Electronic Components from China: How to Get Them Fast
Ordering from AliExpress or a Chinese supplier often means one to three weeks of waiting, and in the European Union, since July 1, 2026, a flat €3 duty comes on top of VAT. For a prototype, a repair or a project that cannot wait, there is another way: a traveler coming back from Shenzhen or Hong Kong with your parts in their suitcase. Here is how it works and what to know.
Why ordering from China costs more than before
Since July 2021, VAT has applied in the EU from the first euro on purchases from outside the bloc. And since July 1, 2026, the customs duty exemption below €150 has been replaced by a flat €3 duty per item category in each parcel: a parcel mixing three types of products pays €9. The scheme is planned to run until at least July 2028.
For a €2 bag of resistors, the duty weighs more than the product. And delivery times have not changed: for a part you need this week, the post cannot keep up.
Where travelers buy: Shenzhen and Hong Kong
Huaqiangbei, in Shenzhen, is one of the largest electronics markets in the world: components, modules, displays, sensors, cables, almost everything is there, often sold by the unit. According to Chinese state television, more than 7,000 foreign visitors go there every day, and many arrive with an empty suitcase.
Hong Kong, just across the border, has no sales tax, and its electronics markets, such as Sham Shui Po, are easy to reach. Citizens of 46 countries, including France, Germany, Spain and Italy, can enter China visa-free for 30 days until at least December 31, 2026: there are plenty of travelers on these routes.
How to have your parts brought to you
On Colia, you post a purchase request: exact references (manufacturer, part number, quantity), a link to the product if you have one, arrival city and deadline. A traveler coming back from Shenzhen or Hong Kong proposes a deal, buys the parts and hands them to you in person.
Be precise: a part number beats a photo, and an acceptable alternative avoids a failed purchase. For a purchase, the reward never goes below 10% of the price, with a €5 minimum.
The rules to follow
Lithium batteries
Spare batteries, power banks and modules with batteries travel in the cabin only, within the airline's limits. Never in the hold.
Reasonable quantities
A quantity that looks like stock for resale can be treated as a commercial import by customs.
Declaration
Above the traveler allowance (€430 by air in the EU), goods must be declared, and an item carried for someone else may have to be declared regardless.
No counterfeits
Recycled components sold as new, copied branded products: the seizure and the fine fall on whoever carries them.
Who benefits most
It pays off most where postal delays are long and import taxes high: in Africa, North Africa and the Middle East, but also in Europe for urgent needs. Flights from Shenzhen, Hong Kong or Guangzhou reach most of these destinations directly or with one stop.
If you need parts often, follow the travelers who fly the route regularly: you will be told about their next trips.
Check what you may put in a suitcase, item by item
Useful? Pass it on.
Need parts from Shenzhen?
Post your request on Colia and find a traveler coming back from China.