What happened to Pandabuy? Is Pandabuy Legit? A Comprehensive Review

In recent years, Pandabuy has caught the eye as a cross-border e-commerce platform from China. It offers products at much lower prices than big brands like Nike and Adidas, drawing in many customers through social media platforms like TikTok and Reddit. However, recent legal issues have raised questions about its legitimacy. Is Pandabuy Legit?

This article will explore what Pandabuy is, its rise to fame, the controversies it’s facing, and whether it’s a trustworthy place to shop online.

What is Pandabuy

Pandabuy is an e-commerce platform that was established in China in 2019. It serves as a middleman, connecting international customers with Chinese sellers.

Unlike typical online stores, Pandabuy does not sell its own products. Instead, it provides a comprehensive shopping and shipping service, acting as an agent to facilitate the purchasing process for users from around the world.

This setup lets customers access a wide range of Chinese products, especially replica products, at much lower prices than they would find at home.

How does Pandabuy work

To help you understand Pandabuy better, here’s a simple breakdown of how it works:

Find Items

• Customers could browse Chinese e-commerce platforms like Taobao, Weidian, or 1688 to find goods.
• Customers could use platforms like Reddit, Instagram, and TikTok to find recommendations and reviews. 
• Pandabuy can also suggest products from reliable suppliers.

Place an order

• Once customers find the desired products, use Pandabuy to place an order. They help with purchases in China.
• After placing an order, the items are shipped to Pandabuy’s warehouse where they undergo thorough quality checks.

Shipping items:

• Warehouse Storage: Pandabuy offers free storage for up to 90 days in their warehouse. During this period, you can accumulate multiple items.
• Combining Shipments: Combine your items into one shipment to save on shipping costs.
• Shipping Routes: Pandabuy offers various shipping options and will recommend the best routes based on customers’ location and needs.

The Quick Spread of Pandabuy

Pandabuy haul

Pandabuy hauls are all over social media. On platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit, you can find tons of videos where influencers show off their massive purchases from Pandabuy.

They use eye-catching titles and thumbnails with big numbers like “25kg” and 40kg” to grab attention. In these videos, they unbox the items, showing each product in detail. Despite some minor flaws, the products look very appealing, especially considering the low prices. These videos emphasize the variety and affordability of Pandabuy items, drawing in more customers. However, it’s important to note that many of these products are counterfeit, which contributes to their low cost.

Beyond videos, Reddit discussions also play a big role in boosting Pandabuy’s popularity. Users share their experiences, tips, and product reviews. This helps Pandabuy build trust among potential buyers and encourages them to try it. This community-driven promotion keeps Pandabuy in the spotlight, constantly attracting new users.

Pandabuy spreadsheet

Why are so many people eager to post videos and reviews of their Pandabuy buys? Is it just for sharing? Not exactly. There’s more to it. Pandabuy supports affiliate marketing. Influencers often share Pandabuy spreadsheets with links to products they recommend. If you click these links and order something, the influencer will get a percentage.

These spreadsheets are well-organized and easy to navigate. Creators usually list product categories, prices, and links. This makes it simple for viewers to find and purchase the items shown in haul videos. Some even showcase a price comparison between counterfeit goods and genuine products.

Some influencers share reliable products, ensuring their followers have a good experience. However, others might promote cheaper, lower-quality items just to earn more revenue. This affiliate system motivates many users to create content about their Pandabuy hauls.

This strategy not only drives sales but also builds a network of promoters who continuously bring in new customers. Influencers benefit from commissions, and Pandabuy gains a steady stream of buyers.

Now, some people might wonder, is Pandabuy legit? Next, we’ll explore this question.

Is Pandabuy Legit?

Recent Legal Issues

Pandabuy recently faced severe legal trouble. On April 11, 2024, Chinese authorities raided their headquarters and several warehouses, seizing millions of counterfeit goods.

This operation involved nearly 200 law enforcement officers and resulted in the arrest of 30 staff. According to Cantoop, a Chinese intellectual property firm, fake products, including sports shoes and other branded items, could cover 100,000 square meters, enough to fill 20 football stadiums.

The investigation began with Corsearch. It is a company specializing in intellectual property protection. They started tracking Pandabuy in 2022 and noted its rise on platforms like TikTok. They observed a substantial increase in the popularity of Pandabuy among influencers and consumers.

One example involved a YouTuber who used a pair of Nike shoes bought on Pandabuy to exchange for a real pair at the official store. The store clerk didn’t notice and issued a refund. These kinds of incidents raised serious concerns about the authenticity of the products being sold. Corsearch worked with affected brands and the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit in London. This collaboration was crucial for the large raid.

The raid had a devastating impact on Pandabuy, completely disrupting its operations and shutting down its business flow. Moreover, It is expected to affect the counterfeit market for a long time, as affected brands will continue to combat counterfeit goods. Corsearch and law enforcement will also stay vigilant.

Given these legal issues, one might ask, is Pandabuy legit? We may have to wait for the police investigation’s final results to know for sure.

Data Security Concerns

On March 31, 2024, Pandabuy experienced a major data breach, affecting over 1.3 million customers.

A hacker named “Sanggiero” revealed the breach by posting the stolen data on a hacking forum. The leaked data included personal information, like user IDs, full names, phone numbers, emails, addresses, and login IPs.

Shortly after, the CEO of Pandabuy posted on Discord. He shared that after getting the notification on April 1st, the Pandabuy team fixed the issue within an hour. They did a thorough check and found no other problems.

He assured users that their accounts, packages, orders, and funds were safe. Finally, he sincerely apologized to the users and promised to do more to make up for this incident.

However, this wasn’t the end of their troubles.

According to Bleeping Computer, on June 3, 2024, Pandabuy was hit by another data extortion attack. The hacker continued to exploit the situation, reselling the stolen data for $40,000.This time, the database contained 17 million lines, much greater than the initial data leak of 1.3 million lines.

The Pandabuy spokesperson claimed, as reported by Bleeping Computer: “At present, we cannot continue to pay the hacker fees due to the frozen funds, and the data he leaked is the same as the last one.”

In conclusion, Pandabuy didn’t announce any official statement about this incident. The community’s response on platforms, like Discord and Reddit, reflected widespread dissatisfaction. Users criticize the company’s ineffective communication.

This data breach incident may not be over yet. If you’re using Pandabuy, remember to change your password to prevent any personal losses. Given these security issues, it’s hard to say Pandabuy is legit.

Mixed Customer Reviews

According to Trustpilot, the feedback from Pandabuy users has been quite varied. Many customers appreciate the platform’s low prices and the wide variety of products available. They often find deals that are hard to beat. This is a significant draw for bargain hunters.

However, not everyone has had a positive experience. Some customers report receiving items of poor quality, far below their expectations. There have been numerous complaints about long shipping times.

Additionally, customer service has been a major point of contention. Many users found it difficult to get timely and satisfactory responses to their issues.

When you add up these mixed reviews with the legal troubles and data security issues, it’s tough to say Pandabuy is legit.

If you’re considering using Pandabuy, weigh the pros and cons carefully. The savings might be substantial, but the risks are real. Are you willing to deal with possible quality issues, long shipping times, and inconsistent customer service? Plus, with the recent data breach and ongoing legal investigations, there’s an added layer of uncertainty. It’s essential to do your research and decide if the potential savings outweigh the possible drawbacks.

Current Status of Pandabuy

The Pandabuy website is still accessible, but most of its functions aren’t working. Users can browse the site, but they can’t make new purchases, track existing orders, or withdraw their funds. The site is essentially in a “look but doesn’t touch” state, likely due to ongoing legal and operational issues.

Unable to pay orders

You cannot buy anything on the website now. When you click on almost any replica product, the website displays a popup that prevents you from buying or adding it to the cart.

While you can add general items to your cart, the payment process isn’t functioning, so you can’t complete any purchases.

Shipping problems

Many users claim that their goods have been in transit for the past two months without any tracking updates or delivery.

Pandabuy stated that the police are currently investigating them, and their warehouse remains under police control. The police need to confirm whether any laws have been broken. Until the investigation is complete, they are unable to ship items.

Refunds and Withdraw

Users can request refunds, and the purchasing team will contact the seller to process them. However, user withdrawals and balance withdrawals aren’t being processed, so customers can’t access their funds. This is because Pandabuy’s bank accounts have been frozen due to the ongoing investigation.

Here is the Pandabuy announcement in April 2024.

FAQ

Is Pandabuy safe to use? Is Pandabuy legit?

Pandabuy has faced significant legal issues and data security concerns, It’s difficult to confirm if Pandabuy is legit. And it’s important to be cautious. The police raids on their facilities and the exposure of over 1.3 million customers’ personal information in a data breach highlight the risks. If you decide to use Pandabuy, be aware of the potential problems and take steps to protect your personal information.

What kind of products does Pandabuy sell?

Pandabuy offers a wide range of products, including clothing, electronics, and counterfeit luxury goods. However, the availability of counterfeit items has been a major issue, leading to the recent legal troubles.

Is Pandabuy shutdown?

Pandabuy is not completely shut down but is operating in a limited capacity due to police raids and legal actions. Many customers have reported difficulties with order fulfillment and customer service. Delays and unprocessed orders are common.

The future of Pandabuy remains uncertain.

Are there any alternatives to Pandabuy?

Yes, there are several alternatives to Pandabuy, such as Supdropshipping, Superbuy, and Sugargoo. These platforms also offer shopping and shipping services for international customers to buy products from China. However, it’s important to do your research and exercise caution before deciding to use any of them. Make sure to check customer reviews,  and understand the potential risks involved.

Conclusion

In summary, Pandabuy has become popular for its wide range of products and low prices, but recent legal issues, a big data breach, and mixed reviews have made people question its reliability. It’s still running but with limited functions. And its future remains uncertain. If you’re thinking about using it, be cautious.

If you’re interested in sourcing products from China, Supdropshipping offers excellent services. We specialize in finding high-quality products and managing the logistics to deliver them to you. Contact us to learn more about how we can meet your needs！