What type of payment method do you use for China sites?

[BlackLion]

When ordering from China wholesale sites, have you all ever had to submit your identification and photo of credit card for approval?

What triggers this? Should we use actual bank debit cards instead of prepaid cards to avoid them asking for this information? I continuously have to go through this with them. I feel uneasy sending them this information, but really need to purchase a few things.

[phaz0rz]

Fraud prevention measures, most likely.

I like to chat up the supplier about paying off site. They tend to like the idea since they save on selling fees and most of them are able to accept Paypal so you're still protected if you get ripped off. After trust is built and we've been doing business for a while I'll switch to int'l wire's because it's way cheaper.

The couple of times I have paid on-site (Alibaba) I've used the wire transfer option through trade assurance. When you do it that way, it's a domestic wire instead of international because Alibaba has you send it to their Citibank account where they hold it in escrow until you receive and finalize your order. I've never been asked for ID but it's been probably a year and a half since I've paid for an order that way.

Anyway... it's the norm now. Either send them your doxx or just don't buy on that site, I guess. Maybe it's the payment method you're trying to use? Are there alternative ways of paying on the site you're on?