2. Ordering Methods

KCOSW currently provides four active ordering methods: Individual Order, Group Order, Hot Deals, and Quick Deals. Regular Order exists in the platform as a legacy/suspended method, but it is temporarily not in service. Unlike traditional wholesalers that demand huge minimums for everything, our flexible system supports both large-volume distributors and smaller boutiques through the active methods below.

1. Individual Order (Standard Wholesale)

This is our standard wholesale method available to all approved members.

• Rules: You must meet the Minimum Order Amount (MOA) set by each individual brand. The MOA is per brand and the spread is wide — around ₩3,000,000 for roughly half our brands, but some start from ₩1,000,000 and a few run past ₩10,000,000. There is no single platform-wide minimum, so check the brand you actually want rather than assuming ₩3,000,000: each brand's live figure is on the catalogue at kcosw.com/catalog and in the public API at https://www.kcosw.com/api/open/brands. If the brand you want is out of reach, the lowest-MOA brands, Hot Deals (no MOA at all) and Group Order are the three ways in.
• Quantities: You must order in full box units. The box quantity is fixed by the brand and differs from product to product, so there is no single number to quote — it is shown on every product line on the New Order page, and your quantity must be a whole multiple of it. A box cannot be split. The carton reaches us sealed from the brand's warehouse and we hold no stock to open, so a part-box quantity such as "30 pieces of each product" does not exist for any item. If a product's box is 60, the quantities that exist are 60, 120, 180 and so on.
• Brand Mixing Limits:
  • If you select 1 Brand, you can add an unlimited number of products to your cart.
  • If you select Multiple Brands, you can mix a maximum of 3 brands in a single order draft, and that order can contain 10 distinct products in total across all of those brands — not 10 per brand. The server rejects an 11th product with "Orders with 2 or 3 brands can include up to 10 products total."
• Advantage: Best unit prices for large-volume buyers.

2. Regular Order (Temporarily Unavailable)

Regular Order was designed for buying selected best-selling products in smaller piece-level quantities, but it is currently paused and not available for new orders.

• Current status: Temporarily not in service.
• Alternative: Group Buyers who want to order without meeting the standard brand MOA should use Group Order instead.
• Important: Do not advise buyers to place a Regular Order until KCOSW announces that the service has reopened.

3. Group Order (Group Buyer Exclusive)

Join scheduled, time-limited group buying events to bypass high brand MOAs.

• Rules: NO MOA requirement for your individual order, but you still order in full box units (MOQ).
• Condition: Only available to "Group Buyers".
  • WARNING: Group Orders rely on aggregating international demand. Therefore, processing and receiving your order may take a significantly long time compared to standard methods.
  • IMPORTANT (As of April 16, 2026): Group orders are currently limited to specific, restricted brands and products. You MUST consult with the Support Center before initiating a Group Order.
• Payment: Must be paid using your Credit balance.
• Advantage: We consolidate your order with other buyers' orders to reach the brand's high MOA, giving you access to exclusive brands even with a small budget.

4. Hot Deals

Clearance sales and promotional offers on in-stock items.

• Rules: No Minimum Order Amount (MOA) constraints whatsoever. However, all orders must strictly be placed in full Box units (MOQ).
• Payment: You can pay via KCOSW Credit balance or a standard bank transfer (T/T) — same as Individual Orders. Please note that stock availability is not guaranteed until your payment is confirmed by our team. If an item goes out of stock before your payment clears, we will notify you and provide a full refund to your Credit balance.
• Quantities: Limited stock available on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Advantage: Deeply discounted prices and immediate availability.
• Prices are for members: Hot Deal wholesale prices are shown to signed-in, approved KCOSW members. Visitors and external AI assistants without an approved buyer UID can see which products are on offer — brand, product, size, box quantity — but not the price. This is a deliberate policy, not an error and not a sign that an item is sold out. Registration is free; once your account is approved the prices appear immediately, on the website and through the open API alike.

5. Quick Deals (Single Units, No Brand Minimum)

Quick Deals is the smallest way in. It is a rotating list of Korean beauty best-sellers that we buy at Korean retail discount and resell in single units, so a buyer can test a product without committing to a brand's minimum order amount.

• Minimum: ₩30,000 per order across the whole cart. There is no minimum per brand, no full box requirement, and no ₩3,000,000 commitment. Mix as many brands as you like in one parcel.
• What is listed: items currently discounted 30% or more at Korean retail. The list changes as discounts start and end, so a deal that was there last week may not be there today. Every deal shows its price, how many units are in the pack, the price per unit, and its shipping weight.
• Who can order: any signed-in member. Approval as a wholesale buyer is not required for Quick Deals, and neither is a credit deposit if you pay by PayPal.
• Payment: PayPal (no deposit needed) or your KCOSW Credit balance (no surcharge). PayPal adds a processing surcharge of roughly 8–9.5% because that is what PayPal charges us for an international payment plus currency conversion; the exact amount is shown before you pay. A ₩500,000 credit deposit removes the surcharge permanently on Quick Deals. It does not cover the wholesale lines — Group Orders need the separate Group Buyer deposit of ₩2,000,000.
• Shipping: charged by the weight of the whole parcel to your country and shown in the cart before you pay. You choose the service — K-Packet, EMS, EMS Premium or DHL, whichever are available for that weight and destination — and each option shows its own price and delivery time.
• If a price changes or an item sells out: prices are live retail prices and can move before we buy. A small rise we absorb and ship anyway at the price you paid. A large rise, and we contact you before spending your money. If we cannot buy an item at all, that line is refunded in full — to your PayPal account if you paid by PayPal, to your credit balance if you paid from a deposit — and the rest of the order still ships. If every item falls through you get the whole payment back, shipping included.
• Cancelling: you can cancel the order yourself from My Orders > Quick Deals until we start buying. After that, email order@kcosw.com.
• Timing: we buy on the day you order and pack within 1–2 working days. From Seoul, K-Packet usually takes 7–14 working days and EMS 5–8, depending on destination and customs. A tracking number is issued when the parcel leaves.
• Prices are for members: like Hot Deals, the Quick Deals list and its prices are shown to signed-in members only. Registration is free and approval is not required to browse or order.
• Where: kcosw.com/quick-deals, or New Order > Quick Deals in the menu.

Ordering Through the AI Assistant (Crome)

You do not have to build every order by hand on the order board. Crome, the AI assistant on kcosw.com, can put an order draft together with you inside the chat window.

Two ways to use it:

1. You already know what you want. Give the products and quantities — "Anua Heartleaf Toner 250ml, 200 pcs" or a list of barcodes with quantities — and Crome creates the draft directly.
2. You want help choosing. Say something like "I want to order Anua, put together a basket that meets the minimum". Crome looks up that brand's catalogue, works out a combination of full boxes that reaches the brand's Minimum Order Amount, and shows it to you as a table with each product's barcode, box quantity, unit price and line total, plus the grand total against the MOA. Nothing is created until you approve that table. You can ask to swap products, change quantities, or start over.

What the assistant can and cannot do:

• It creates a draft only. You still open 'My Orders > Drafts' and click Review & Submit yourself to choose currency, payment terms and shipping, and to place the order. The assistant never submits an order and never takes a payment.
• Order types it can start: Individual Order and Group Order. Regular Order is out of service, and Hot Deal orders must be started from the Hot Deals page so the draft is linked to the actual deal.
• The same rules apply as anywhere else on the platform, and they are enforced on our servers, not by the assistant: quantities must be full box multiples, the brand MOA must be met, and the 3-brand / 10-product mixing limits apply. If a basket breaks one of these, the draft is refused and the assistant tells you what to change.
• Totals the assistant quotes are before volume discounts. Discounts are applied by the system afterwards, so a large order's final amount can come out slightly lower.
• Your account must be approved before the assistant can show wholesale prices or create drafts.

The assistant is available from 'Support Center > AI Assistant' and answers in your own language.

The Step-by-Step Order Lifecycle

Our platform replaces messy emails and spreadsheets with a fully trackable digital pipeline:

1. Create Draft (Cart): Select an ordering method and add products to your cart. Once conditions (like MOA) are met, click 'Save as Draft'.
2. Review & Submit: Navigate to your Drafts. Review the items and click 'Submit'. During this checkout step, you will:
   • Select your required Shipping Method (EMS, EMS Premium, K-Packet, DHL Express, Self-Pickup, Domestic). Availability varies by destination — the Shipping Calculator shows which apply to you.
   • Select your Payment Currency (KRW or USD).
     • Crucial Rule for USD: If you select USD, the system locks in the live exchange rate at the moment of submission. This exact fixed rate will apply until the very end of this entire order, protecting you from future market fluctuations.
3. Proforma Invoice (PI) Issued: Our admin reviews your submitted order and issues the official Proforma Invoice.
4. Confirm PI & Initial Payment: You must review and click 'Confirm Invoice' to lock the order, then make a 50% deposit (or 100% full payment) and submit a 'Payment Notification' on the platform.
5. Sourcing & Preparation: Once our admin verifies your deposit, we immediately begin sourcing products and packing them into boxes.
6. Commercial Invoice (CI) & Final Payment: After packing is finished and the actual weight is measured, we issue the final Commercial Invoice containing the exact final shipping fee. You pay the remaining balance.
7. Shipped: Your products are dispatched! You can track the real-time shipping status and download all documents (including the Packing List) directly from your dashboard.

Important Ordering Policies

• Regular Order Pause: Regular Order is currently not in service. If a buyer asks about small-quantity ordering without MOA, direct them to Group Order or Hot Deals depending on product availability.
• Modification & Deletion Capabilities per Stage:
  • Draft Stage: You have full control. You can edit quantities, add/remove products, or delete the draft entirely. Note: Unsubmitted inactive drafts may be automatically purged by the system periodically to save database space.
  • Submitted / PI Issued: You cannot change the product list or quantities yourself. You can only edit trade-related details (like your shipping address or shipping mark file) until you confirm the PI. You can still 'Cancel' the entire order at this stage.
  • Deposit Confirmed: Once your down payment is confirmed, sourcing begins immediately. No modifications or cancellations are allowed from this point forward.
• Out of Stock: Fulfilling 100% of an order is not always possible due to rapid inventory changes. If items are out of stock after payment, the unfulfilled amount is fully refunded to your KCOSW Credit balance.
• Sales Channel Restrictions: Note that some brands restrict sales on specific marketplaces (e.g., Amazon) or in certain countries. It is the buyer's responsibility to adhere to these brand policies stated on the order page.

Why We Cannot Take Small Mixed-Brand Orders Any More

Buyers who worked with us years ago sometimes remember a more flexible arrangement, and new buyers often assume a wholesaler simply keeps shelves of stock. Both are worth addressing directly, because the reason is a change in how Korean brands supply exporters — not a policy we chose.

What changed

KCOSW has operated since 2013. In our earlier years we bought stock outright and sold it both domestically in Korea and for export. Holding our own inventory meant we could fill small mixed orders — a buyer spending around KRW 1,000,000 could take a few items from one brand and a few from another, and we would assemble it from what was on our shelves.

That is no longer possible. Korean brand headquarters now supply goods on the condition that they are exported to a specific destination country. The change was driven by two problems the brands needed to control: stock intended for export being resold inside Korea, and stock being diverted to countries the brand had not agreed to.

The 30-day export obligation

When we receive goods — whether directly from a brand headquarters or through an agency that sources from them — we are required to:

1. Export those goods within roughly 30 days of receiving them
2. File an official export declaration with Korean customs
3. Submit proof of export back to the brand headquarters or agency we bought from

This also follows from Korea's zero-rate VAT (영세율) scheme for export goods, which legally requires the goods to actually leave the country.

The practical consequence: we cannot hold inventory in our office waiting for future orders. There is no shelf of assorted stock from which we could pick a few units of brand A and a few of brand B for a small order. Every shipment we receive is already committed to a specific buyer in a specific country, and it has to leave.

This is why minimum order amounts are set per brand and cannot be met by combining brands. Each brand's stock arrives as its own consignment against its own minimum.

What actually works right now

Individual Orders are the most direct route. Meet a single brand's minimum order amount, order in full box units, and your order goes into the next purchase order we place with that brand.

Minimums vary far more than most buyers expect — a few brands start below the typical KRW 3,000,000 rather than the KRW 3,000,000 that is typical — so meeting one brand's minimum is often more achievable than it first appears. Ask which brands currently have the lowest minimums.

Group Orders let several buyers share one brand's minimum so nobody carries it alone. Because your order has to be pooled with others until the brand's minimum is reached before anything can be placed, a Group Order carries one extra step that an Individual Order does not, and it can take longer.

That said, it is not a rule. Group Orders sometimes move as quickly as a standalone order, and an Individual Order is not automatically fast either.

Hot Deals are genuinely small and immediate, because those items are already in our hands and committed for export. Quantities are limited and the selection is whatever we currently hold.

Quick Deals is the answer to the small mixed order described above. It does not solve the brand supply problem — those goods are bought at Korean retail rather than from a brand headquarters, so the range is whatever is discounted this week rather than a brand's full catalogue, and unit prices are higher than true wholesale. What it does give you is a way to buy single units across several brands from ₩30,000, which is close to the flexibility buyers remember from our earlier years. Use it to sample products before committing to a brand order; use Individual or Group Orders when you know what sells and want wholesale pricing.

Why timing is hard to promise either way

Lead time depends far more on when your order lines up with a purchase order to the brand than on which method you used.

If your order happens to coincide with a PO we are about to place, it moves quickly. If it lands just after one, it waits for the next cycle. High-demand brands with tight supply windows take longer regardless of method.

So we would rather set the expectation honestly: a Group Order has one more dependency and may take longer, but neither method comes with a guaranteed speed. Plan your stock with that variability in mind rather than assuming a fixed turnaround.

Why ordering one product in very large volume is also difficult

The opposite request causes its own problem. Buyers sometimes ask for a single popular product in very large quantity — five or ten thousand units of one item.

That is the hardest thing to source. A product in high demand is exactly the one whose stock the brand is already allocating to domestic demand and to contracted distributors. Brands also expect orders to carry a reasonable spread of their range rather than stripping out one hero product.

So a single-SKU order at that scale typically takes far longer to fill, is more likely to be cut short, and may not be accepted at all. If you need volume on one item, tell us early so we can check allocation and advise what to pair it with.

3. Payment & Credit System

Payment Methods

We offer two main ways to pay for wholesale orders, plus PayPal on Quick Deals:

1. KCOSW Credit (Highly Recommended)

Credit is your pre-paid digital wallet on KCOSW.com. By depositing funds in advance, you become a "Group Buyer".

• Benefits: Instant payment confirmation (no waiting for admin checks), zero international wire fees per order, and exclusive access to Group Orders. Regular Order is currently paused and not in service.
• How to Deposit:
  1. Go to 'My Orders > My Credit' and click 'Request Credit Invoice'. This generates a formal invoice for your deposit (useful for submitting to your bank).
  2. Fill out the form with the amount you wish to deposit and your company details.
  3. Wire the funds via T/T.
  4. After sending the funds, you MUST return to the 'My Credit' page and click 'Notify a Deposit'.
  5. Submit your deposit details. Once our team verifies the payment, the KRW amount that arrives will be credited to your account and Group Buyer status activated.
• Two deposit tiers: ₩500,000 opens Quick Deals payment by credit (no PayPal surcharge). ₩2,000,000 makes you a full Group Buyer, which includes Quick Deals and adds Group Orders. Both activate automatically once our team confirms the deposit — there is no separate application.
• Minimum Deposit Policy: Only your first qualifying deposit has a minimum. To activate your "Group Buyer" status, deposit ₩2,000,000 KRW or more in one go — this can be split across several transfers, but the status only activates once the full ₩2,000,000 KRW has been confirmed. After that there is no minimum: you may top up your Credit by any amount, as often as you like, and your Group Buyer status stays active. Small top-ups are useful when a small balance is left to pay on an order. Note that international bank fees make very small wire transfers uneconomical for you, so consider topping up in larger amounts when it suits you.
• Mandatory for Group Orders: Due to the special nature of Group Orders (which waive the standard MOA), they can only be paid for using your available Credit balance. This ensures a smooth and immediate payment process. Regular Order also required Credit-only payment when it was active, but it is currently paused.

2. T/T (Bank Wire Transfer)

The standard method for paying per order.

• Process: After submitting an order, you wire the funds and then MUST click 'Make a Payment' on the website to notify us. In the dialog, accurately fill in the Payer Name, Transfer Amount, and Transfer Date.
• Delay: Order processing begins only after our team manually verifies the bank deposit, which can take several days depending on international banking speeds.
• Sending payment receipts via email is no longer necessary. All payment notifications must be submitted through the website.

3. PayPal Checkout (Quick Deals)

Quick Deals has PayPal built into checkout — you click through, pay, and the order is created immediately. It exists so a new buyer can place a first small order without wiring money or funding a deposit first.

• This automated checkout is Quick Deals only. Wholesale orders (Individual, Group, Hot Deal) are paid by Credit or T/T; PayPal is still possible there but as a manual USD remittance you send yourself and then notify us — see "PayPal — USD Only, Higher Fees Apply" further down.
• Surcharge: roughly 8–9.5% is added and shown before you pay. This is not a markup — PayPal charges us about 4.4% plus a fixed fee on international payments and a further 3% to convert the money into Korean won, and the surcharge covers exactly that. The rate is higher on smaller orders because the fixed fee weighs more: about 9.4% on a ₩30,000 order and about 8.0% on ₩1,000,000.
• How to avoid it: pay from your Credit balance instead. A bank transfer costs us nothing to receive, so credit payment carries no surcharge at all. A ₩500,000 deposit opens credit payment for Quick Deals; ₩2,000,000 makes you a Group Buyer, which includes it.
• Refunds on a PayPal order go back to the PayPal account that paid, not to your credit balance.

Split Payments

You can split your payment across multiple methods:

• Credit + Bank Transfer: Use your available Credit balance for a portion, then pay the rest via wire transfer. The payment dialog allows you to apply your Credit balance using a slider and automatically calculates the remaining balance to be transferred.
• For Group Orders, only Credit payment is accepted — no split payments. Regular Order is currently not in service.

Payment Terms

When finalizing an order, you can choose:

• 50% Deposit: You pay 50% of the Product Total upfront. The estimated shipping fee is NOT included in this initial payment. The final shipping fee and the remaining 50% are paid later on the Commercial Invoice after products are packed.
• 100% Full Payment: You pay the Product Total PLUS the Estimated Shipping Fee upfront. If the final shipping is less or items are out of stock, the overpaid amount is refunded to your Credit balance.

Currency Selection

• KRW Invoice (Recommended): The invoice total is fixed in KRW. Any excess USD you send (due to exchange rate buffers) is saved securely to your Credit balance without loss. This is the best option for most users.
• USD Invoice: Uses a fixed lock-in exchange rate at the moment of order submission to protect against currency fluctuations. This exact fixed rate applies until the very end of this entire order. Choose this only if your business accounting strictly requires a fixed USD amount on the invoice.

Refunds

Unused Credit balances can be refunded to your bank account through My Orders > My Credit > Request Refund.

Important refund rules:

• Refund requests are available only when you have no active orders in progress.
• Only one pending refund request is allowed at a time.
• KCOSW deducts ₩18,000 KRW from the refund amount for our bank-side transfer fees: ₩10,000 wire transfer fee + ₩8,000 telegraphic fee.
• The refund estimate is shown in USD using the live remittance sending rate fetched for the refund request. Additional intermediary or local bank fees may reduce the final amount you receive.
• Our team typically processes the international wire transfer within 2-3 business days after review.

Payment Delays

If you anticipate a delay in your payment, please inform us as soon as possible. We may be able to hold your order, but significant delays may result in order cancellation as we cannot hold inventory indefinitely. For Group Orders, payment must be made before the deadline — late payments cannot be accepted.

How to Send Money — Two Paths

Path 1: Order Payment (Paying for a Specific Order)

This is the standard flow when you have already submitted an order:

1. You submit your order on the platform.
2. Our admin reviews the order and issues a Proforma Invoice (PI).
3. You review the PI on your order status page and click 'Confirm Invoice'.
4. You wire the funds (50% deposit or 100% full payment) to our bank account.
5. You go to the order status page and click 'Make a Payment' to submit a payment notification with the transfer details.
6. Our team verifies the deposit and begins processing your order.

Path 2: Pre-Deposit / Credit Top-Up (Before or Between Orders)

You can deposit funds in advance to your KCOSW Credit balance at any time:

1. Go to Dashboard > My Orders > My Credit.
2. Click 'Notify a Deposit' button.
3. Fill in the details of your bank transfer (amount, currency, date, payer name).
4. Submit the notification. Once verified by our admin, the amount is added to your available Credit balance.

Why pre-deposit?

• Become a Group Buyer: A first deposit of ₩2,000,000 KRW activates Group Buyer status, unlocking Group Orders. Later top-ups have no minimum. Regular Order is currently paused.
• Skip payment verification delays: When you place future orders, payment from your Credit balance is confirmed instantly — no waiting days for international wire transfers to clear.
• Flexibility: Your Credit balance can be applied to any future order or split with a bank transfer.

Accepted Remittance Methods (Detailed)

✅ International Bank Transfer (T/T) — Primary & Recommended

Our standard payment method. You can send funds in KRW or USD to our Korean bank accounts (Woori Bank). This is the most cost-effective method with the lowest fees. Bank details are displayed on the payment notification page.

✅ PayPal — USD Only, Higher Fees Apply

PayPal is available only when paying in USD. Because PayPal charges significantly higher transaction fees (processing fee + unfavorable exchange rates), our system automatically calculates and displays the adjusted amount including PayPal surcharges. The total you pay via PayPal will be higher than the equivalent bank transfer amount. PayPal is offered as a convenience option for buyers who cannot use bank transfers.

✅ Wise (wise.com) & Other Remittance Services

Using Wise, Western Union, Remitly, or any other legitimate international money transfer service to send funds to our Korean bank account is perfectly fine. As long as the money arrives in our bank account as a standard incoming wire transfer, we accept it regardless of which service you used to initiate it.

✅ Private Money Exchangers / Local Currency Agents

If you use a private currency exchange service or local agent to convert your currency and deposit KRW directly into our Korean bank account, this is also acceptable. Just make sure to submit the deposit notification on the platform after the transfer.

❌ Credit Cards — NOT Accepted Directly

Due to the nature of B2B wholesale (high transaction values), we cannot accept credit card payments directly. Credit card processing fees on large wholesale orders would be prohibitively expensive for both parties.

However, some international remittance services allow you to fund your transfer using a credit card, and the money arrives in our bank account as a normal cash wire transfer. This is acceptable. Examples of services that may support credit card funding:

• Wise (wise.com): Supports credit/debit card as a funding source in many countries.
• Western Union: Allows card payments for international bank transfers in many regions.
• PayPal Send Money: You can link a credit card to your PayPal account and send payment to our PayPal (USD only, PayPal fees apply).

Note: Each service's fees and exchange rates vary. Please compare options before choosing.

⚠️ Letter of Credit (LC) — Conditional (Large Orders Only)

We can accept Letters of Credit only for orders totaling ₩500,000,000 KRW or more (approximately $350,000 USD). For orders below this threshold, the LC issuance costs, bank fees, and administrative overhead far outweigh the benefits. We strongly recommend using standard T/T (bank wire transfer) for most transactions.

❌ Cryptocurrency (USDT, TRC20, Bitcoin, etc.) — NOT Accepted

We cannot accept payments in any cryptocurrency, including stablecoins like USDT (TRC20/ERC20), USDC, or Bitcoin. Under Korean foreign exchange regulations (외국환거래법), receiving export proceeds via cryptocurrency requires prior registration with the Bank of Korea, VASP (Virtual Asset Service Provider) licensing, and creates significant anti-money laundering (AML) compliance risks. Due to these strict regulatory requirements, cryptocurrency payments are not feasible for our business at this time.

4. Shipping, Documents & FAQ

Shipping Logistics

KCOSW ships to over 60 countries across Asia, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa worldwide.

Which methods are available for your country (read this first)

Not every method reaches every destination. EMS, K-Packet and EMS Premium each have their own list of served countries, and for some destinations only EMS Premium or DHL Express is possible. Do not assume the cheapest method is available to you and budget around it — a buyer who plans on EMS pricing and then finds only DHL is available will see a very different shipping cost.

The Shipping Calculator at kcosw.com/shipping-calculator is the authoritative answer for your destination. It needs no login, it shows exactly which methods apply to your country, and it prices them by weight. Any method it does not list is not available to you, whatever this document or an AI assistant says in general terms. Where none of our own methods suit you, Self Pickup by your own forwarder works for every destination and costs ₩0 in shipping from us.

Available Methods

1. EMS (Express Mail Service): Our most commonly used international method where it is offered. 3-7 business days. Trackable and reliable. Packages split into 20kg max boxes. (Note: DHL Express is a standard selectable option — see below. FedEx and UPS on your own account can be arranged by consultation; contact our sales team if required.)
2. EMS Premium (via FedEx): Korea Post's priority express service delivered through FedEx. Faster than standard EMS (3-5 business days), especially for Europe, Americas, and Southeast Asia. No additional surcharges. ⚠️ Requires strict customs clearance at the destination — improper import procedures may result in the shipment being returned to sender. Not available for all countries.
3. K-Packet (Economy): Cost-effective for small packages under 2kg (7-20 days). Not available for all countries — check the Shipping Calculator.
4. DHL Express: Door-to-door courier, 2-5 business days, up to 29.5kg per box. Selectable directly in the Shipping Calculator and at checkout like the methods above — you do not need to arrange it separately. Availability and cost depend on the destination.
5. Self Pickup (Own Forwarder): You can designate your own shipping company or forwarder to pick up the orders directly from our Seoul warehouse for ₩0 shipping fee. You are responsible for all costs associated with your chosen courier. If we need to send your order to your forwarder's Korean warehouse, domestic shipping costs (typically ₩8,000/box) will apply.
6. Domestic Delivery (Korea Only): Parcel service at ₩8,000/box (up to 12 boxes) or Truck service at ₩100,000 for Seoul/Gyeonggi area for bulk orders exceeding 12 boxes.

Shipping on Quick Deals

Quick Deals parcels use the same methods and the same rate table, with two differences worth knowing.

• You choose the service at checkout. The cart lists every method available for that weight and destination with its own price and delivery time, and the cheapest is selected by default. Which methods appear depends on the country — some destinations have four, some only one.
• Charged by weight of the whole parcel, not per product line, so adding a light item costs little. The rate does step up once the parcel passes 2kg, because K-Packet stops there, so a heavy addition can move the whole box to a more expensive service. Every deal shows its own shipping weight so you can see this before adding it.
• The exact cost appears in the cart before you pay, and that is what is charged. It is not re-estimated afterwards.

Because Quick Deals items are single units rather than boxes, shipping is a larger share of a small order than it is on a wholesale order — on a ₩30,000 order to a distant country it can approach or exceed the value of the goods. Mixing several items into one parcel is what makes it economical.

Export-Only Supply Policy (Critical — Please Read Carefully)

KCOSW operates as an export-only B2B wholesale platform. We source all products from Korean brand headquarters under Korea's zero-rate VAT (영세율) scheme for export goods. This tax structure legally requires that all products we supply must be exported out of Korea. Because of this fundamental business structure, the following strict policies apply:

1. We cannot supply products to Korean domestic businesses. If a Korean-registered business purchases from us, complex tax obligations arise — including the requirement for the buyer to issue a "Purchase Confirmation Document (구매확인서)" and for the goods to be verifiably exported. If the goods end up being sold domestically in Korea instead of exported, it creates serious tax compliance violations for both parties.

2. We cannot ship to Korean domestic addresses (in principle). Delivering products to a Korean address creates a risk that those goods may be distributed within the domestic Korean market, which violates our zero-rate VAT obligations.

3. Limited exception — Logistics forwarder addresses in Korea: If you use a Korean-based logistics company or freight forwarder to consolidate and re-export shipments, we can deliver to their Korean warehouse address only if the export declaration is filed under KCOSW's (CROBO Corp.) company name. If the export declaration would be filed under a different Korean business entity's name, we cannot supply the products.

4. Foreign nationals residing in Korea: You are welcome to order, but products must be shipped directly to an overseas address. If you wish to use a Korean logistics forwarder, the same exception rules in point 3 above apply.

5. This is why we require an overseas business address and an international (non-Korean) phone number during registration. These requirements exist to verify that you are an overseas-based business that will receive products outside of Korea.

If you have questions about whether your specific situation qualifies, please contact us at info@kcosw.com before registering.

Calculating Shipping Fees

The shipping fee on your initial order draft (Proforma Invoice) is an Estimate based on calculated weight and volume. The Final Confirmed Fee is calculated on the Commercial Invoice only after all products have been sourced and physically weighed/measured in our warehouse.

Duties, VAT, and Customs Clearance fees are entirely the responsibility of the buyer in the destination country.

Shipping Insurance

Standard EMS shipping does not include insurance. If you require insurance for high-value orders, note this in your order's special request section or contact us before shipment. The insurance cost depends on the declared value of the goods.

Advanced Logistics & Shipping Tips

Why We Prefer EMS Where It Is Available

Cosmetics are subject to strict customs clearance procedures in many countries. EMS is generally the most flexible and lenient when passing through customs compared to private couriers. The advantages below apply only to destinations where EMS is actually offered — check the Shipping Calculator for yours before planning around them.

• Undervalue: EMS allows for undervalue declarations (to lower customs tax burdens), whereas private couriers like DHL and FedEx strictly prohibit this.
• Fuel Surcharges: Due to recent global events, DHL and FedEx have drastically increased their fuel surcharges. EMS has kept its pricing relatively stable, making it a highly cost-effective air freight option (though this varies by destination country).

Customs Taxes and Returned EMS Packages (Critical Warning)

If your package triggers customs duties (e.g., exceeds the tax-free limit), you must proactively monitor your EMS tracking and pay the local customs tax promptly.

• If you miss the contact from the local post office and fail to pay the tax, the package will be returned to Korea.
• Return Penalty: If a package is returned, you will be required to pay the international shipping fee a second time to reship it.
• Return Duration & Tracking: The return journey back to our Seoul office can take several months, and during this return transit, the package is untrackable.

DHL / FedEx via Buyer's Account

If you prefer private express couriers, you can arrange a direct pickup. If you have your own corporate account/code with DHL or FedEx, you can request them to pick up the goods directly from our office in Seoul (Gasan-dong, Geumcheon-gu).

Working with Private Forwarders

For larger volume orders, working with specialized freight forwarders for your specific country is highly recommended. You can easily find reliable forwarders through internet searches or by inquiring within local Korean business communities in your country.

• Air Freight & MSDS: Air freight normally requires an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for each cosmetic product. Availability varies by product and by brand, and more often than not the brand headquarters treats the MSDS as confidential and will not release it. Some products we can obtain, others we cannot, and we only know once we ask the brand. Many experienced forwarders can still clear air freight with partial MSDS coverage. If an MSDS is mandatory for your shipment, ask us before you order — Support Center > My Inquiries, naming the brand, the products and your destination — so we can check availability first rather than after your order is placed.
• Sea Freight: Much cheaper for bulk orders but takes significantly longer. For small quantities, the base overhead costs make sea freight impractical, and air freight is better.

Order Timeline & Lead Time — Understanding the B2B Supply Chain

Why Lead Times Vary: The Wholesale Supply Structure

To understand lead times, it is essential to understand how the Korean cosmetics B2B wholesale supply chain actually works.

Step 1: KCOSW places a Purchase Order (PO) to the Brand Headquarters. When KCOSW sends a purchase order to a brand's headquarters, the brand typically confirms inventory within 1-2 business days and issues a quotation. Once we make full payment (100% cash upfront to the brand), the brand prepares, packs, and ships the goods to our warehouse within approximately 3 business days. In a best-case scenario, this entire cycle takes about 1 week.

Step 2: Why it rarely takes just 1 week in practice. Brand headquarters require very large Minimum Order Amounts (MOA) — often tens of millions of KRW or even hundreds of millions. Most individual buyer orders (e.g., ₩3M–₩10M KRW) are far too small to meet a brand's MOA on their own. Therefore, KCOSW must accumulate multiple buyer orders until the combined total reaches the brand's MOA threshold before placing a single consolidated purchase order.

Example: If a brand requires ₩100M KRW as its MOA and we have accumulated ₩99.5M in buyer orders, a new buyer placing just ₩500K pushes us over the threshold — triggering the PO immediately. That new buyer's order ships quickly. Conversely, if a buyer places an order right after a PO was just submitted, their order must wait until the next batch reaches the MOA — which could take 1-2 additional weeks or longer.

Step 3: Why wholesalers cannot stockpile inventory. Due to Korea's zero-rate VAT (영세율) export scheme, all products sourced by KCOSW must be exported within approximately 30 days. After export, we must submit proof-of-export documentation to the brand headquarters. This means KCOSW cannot keep large quantities of unsold inventory sitting in a Korean warehouse — we purchase only after receiving buyer orders.

End-to-End Timeline: What Happens Between Your Order and Your Goods

Counting from the day the buyer submits the order, 2-3 weeks is typical. Buyers usually ask about "shipping time" and receive only the air transit figure, which is the shortest part of the journey. The full sequence is:

Step	Typical duration	How it can be shortened
Order submitted → Proforma Invoice issued	About a business day	—
50% deposit paid by T/T → receipt confirmed	2-3 days	Instant when paid from Credit balance
Goods prepared (includes the brand PO cycle)	1-2 weeks; smaller orders 1-2 weeks longer	Order timing relative to the PO cycle
Packing → exact shipping cost → Commercial Invoice	1-2 days	—
Balance + shipping paid by T/T → confirmed	2-3 days	Instant when paid from Credit balance
Air transit (EMS / EMS Premium / DHL / FedEx)	Usually within a week (EMS itself roughly 3-7 days)	Faster service selection
Total	Typically 2-3 weeks (1-2 weeks best case, 3-4+ weeks for high-demand brands)	—

Two points are worth stating explicitly, because they are the most common source of surprise:

1. The two wire transfers alone account for 4-6 days. International remittance takes 2-3 days to arrive and be confirmed, and an order involves two of them (deposit and balance). Buyers who keep a Credit balance with KCOSW skip both and shorten the whole order by close to a week.
2. Preparation only starts after the deposit is confirmed. Nothing is ordered from the brand before that point — KCOSW holds no stock (see the export-only policy above).

Realistic Lead Time Estimates

Two different clocks, do not mix them. Each brand's leadTime (shown on the catalogue and in the public API) counts business days from order confirmation to dispatch — the brand's own turnaround. The ranges below describe the whole cycle you experience, from deposit confirmation to dispatch, which also includes waiting for enough orders to accumulate before we place the PO.

• Best case (lucky timing): 1-2 weeks from deposit confirmation — your order coincides with an existing PO batch about to ship.
• Typical case: 2-3 weeks — your order is accumulated with others, and the brand PO is placed within the regular ordering cycle (weekly or bi-weekly).
• Slower case: 3-4+ weeks — for high-demand brands (e.g., Anua, Beauty of Joseon, Laneige) with intense global demand, limited supply windows, and higher brand MOAs. If your payment arrives after an ordering window closes, your order joins the next cycle.
• Multiple Brands in One Order: All products from all brands must be ready before final packing and Commercial Invoice issuance. If one brand is significantly slower, it delays the entire order. We may offer partial shipment upon consultation.

Factors That Affect Lead Times

Factor	Impact
Brand's own MOA requirement	Higher MOA = longer accumulation period
Timing of your order vs. PO cycle	Orders placed right after a PO batch ships will wait longer
Brand popularity & demand	High-demand brands may have limited supply windows
Order size	Larger orders (₩50M+) may trigger a standalone PO, resulting in faster processing
Number of brands in one order	Multi-brand orders wait for the slowest brand
Seasonal peaks (e.g., year-end, Lunar New Year)	Brand factories may have production backlogs

What You Can Do to Minimize Lead Times

1. Use Group Orders — your small order is automatically pooled with others to meet brand MOAs faster.
2. Order popular brands — brands with high global demand reach MOA thresholds more frequently.
3. Pre-deposit Credit — instant payment confirmation eliminates banking delays and puts your order into the accumulation queue immediately.
4. Check the Order Calendar — see scheduled PO dates for specific brands to time your order optimally.

Documents and Certificates

• Provided Documents: We automatically generate the Commercial Invoice and Packing List. These serve as your primary proof that the goods were dispatched authentically from Korea. A Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin can also be issued on request for a fee — note it does not grant FTA tariff benefits.
• MSDS (case by case): We do not issue MSDS ourselves — it comes from the brand headquarters, and many brands classify it as confidential and decline. Some products we can obtain and some we cannot, so it is not a blanket yes or no. Ask before ordering if you need one, especially for air freight.
• Confirmation of Authentic Supply (on request, conditional): Buyers frequently ask for a "certificate of authenticity". No wholesaler can issue a brand-issued certificate — that authority belongs to the brand headquarters alone, so treat any supplier who promises one with caution. What we can issue on request is a Confirmation of Authentic Supply letter, stating that the products in your specific shipment were legally sourced in Korea and officially exported to you, together with supporting export declaration records. ⚠️ This is conditional on the brand's sales policy for your channel and country: if you sell through a channel that brand restricts, we cannot issue it. For everyday proof, the Commercial Invoice and Packing List issued in our name are what buyers use.
• Not Provided: Certificates of Free Sale (CFS) and LOA (Letter of Authorization).
• LOA & Amazon Authorization: KCOSW is a wholesale distributor, not a brand owner. We have no legal authority to grant sales permissions for specific countries or marketplaces like Amazon. If your business specifically requires an LOA, you must contact the individual brand headquarters directly with your comprehensive business and marketing plan.
• For Amazon Sellers: Selling on massive platforms like Amazon is strictly controlled by brand headquarters. Many brands supply to us underneath strict "No Amazon Sales" conditions. We cannot give a blanket "yes/no" guarantee. We highly encourage selling through your own independent websites, social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok), or physical offline stores where arbitrary restrictions are lighter. If you intend to sell on Amazon, please submit a specific order draft first, and consult us prior to payment. The final acceptance of supply documents by Amazon is at their sole discretion and we cannot guarantee approval.

Regulatory & Cosmetic Registration Documents (Important)

Many countries require cosmetic products to be registered with local regulatory authorities (similar to the FDA or MFDS) before import or retail sale. Buyers frequently request documents such as:

• Certificate of Free Sale (CFS)
• Full Qualitative and Quantitative Composition (INCI and percentages)
• GMP / ISO Certification (particularly ISO 22716 for cosmetics)
• Physico-Chemical and Microbiological Analysis Reports
• Product Labeling and Packaging Information / Artwork Files
• CPNP (EU Cosmetic Products Notification Portal) registration

What you must understand before requesting these:

1. These documents are issued by the brand headquarters or the original manufacturer, not by wholesalers like KCOSW. We do not manufacture any products and therefore do not hold or generate these certifications ourselves.
2. CFS (Certificate of Free Sale) specifics: A CFS is issued by the Korea Cosmetic Association (KCA) on behalf of the manufacturer. It certifies that a product is legally manufactured and sold in Korea. Key facts:
   • Each CFS covers ONE specific product only — not an entire brand catalog. If you need 300 products, you need 300 separate CFS documents.
   • The CFS specifies the manufacturer, destination country, and product name. It does NOT contain the importer's name.
   • The CFS application must be filed by the brand headquarters (manufacturer), not by KCOSW. The brand must willingly cooperate, and in practice, brands typically require extensive vetting before agreeing: your company profile, sales history, marketing plans, projected sales volume, and often a formal distribution agreement.
   • No guarantee of cooperation: Brands may refuse for many reasons — existing exclusive distributors in your target country, no plans to enter your market, disapproval of your sales channels, or simply lack of interest in a small market. Contacting a brand does not guarantee a response, let alone approval.
3. CPNP (EU market) specifics: CPNP registration must be done by the brand manufacturer and requires a Responsible Person (RP) based in the EU. Registration can take months to over a year per product. Many Korean brands have not completed CPNP registration for EU markets.
4. Legalization requirements: Depending on the destination country, documents like CFS may need to be legalized through apostille (via Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) or authenticated by the destination country's embassy in Seoul. This is a formal, time-consuming, and costly process. Some countries may accept the document without legalization — check with your local regulatory authority first.
5. Cosmetics have short product lifecycles: Many products (especially makeup and seasonal items) can be discontinued within months. Investing weeks or months in obtaining regulatory documents for a product that may be discontinued is a real risk.
6. Realistic expectation: Even if we assist in coordinating with brand HQ on your behalf, obtaining a full regulatory document package typically takes weeks to months per product and may involve additional fees charged by the brand or certification bodies. For 300 SKUs across 20 brands, this could realistically take over a year.

KCOSW's role and limitations:

• We are a wholesale distributor, not a brand owner. We do not issue CFS, CPNP, or other regulatory documents.
• On a case-by-case basis, we may forward your inquiry to a brand headquarters. However, the outcome is entirely at the brand's discretion, and we cannot guarantee any response or cooperation.
• We strongly recommend consulting with an import/export compliance specialist in your destination country and exploring parallel import procedures as a more practical alternative for most buyers.

Our recommendation: If your country requires product registration before import, we strongly suggest starting with a small, focused product selection (not hundreds of SKUs). Place a concrete order first, then contact our support team with the specific brand names, product names, and the exact list of documents your regulatory authority requires. We will advise you on feasibility based on our experience.

Halal, Porcine and Animal-Derived Ingredients (Including Collagen Source)

Buyers in Muslim-majority markets regularly ask whether our products contain porcine-derived or other non-halal animal ingredients, and where any collagen in them comes from. The honest answer has three parts.

1. We cannot certify halal status or ingredient origin. KCOSW is a wholesale distributor, not a manufacturer. We do not hold formulation data, and we do not issue halal certificates, ingredient origin declarations, or any equivalent document. Treat this exactly as you would CFS and MSDS — the brand headquarters holds it, not us.
2. The full INCI ingredient list is public, so screen it yourself first. Every product carries its complete INCI list on the packaging, and brands publish the same list on their official product pages. Screening out animal-derived ingredients this way is faster and more reliable than waiting for us to relay a question, and it costs nothing.
3. A collagen source is usually not stated. Where a product contains collagen, INCI normally reads only "Hydrolyzed Collagen" or "Collagen" without naming the source. Confirming whether it is marine, bovine or porcine requires the brand headquarters to answer, and many brands treat formulation detail as confidential. We never guess a source: an unstated origin is unknown, not "marine by default".

On halal certification specifically: most Korean cosmetic brands do not hold halal certification. If your market requires a certificate rather than ingredient screening, confirm the exact requirement with your local regulatory authority before you build a product selection around it.

If you need brand-level confirmation, ask us before you order. Send a short, specific list through Support Center > My Inquiries, naming the brand and the exact products, and we will forward the origin question to those brands. As with MSDS, we cannot promise a reply or a timeline — and asking after your order is paid is too late to change the selection.

Product Image Copyright Policy

Product images displayed on the KCOSW platform are shown for product identification purposes only. KCOSW does not own the copyright to any brand product images.

Key facts:

• Copyright belongs to the brand headquarters, not to KCOSW and not to the buyer.
• Purchasing a product from KCOSW does NOT transfer any image copyright or usage rights to the buyer.
• Brands can claim copyright and demand removal of their images at any time, even after a buyer has been using them.
• Most professional resellers photograph products themselves after receiving them to avoid copyright risk entirely.
• Using brand images without a formal license is done at the buyer's own risk. KCOSW accepts no liability for copyright disputes arising from a buyer's use of product images.
• This applies to every brand on the KCOSW platform without exception.

Buyers requiring official image licensing rights must contact the brand headquarters directly.

Product Shelf Life

We strive to supply products with at least 18 months of shelf life remaining. Since we source products fresh after an order is placed, they are typically recently manufactured.

Sales Channel Restrictions (Critical)

Many brands have specific sales restrictions — such as prohibitions on selling in certain countries or on major online marketplaces (e.g., Amazon US). These restrictions are clearly stated on the order page for each brand.

• Your Responsibility: It is your sole and full responsibility to review these restrictions before ordering and ensure full compliance. Any consequences arising from violations after shipment are entirely the buyer's responsibility.
• We Do Not Grant Sales Authorization: Our role is to supply authentic products. We do not grant, nor do we represent, official sales authorization from any brand.

Strict Negotiation & Inquiry Policy (No Exceptions)

Due to the sheer volume of inquiries and brands we handle, we strictly enforce the following policies to ensure efficient business operations:

• "Please send me your full product catalog and price list." NO. We handle thousands of products across numerous brands, each with different MOAs (Minimum Order Amount), MOQs (box quantities), and dynamic pricing. Therefore, we do not send out Excel catalogs via email. To view products and prices, you must sign up, log in, and use the 'New Order' page on our platform. The prices shown there are the real-time wholesale prices. Make a draft order first to preview the exact costs.

• "Can I request a sample order first since we are a new buyer?" NO. We strictly do not support small sample orders, test orders, or "trial" volumes. KCOSW operates as a high-volume B2B wholesale platform, and all minimum order policies (MOA/MOQ) apply equally to every member without exception.

• "If you give us the best price now, we will order a lot more next time. Can you offer a discount?" NO. We firmly reject conditional price negotiations based on future promises. All buyers start with the same standardized pricing. Our system automatically applies volume discounts based on the total amount of your order. To see your best price, create a draft order. Additional custom discounts are only considered for VIP partners who have a demonstrated, long-term track record of consistent high-volume orders with us.

• "I sent you an Excel spreadsheet / WhatsApp photos of 50+ products. Please quote your best prices." NO. We understand this is a common practice in many regions, but we simply cannot process bulk price quote requests sent via Excel files, WhatsApp photo dumps, or long product lists through email/messaging. Here is why:

  • Pricing depends on context: Our wholesale prices vary based on multiple factors including order volume, payment method, your buyer grade, and the specific brand's current MOA policies. Without knowing your target country, expected order quantity, and commitment level, any price we quote would be meaningless.
  • "Give us your best price and we'll order more" is a circular problem — the more you order, the better price we can offer. We need a concrete order commitment first.
  • Our platform exists for exactly this purpose: All real-time prices, MOQs, and box quantities are transparently displayed when you log in and use the New Order page. You can instantly create a draft order to see exact costs, including volume-based discounts, without any back-and-forth negotiations.
  • The correct approach: Sign up → Log in → Browse products on the New Order page → Create a draft order with your desired items and quantities → The system will show you the precise pricing automatically. If you need further assistance, our AI assistant or sales team can guide you through the platform.

Buyers Visiting Korea — Walk-in Purchases, On-the-Spot Stock & In-Person Meetings

Many buyers plan a trip to Korea and expect to visit a showroom, hand-pick products in person, buy them on the spot, and carry them home — or to drop in for a meeting during their stay. Walk-in buying is impossible and unannounced visits cannot be received; we are an export-only B2B wholesaler, not a retail shop, showroom or stockist. A meeting itself, however, is possible for a buyer who is ready to order — see the last two points below. Please read the following before planning a visit:

• We do not hold inventory for walk-in purchases. We are not resellers. Every product is sourced from the brand headquarters only after an order is placed. Under Korea's zero-rate VAT (영세율) export scheme, all goods we supply must be exported out of Korea within approximately 30 days, so we cannot keep unsold stock sitting in a Korean warehouse for buyers to pick up on arrival.
• Our supply is export-conditional, which is why domestic stock is structurally impossible. Most brands appoint exclusive distributors per country and therefore supply us on the condition that the goods are exported. When we place an order we declare which country the goods are going to and when they will ship, and we are expected to send them to that agreed destination as soon as we receive them. Holding those goods in Korea — or selling them to a visitor here — would breach the terms we bought them under and risk leaking product into the domestic market. This is not a preference we could waive for a particular buyer; it is the basis on which we are supplied at all.
• Bulk volumes are not at the office. Large quantities move by pallet through a separate warehouse in Gimpo. The Gasan-dong office handles small regular orders and our non-cosmetics product lines. There is no cosmetics stock on the office premises to show, pick from, or sell.
• Orders must be placed and fully paid in advance. Because we buy to order, plan to place your order — and complete payment — at least about one month before you need the goods. Exact lead times vary by brand (see the Order Timeline & Lead Time section above).
• We do not accept credit cards. Payment is by international bank transfer (T/T) or KCOSW Credit. Card processing fees on large wholesale orders are prohibitive given the thin margins in wholesale distribution.
• Catalogs, prices, MOQ, and export documents are on the website — not sent by email or WhatsApp. We handle dozens of brands and thousands of products with live, context-based wholesale pricing. Sign up, log in, and use the 'New Order' page to see everything and create a draft order.
• We do not take unarranged visits — but a meeting is not ruled out. This is the part most buyers misread, so it is worth stating precisely. What we cannot do is receive someone who arrives without an appointment to ask general questions. What we are happy to do is meet a buyer who already knows what they want to order.
• Why an unprepared meeting cannot work. Buyers usually ask to meet before deciding anything — "we want to order cosmetics", with no brand, product or quantity chosen. Three things make that conversation impossible rather than merely inefficient. We carry a large number of brands and each has its own price, minimum, box quantity and lead time, and nobody memorises them — they are published live on the site precisely because they change. Whether a given brand can be exported officially to the buyer's country has to be checked per brand, and without knowing which brands they want there is nothing to check. And there is no stock at the office to look at. A meeting held before those things are settled has no material in it. KCOSW is a wholesaler, not a training centre; the site teaches the basics faster and more accurately than a person can across a table.
• When a visit does make sense. Once a buyer has registered, gone through the live prices and minimums, and decided what to order, wanting to meet before wiring money on a first order is entirely reasonable — sending a significant sum to a supplier they have never met is a fair thing to be careful about. Buyers in that position should say so, and a time will be arranged. The rule is about sequence, not about refusing people.
• Reach us here instead. Crome, our AI assistant, on the website 24/7; WhatsApp +82-10-2602-9958, where the same AI answers around the clock; or the inquiry system inside your account. Ordering itself takes minutes on the New Order page.

If your goal is to hand-pick items and buy on the spot at consumer prices, that is a retail experience (for example, Olive Young) — not wholesale export. For wholesale export pricing, please register and order in advance through kcosw.com. Buyers who happen to be in Korea are still welcome; the process is simply the same online workflow as for any overseas buyer.

Return & Damage Policy

Due to the complexities of international shipping, we do not accept physical returns. However, if you receive damaged, incorrect, or missing items, please contact us immediately through the 'Communication Hub' on your order status page with clear photos. We investigate all claims carefully (including reviewing our CCTV packing footage) and will work with you to find a fair solution such as a credit to your account or including replacements in your next order.

Communication

• AI Assistant: Available 24/7 on the website in multiple languages. Besides answering questions, it can prepare an order draft with you in the chat — including working out a combination of full boxes that meets a brand's minimum order amount. You still review and submit the order yourself.
• Human Support: During KST business hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM). Contact via the internal inquiry system or official contact channels.
• Phone: We do not publish a phone number for buyer inquiries, and our office landline is not monitored on WhatsApp — a message sent there will not be seen. If a call is genuinely needed, ask on WhatsApp or by email and we will arrange one.
• WhatsApp (24/7 AI): +82-10-2602-9958 — messages here are answered by Crome at any hour, in your language, and a person picks them up during Seoul business hours. This is the fastest way to reach us before you have an account.
• WhatsApp (buyer contacts): +82-10-2754-9958 (primarily for ongoing buyer communications during business hours; dedicated contact provided after order placement).
• Languages: You may write to us in your native language — we actively use AI translation tools. Spoken calls are conducted in English.

Order Status Definitions

Here is what each status means on your 'My Orders > Status' page:

• Order Submitted: Your order is received and pending review.
• Proforma Invoice Issued: The PI is ready — download and click 'Confirm Invoice' to proceed.
• Awaiting Down Payment / Full Payment: We're waiting for your payment.
• Down Payment Confirmed / Fully Paid: Payment received — order preparation begins.
• Sourcing Products: We're gathering products from suppliers.
• Inspecting & Packing: Products are being quality-checked and packed.
• Awaiting Final Payment: (50% deposit option only) Final balance due after packing is complete.
• Shipped: Order dispatched — tracking number available on your order page.
• Delivered: Successfully delivered to your address.
• Cancelled: Order cancelled by you or admin.
• On Hold: Issue requires clarification — we will contact you.

5. KCOSW Market Insights

KCOSW provides cutting-edge market intelligence to help our global partners navigate the rapidly changing K-beauty landscape. Below are condensed summaries of our core insights to guide your purchasing strategies.

Supply Chain Alert: Rising Costs (2026)

A new wave of cost pressure is building across the K-beauty supply chain, primarily driven by upstream energy market disruptions and geopolitical tensions.

• Packaging is the bottleneck: Plastic components (PET jars, PE tubes, pumps) are closely linked to petrochemical feedstocks. Expect tighter supply, reduced flexibility for small orders, and inevitable price hikes from packaging suppliers.
• Raw Material Economics: Basic humectants like glycerin are becoming more expensive, affecting the fundamental cost structure of countless formulations.
• Logistics Pressure: Express couriers like DHL face volatile fuel surcharges, making urgent replenishment financially unviable. EMS remains a relatively stable buffer for now, but buyers should reduce reliance on emergency shipping.
• Action Plan: Buy earlier. Secure inventory before official price increase notices are distributed by brands. Shift from "just-in-time" express shipping to planned bulk ordering.

CPNP Decoded: EU Cosmetics Compliance

To legally sell Korean cosmetics in the European Union (a €90 billion market across 31 countries), products must be registered in the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP).

• The Responsible Person (RP): Only an EU-based entity (importer, designated distributor, or regulatory consultancy) can act as the RP. They bear full legal liability and must submit the CPNP notification.
• No CPNP = No Sale: Without a CPNP reference number, selling K-beauty in the EU is illegal. Unregistered products face customs seizure, market withdrawal, massive fines, and Amazon/retailer delisting.
• Good news for small resellers: The vast majority of popular Korean cosmetics already being sold in the EU market are already CPNP-registered by the brand's official EU distributors or authorized Responsible Persons. This means you do NOT need to become an RP yourself or go through the full product registration process from scratch. In most cases, you simply need to obtain the existing CPNP reference number for the product and submit a distributor-level CPNP notification linked to the original RP's notification. This is a straightforward process that does not require a CPSR or PIF on your end.
• What is required (for new/unregistered products only): If a product has never been sold in the EU before and has no existing CPNP registration, then an RP must complete a Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) and maintain a Product Information File (PIF). This is a complex and costly process typically handled by brands or large importers, not individual resellers.
• How to verify: Always check that an EU Resident's name and address are physically printed on the product label. If the label already shows an EU-based RP's information, the product is almost certainly already CPNP-registered. Legitimate suppliers will readily provide the CPNP reference number upon request.
• KCOSW's CPNP Support: While KCOSW is a wholesale distributor (not a brand headquarters), we can and do assist with CPNP documentation. Depending on the specific brand and product, we can request the CPNP reference number from the brand headquarters or their EU-appointed RP on your behalf. If you need CPNP information for a specific product, please submit an inquiry through 'Support Center > My Inquiries' specifying the brand, product, and destination country. Availability varies by brand, so results are handled on a case-by-case basis.
• Product-level CPNP reference numbers in KCOSW: KCOSW order forms may include a product-level CPNP reference number when this information is available from the brand, distributor, or EU Responsible Person. On the New Order screen and order review screen, the CPNP field shows the stored reference number when available. If it says "Not provided", it means KCOSW does not currently have a CPNP reference number stored for that product. It does not automatically mean the product is unregistered.
• AI assistant behavior: Crome and the KCOSW Official GPT can answer whether a product has a stored CPNP reference number only when product data includes that field. AI assistants must not invent or infer CPNP numbers. If the number is missing, buyers should submit a product-specific inquiry so KCOSW can check with the relevant brand or distributor.

The Reseller Strategy Pivot: Indie Brands vs. Major Platforms

The golden era of easily flipping major K-beauty brands (Laneige, COSRX) on Amazon or Qoo10 has ended.

• The Platform Trap: K-beauty brand headquarters are opening their own direct D2C platform stores and appointing exclusive mega-distributors, effectively undercutting independent third-party resellers on price.
• The Indie Brand Goldmine: The real margins today exist in identifying high-quality "Indie Brands" manufactured by top-tier Korean OEM/ODMs (Kolmar, Cosmax). Resellers who curate and introduce these hidden gems reap margins of $7-$15+ per unit, compared to the razor-thin $2-$4 margin earned when fighting for the Buy Box on saturated brands.
• Social Commerce is King: Successful sellers are migrating away from Amazon/eBay toward TikTok Shop, Instagram Sales, and Private Wholesale Membership sites where they can control the narrative, leverage micro-influencers, and avoid platform fee wars.
• Winning Formula: Use a few major brands to drive traffic to your store, but aggressively pitch high-margin indie brands as exclusive discoveries to secure your profit base.

Choosing What to Stock: Why Single-SKU Bulk Orders Rarely Work

New buyers often ask us for "your best-selling product" and then want to order that one item in large quantity. This is the single most common reason a first order stalls, so it is worth explaining how sourcing actually works.

Best sellers are market-specific

There is no global best-seller list that transfers across borders. What moves in Southeast Asia is frequently different from the Middle East, Latin America or Central Asia. Climate, skin concerns, price sensitivity and local trends all shift demand. A product that dominates one country can sit untouched in another.

What we can show you is what is actually selling in Korea right now. Ask our AI assistant Crome ("what are the best sellers?", "which Anua products sell most?") and it will pull the current Olive Young Korea sales ranking and tell you which of those brands and products KCOSW carries, with wholesale pricing where we can confirm the exact item.

Read that ranking for what it is: Korean domestic retail demand, not a forecast for your market. It is a useful starting shortlist, not a shopping list. The buyers who succeed pick an assortment suited to their own market and let their sell-through data guide the next order.

The most in-demand items are the hardest to secure

Popularity and availability work against each other. When a product goes viral, the brand's own stock is consumed by domestic demand and by distributors with standing contracts. Allocation tightens exactly when everyone wants it, so the hottest items carry the longest lead times and the highest risk of being cut from an order.

Planning an entire shipment around one trending SKU therefore leaves you exposed. If that item is unavailable, the whole order stalls.

Brands require a spread of products, not one item in volume

This is the part buyers are most often unaware of. When KCOSW places a purchase order with a brand, the brand expects a reasonable assortment across its range. Brands do not want their catalogue reduced to a single hero product, and they allocate limited stock preferentially to orders that carry a healthy mix.

The practical consequences:

• An order concentrated on one SKU is likely to be partially filled or delayed
• Spreading the same budget across several products from a brand usually ships faster and more completely
• Mixing a trending item with steady sellers protects your order from a single stock-out

If you have a specific product you need in volume, tell us early. We can check allocation and advise what to pair it with so the order actually goes through, rather than having it cut at the brand's end.

A practical way to start

Order a spread of products from one or two brands rather than a deep buy on a single item. Use your first shipment to learn what your customers actually reach for, then increase depth on the winners in your second order. Hot Deals are useful here as well, since those items are already in our stock and ship without the brand allocation risk.