The parcel count: deciding what travels together and in how many boxes
Everything you choose here shows up later as freight, as a delay or as a line missing from the box. Decide it on paper first.
Consolidation, in plain terms
Consolidation means putting several stored items into one outbound parcel. It is the whole point of a haul: one parcel carries one set of per-parcel fees and one international journey, however many lines are inside. The agents we compare all describe it. Superbuy's help centre says items in your warehouse can be shipped in one parcel or several "for free"; Kakobuy lists inspection and consolidation as free; LoongBuy's storage page says that during the free period you can combine items, keep shopping or submit a parcel; RizzitGO's How It Works page includes consolidating and packing items before weighing and sending.
Free consolidation does not mean free packing. Cartons, reinforcement, vacuum bags and similar extras are usually priced separately, and per-parcel fees still apply. The docket question at this stage is simple: which stored lines go in this parcel, and which wait. Write the answer down before you submit, because the agent's parcel screen shows what is in the parcel, not what you meant to leave behind.
The storage clock that runs while you wait for the last item
Every stored line starts a free storage period, and a haul built from several sellers has lines whose clocks started on different days. The published terms in October 2026:
- LoongBuy: 90 days free from the "Warehoused" status, then a charge per item based on chargeable weight, RMB 0.1 per kilogram per day with a minimum of RMB 0.1 per item per day, up to a total of 180 days, after which unsubmitted items are treated as abandoned.
- Superbuy: 90 days free; a charge of CN¥0.1 per item for each day between day 91 and day 180, collected when you submit the parcel; items past 180 days with no shipping order are disposed of.
- Kakobuy: 100 days from "in storage", with a reminder email at day 90; after that the goods count as abandoned. A paid extension is sold per order.
- RizzitGO: 60 days free, with paid extensions bought from the warehouse screen; prices for the extensions are not published.
The line that matters is the oldest one. If your first item was stored six weeks before the last, its clock is six weeks ahead.
A trial pack before you pay for freight
Freight depends on the packed parcel, which does not exist until the warehouse packs it. Several agents sell a trial pack, often called a rehearsal, so you can see the weight and size before committing. LoongBuy's April 2026 policy describes a Parcel Rehearsal Service at CNY 20 per request: the warehouse simulates the packing and estimates volume, weight and cost; if you then ship that same parcel, the fee can be set against the final freight, and if you do not, it is not refunded. Kakobuy lists a rehearsal at ¥18 to learn the packed weight before paying freight. Superbuy's Shipping Expert service, ¥20 per order of up to ten items, sends a pre-estimated parcel plan with weighing photos.
Mulebuy's May 2026 guide had a "Rehearsal Submit" button next to the ordinary "Submit", which shows how standard the idea had become.
A trial pack is worth it when the haul is heavy, bulky or mixes items that might need different lines. For a small parcel of soft clothing, the estimate on the submission screen is usually close enough.
Reasons to split a haul into more than one parcel
One parcel is not always the right answer. Four published reasons to split:
- Weight and customs. Superbuy and Kakobuy both warn that parcels over 10 kg, or with many identical items, are more likely to be treated as commercial by customs.
- Line limits. Each line has its own weight limit. Kakobuy's estimator in October 2026 showed one US line whose actual weight limit was 2 kg.
- Special goods. Perfume, liquids and battery items may only travel on certain lines, which can be slower or dearer for the rest of the haul.
- Two warehouses. Superbuy notes that items in its Guangdong and Hong Kong warehouses cannot ship together.
Superbuy also sells a Split Order service at CN¥2.00 per item, within a day, for pulling gifts, batteries or liquids out of an order to ship separately. Whatever you decide, give each parcel a number on the docket and write which lines are in it. A split haul with no record of the split is how a line goes missing without anyone noticing.
Packing options and what they change in the count
Agents offer a packing menu, and some choices change what you will count at the door. LoongBuy's FAQ lists detailed photos, size measurement, video, no unsealing, vacuum packing, waterproof packing, moisture-proof bags, shoebox removal, package removal and tag removal. RizzitGO's How It Works page names customised photography, shoe box removal and tag removal, with result images provided. Superbuy says express packaging is removed when items are stocked in, except for figures, fragile items and bulk goods.
Two of these change the doorstep count. If a shoe box is removed, the box will not be in your parcel, so mark it on the docket as "box removed" rather than leaving it to look like a loss. If tags are removed, the size label may go with them, so check sizes at the warehouse stage while the tags are still in the photos. LoongBuy's inspection page adds a more general warning: once packaging has been opened for photos or consolidation, it may not be restored to exactly its original condition.
The packing list you keep for yourself
The agent's parcel page lists what is in the parcel. Your packing list should say a little more: which docket lines went in, which stayed behind and why, which packing options you chose, and the parcel weight once it is known. Kakobuy's free parcel photos, three shots of the packed parcel if you tick the option when shipping, are worth saving next to the list; they are the last picture of your items before the courier takes over.
We do not advise on how to fill in the customs declaration; follow the agent's form and your own country's rules. The packing list here is for you, so that when the parcel arrives you can count against something written before it left.
The haul docket tool keeps this as one of its four columns. Fill in the packed number for each line when you submit, and the tool will flag any line where packed is lower than landed.
Waiting for one late item: a practical choice
Suppose three accepted items are ready and a fourth is still with its seller. Compare two actual options: wait and send one parcel, or ship the ready items and send the fourth later. A second parcel may repeat an opening weight charge and packing cost; waiting may consume storage time. Neither option is always cheaper.
| Write down | Why it changes the choice |
|---|---|
| Storage start and current deadline for each ready item | Different arrival dates can produce different deadlines. |
| Seller’s status for the late item | An unconfirmed restock is different from a tracked domestic parcel. |
| Quotes for one combined parcel and two separate parcels | Compare route rules, box size and repeated fixed charges. |
| Open QC or return questions | Do not pack a disputed item simply to finish the count. |
Before approving packing, ask what happens to loose straps, spare laces and small accessories when boxes or bags are removed. Keep an itemised list so a useful weight-saving instruction does not accidentally discard something you intended to receive.