Help for an ACBuy parcel held in China
Contact routes, the words ACBuy uses on its screens, and short answers for a parcel that has not left the country yet.
Reaching ACBuy about a stalled parcel
For anything about a stopped parcel, ACBuy's route is customer service: live chat on the site, the inbox in your account, or [email protected], which ACBuy's Contact Us page lists for customer service. Hours are 09:00 to 18:00 Beijing time, shown on ACBuy's pages as “9/7”. The help centre at cs.acbuy.com holds ten English articles, including the one on returns by China customs.
Send the parcel's AP code, a screenshot of what you are seeing (the reason line, the tracking line or the station message) and one specific question. The open questions page has ready-made wording. This site cannot see your account and cannot contact ACBuy for you; [email protected] is for corrections to this guide.
Terms on ACBuy screens when a parcel stalls
This glossary lists the terms you will meet on ACBuy's screens and in its replies when a parcel is stopped. Where ACBuy uses its own capitalisation, it is kept so you can search for the exact word.
| Term | What it means here |
|---|---|
| QC | Quality-control photos and the warehouse inspection record. Compare the actual item with your order; photos do not certify authenticity, fit or electronic function. |
| AP code | The parcel number ACBuy uses; claim instructions ask for it first. |
| AI number | ACBuy's identifier for an item line; fees such as the special-platform service fee are charged per AI. |
| Stored / Warehouse | Statuses meaning the item has arrived and is on your shelf; storage and return windows count from here. |
| Mailing restriction | A label staff set on an item from its attributes; it filters which routes you can choose. |
| Reason for unavailability | The yellow line under a route you cannot select, explaining why. |
| Individually Packaged | A mark on goods that cannot be combined with other goods in one parcel. |
| Station message | A notice in your ACBuy account inbox, used for the restock after a return. |
| Exchange office | Guangzhou or Beijing International Exchange Station or Bureau, where outbound mail meets export customs. |
| Package Workshop | Huizhou City Package Workshop: in ACBuy's example, the scan that means the parcel is back. |
| Rehearsal | Paid trial packing (20 CNY for up to 20 items) to learn weight and size before paying shipping. |
| AC Care | ACBuy's paid parcel cover, bought on the route screen. |
| Free Insurance | A cover badge some routes show in the estimator, at no extra cost. |
| Customs and Declaration Fee | A per-parcel line on many quotes, 10 to 30 CNY. |
| Warehouse Packing Fee | A per-parcel line on quotes, 8 CNY on 16 October 2026. |
| GL / RL | Community shorthand after QC photos: GL means you are happy to go ahead, RL means you want the item sorted out first. |
Answers for a parcel that has not flown yet
These are the frequently asked questions about a parcel held before departure, answered from ACBuy's own articles. Each answer is short on purpose; the linked pages give the detail and the sources.
My route list is empty. Is my parcel stuck?
It is not stuck; it has not been paid for yet. Read the reason line on the route you wanted and ask customer service to verify the label, as ACBuy's route article suggests.
Tracking says “Returned”. Has my money been refunded?
Not yet. ACBuy describes the refund for a parcel that has reached the warehouse, and most returned parcels are presented to customs again first.
How long will it take to get back to the warehouse?
ACBuy says it cannot guarantee the timeframe. Its one complete example took six days from the return scan to the Huizhou workshop.
Who refunds the shipping cost?
ACBuy's doc-centre article says the logistics provider refunds it to your ACBuy wallet.
Will ACBuy tell me why customs returned it?
Usually not. ACBuy says specific reasons are usually not provided and that it cannot determine them.
Can I withdraw the refund to my card?
Eligible withdrawals use the original channel. The captured top-up article gives 1–5 business days for finance processing, not guaranteed arrival. The payment FAQ excludes Coinpal and SEPA top-ups; confirm the actual channel and receipt estimate.
Should I use the same route again?
ACBuy leaves it to you and treats both choices as reasonable. Compare route details in the estimator first.
Does this guide cover parcels returned from my own country?
The detailed return ledger focuses on China export returns. Destination-country returns have different rules; ACBuy writes that without shipping insurance the shipping cost cannot be compensated.
