across dozens of categories. Some of the most popular categories include:

Electronics

Banggood started out selling electronics components, gadgets, and accessories. This category has grown to include:

• Development boards like Raspberry Pi and Arduino
• Parts like sensors, chips, and connectors
• Phone and laptop accessories
• Smart home gear
• Portable audio
• Tools and test equipment

You can find almost any basic electronic part or component on Banggood. Prices are very low but watch out for mimics of name brand items.

RC Toys & Models

RC vehicles like cars, trucks, boats, planes, and drones are a Banggood specialty. They sell both ready-to-run models and DIY kits.

You’ll find all the major RC toy brands along with scores of no-name options. Expect to pay as little as 20% of the brand name price for clones.

Tools & Home Improvement

Power tools, hand tools, hardware, lighting, and other home improvement gear are available. Brand selection is limited but the prices are tough to beat.

Just don’t expect contractor grade quality from the generic power tools. The no-name LED light bulbs and fixtures are a safer bet.

Clothing & Fashion

Banggood sells clothing, shoes, bags, watches, jewelry, and accessories for men and women. You’ll recognize some brand names here but many products are unbranded.

While the clothing quality may not match more expensive online shops, the outrageous deals make items worth trying. Just check clothing measurements closely.

Health & Beauty

Personal care items like haircare, skincare, cosmetics, fragrances, oral care, shaving, and massage/spa products are available.

Brand selection is limited but the prices on generics make it tempting to try out cheap makeup, lotions, and fragrances.

Phones & Accessories

You’ll find cases, screen protectors, chargers, cables, headsets, mounts, batteries, SIM tools, adapters, and more for phones. Brand selection is limited.

Avoid no-name batteries and chargers. But cases, cables, mounts, and other accessories can be great deals.

Computers & Office

Tablets, laptops, storage, networking, computer parts, office supplies, and stationery are available. Brand selection is limited.

Stick to accessories here. A no-name Chinese tablet or storage device could be trouble. But cheap computer mice, wrist rests, headphones, pens, and notebooks are fine.

How Shipping from China Works

Understanding how Banggood handles logistics from its China warehouses helps set proper expectations:

Warehouses

Banggood has warehouses worldwide but most inventory is shipped direct from China to save costs. Electronics and specialty items are more likely to ship from local warehouses.

Shipping Speed

Shipping from Chinese warehouses takes 10-20 days on average. Speeds under 10 days are rare. Allow at least 20 days before worrying an order is lost.

Shipping Costs

Shipping fees vary based on item size and weight plus destination country. Larger/heavier items cost more. Full container loads to some countries are very cheap.

Coupons and free shipping promotions are common. Free shipping usually means slowest method like China Post Air Mail.

Customs & Import Duties

Packages from China often incur customs clearance fees or import taxes when arriving in the destination country. Know your country’s import laws.

Order Tracking

Tracking links can take a few days to start working after an order ships. Tracking through Banggood’s site is limited. Use package carrier sites for more details.

Reliability

99% of shipments arrive within 30-60 days. The vast majority of delays and lost packages occur in the origin or destination countries.

Banggood Product Quality Concerns

Banggood’s business model revolves around minimizing costs to provide unbeatable prices. But this obsession with low prices comes at a cost.

Cutting corners on quality control and customer service has led to legitimate complaints over the years. Some items are prone to quality concerns:

Counterfeit Goods

Banggood has struggled with copycat products being sold on the site. Everything from fake SD cards to imitation drones have slipped through. They’ve worked to improve screening but knockoffs remain an issue.

Cheap Electronics

Unbranded electronics components and devices often fail prematurely. Cheap lithium batteries can be unsafe. Pay close attention to customer reviews for electronics.

No-Name Brands

Many products on Banggood are nameless generics from China. Quality varies wildly. Some items are decent while others are trash. Extensive research is required.

Clothing & Shoes

Clothing that seems too good to be true often is. Poor fits, colors, weird textures, and bad sewing are common. Be choosy and order above average sizes.

Tech Support

Don’t expect much tech support for no-name products. Quality control and instruction manuals may be non-existent. Useful feedback in reviews is invaluable.

While the deals seem too good to pass up, exercise caution when buying no-name items. Pay close attention to previous customer reviews.

Is Banggood Legit & Safe to Buy From?

Any China-based retailer faces scrutiny, but a few issues have singled out Banggood:

Product Quality

Complaints about fake/inferior products and safety hazards have fueled claims that Banggood is a scam. In reality, problems are limited to certain product categories.

Shipping Delays

Late packages and tracking blackouts are common when shipping worldwide via China Post, Singapore Post, and other discount carriers. This leads to accusations of fraud.

Customer Service

Language barriers, claims of bait-and-switch tactics, and seller unresponsiveness have led to accusations of fraud. Reviews are mixed.

Counterfeit Goods

Early issues with counterfeit products being sold led to Banggood being banned from Google Shopping. The site claims to have addressed this problem.

There are certainly risks when buying from Banggood. But fraud accusations seem overblown.

The company has taken steps to improve product vetting, remove fake goods, and resolve customer complaints. They seem interested in becoming a reputable global retailer.

Use common sense precautions applicable to any online shopping site:

• Pay with a credit card for purchase protection
• Carefully read recent reviews before purchasing
• Avoid categories prone to counterfeits like SD cards
• Don’t buy expensive high-ticket items
• Video unboxing can help document condition

In summary, Banggood is a legit online retailer but risks remain when buying certain items. Use caution and common sense with each purchase.

Banggood Pricing, Sales, and Coupon Codes

Ridiculously low prices are what Banggood is known for. But smart shopping means watching for sales, coupon codes, and cashback to get the lowest prices.

Pricing Strategy

Banggood uses dynamic pricing algorithms that frequently adjust item prices automatically. List prices often start high then drop over weeks.

Site-Wide Sales

Major sales include the Anniversary Sale in May and Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales in November. Site-wide discounts range from 5-20% off.

Flash Sales

Daily flash sales offer 50-90% discounts on select items each day. Markdowns are time-limited making this section worth watching.

Coupon Codes

Coupon codes are constantly released offering site-wide and category discounts generally ranging from 5-15% off. Influencer promo codes provide larger discounts.

Coupon Stacking

Multiple coupons and discounts can sometimes be combined on one order for extra savings. The best scenario is a flash sale price plus stacked coupon codes.

Cashback Sites

Cashback sites like Rakuten pay you a percentage of the Banggood purchase amount. Rates range from 1-5% typically.

Price History Tools

Browser extensions like Banggood Price Tracker show price change history on item pages so you know if the current price is really a deal.

Comparison Shopping

Always compare Banggood prices against items on AliExpress, Amazon, eBay, and other sites. Banggood doesn’t win every price battle.

Best Items to Buy on Banggood

Banggood’s massive product catalog requires you to be selective about what’s worth buying. Some product categories provide the best value:

Development Boards

Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and other development boards are guaranteed authentic and offered at unbeatable prices.

Basic Components

Electronic components like capacitors, transistors, connectors, motors, and sensors are ultra cheap. Great for hobbyists.

DIY Electronics Kits

Kits that teach skills like soldering, coding, robotics, IoT, and more provide great educational value.

RC Toys & Models

Drones, RC cars, helicopters are often half the brand name price. Replacement parts keep costs down too.

Smart Device Accessories

Cheap cases, mounts, cables, chargers, and controllers for your phone, tablet, and laptop.

Clothing & Jewelry

Fashion jewelry, watches, handbags, and clothes can be amazing deals if you read reviews and manage expectations.

Household Items

Household gadgets, kitchenware, home/garden tools, hardware, craft supplies, and automotive accessories.

The key is sticking to cheap generic items with lots of reviews. Paying ultra-low prices outweighs quality concerns for some categories.

Who Should Shop at Banggood?

Banggood’s rock bottom pricing model makes it a good fit for certain groups:

Electronics Hobbyists

Makers, hackers, tinkerers, electronics enthusiasts, and amateur robot builders prize access to cheap components and tools.

RC Vehicle Fans

RC cars, boats, planes, drones, and the necessary accessories and parts selection appeal to hobbyists for less.

Gamers

Cheap accessories for consoles and gaming PCs including cases, controllers, headsets, cables, lights, and more make gamers happy.

Bargain Shoppers

The frugal and deal seekers appreciate the savings compared to shopping locally. Just manage expectations on product quality.

International Shoppers

Global customers from emerging markets welcome access to goods online with better selection and pricing compared to local stores.

Banggood likely won’t appeal to you if:

• You need premium brands and quality
• You want fast shipping without waiting weeks
• You have little patience for disputes if items are defective or missing

For the target demographics who understand the tradeoffs, Banggood provides an amazing outlet for bargains.

How Does Banggood Compare to Alternatives?

Chinese ecommerce giants like Alibaba and AliExpress set the stage for Banggood to emerge. But the retail landscape has expanded to give more options to buyers:

AliExpress

Like Banggood, AliExpress connects China-based sellers to global buyers but charges fees to list goods. Prices and product selection are comparable. AliExpress has more buyers but worse feedback scores.

Alibaba

Alibaba pioneered bringing Chinese goods to the world but operates on a business to business model. MOQ (minimum order quantity) is high so Alibaba is better for bulk orders for resale businesses.

eBay

Both facilitate independent sellers but eBay connects small businesses regardless of location. eBay sellers set higher prices to cover listing fees. Feedback ratings on eBay are generally better.

Amazon

Amazon competes aggressively on pricing but first party sales have higher standards and better support. Most Banggood products wouldn’t be allowed to sell on Amazon.

Local Retailers

Local stores can’t compete on pricing but offer faster shipping without customs delays plus easier exchanges and returns.

While not without risks, savvy buyers find Banggood to be the best fit for cheap gadgets and niche items sourced straight from Chinese factories.

Tips for the Best Banggood Shopping Experience

Because buying cross-border from China has pitfalls, employing some best practices goes a long way:

• Stick to product categories with lots of reviews. Avoid obscure items.
• Don’t buy high ticket items. Save Banggood for cheap products under $50.
• Carefully check shipping costs. Some oversized items have expensive delivery.
• Use cashback browser extensions and join the Banggood VIP club.
• Create a free user account to get sale notices and easier order tracking.
• Compare prices across AliExpress, eBay, Amazon, and review sites before buying.
• Read the fine print. Many deals exclude hot items and brand names.
• Pay the few extra dollars for ePacket, UPS, DHL, etc. Avoid slow & unreliable delivery methods.
• Extend buyer protection time on payments to 6 months in case issues arise.
• Video record opening packages and testing items immediately in case they need to be returned.
• Ask the seller to mark packages as “gift” and undervalue them if possible to avoid customs fees.
• Be polite but persistent contacting support. Many issues can be resolved if you’re patient and respectful.

While risks exist when shopping Banggood and other direct from China sites, being an informed buyer will lead to good deals with minimal hassles.

Is Banggood Ultimately Worth Buying From?

For all its flaws, Banggood fills a niche for bargain hunters that local retailers just can’t compete with. The pricing simply can’t be beat on many items.

Just have realistic expectations and select items carefully after reading recent feedback. Avoid the pitfalls of counterfeits, fakes, and poorly made products.

Buying electronics components, RC toys, hobby gear, and household items from Banggood can save you a small fortune. Just make low cost your top priority over premium quality.

Knowing the ins and outs of their shipping processes, support, and potential product risks allows savvy shoppers to access amazing deals safely.

While not for everyone, Banggood continues to thrive and grow precisely because it enables access to affordable goods worldwide direct from Chinese factories. Just enter informed.

That wraps up this Banggood review and guide detailing both the pros and cons of buying from this popular budget ecommerce site. Let us know if have any other questions!

FAQs