How to Use a Shopping Agent (2026 Beginner's Guide)

A shopping agentis a service that buys items on your behalf from marketplaces you can't easily order from directly (Taobao, Weidian, 1688 and private sellers), stores them at a warehouse, photographs them so you can inspect before shipping, and then forwards the parcel to your door. Kakobuy, OopBuy, USFans and LitBuy are all agents — different storefronts on top of the same basic flow.

The flow, step by step

• 1 · Find the item. That's what the SPREE spreadsheet is for — every find links straight to the product page on each agent that carries it, so you skip the link-hunting entirely.
• 2 · Create an account & pay. You pay the agent (card, PayPal or crypto depending on the agent) and they purchase from the seller. The item price is usually identical across agents — what differs is fees, shipping options and service.
• 3 · Wait for QC photos.When the item reaches the agent's warehouse they photograph it. This is your inspection moment — read our QC photo guide before you approve anything.
• 4 · Ship. Approve the item, pick a shipping line (see shipping lines explained), and pay international postage by weight. Consolidating several items into one parcel is where agents save you real money.

Beginner mistakes to avoid

• Shipping items one at a time. International postage dominates the cost of small hauls — let purchases pile up in the warehouse and ship once.
• Approving QC photos without zooming.Warehouse staff photograph; they don't judge. Check stitching, logos, accessories and ask for re-shoots if something is unclear — re-shoots are normal.
• Ignoring weight estimates. Shoes with boxes are heavy. Decide up front whether the box matters to you; shipping a box can cost more than the shoes.
• Treating listed prices as final. Agents update prices constantly and sellers change links. SPREE shows the price we last recorded — always confirm the live price on the agent before paying.

Which agent should you pick?

When several agents carry the same find at the same price, choose on service: app experience, QC photo quality, shipping lines to your country, and fees. Our agent comparison breaks down how to weigh them, and each agent page lists every find that agent carries.