Use the notice, shipment mode and reason for detention to decide whether to contact SingPost, the courier or a Singapore Competent Authority, and prepare the right invoice, GST or permit evidence.
A Pinduoduo tracking page may stop updating after the parcel reaches Singapore, but “held by customs” is not one single problem. The next step depends on how the parcel entered, who sent the notice and whether the issue is GST, missing value evidence, a controlled product or a prohibited item.
This guide begins after the parcel has already been dispatched. It does not repeat a general Pinduoduo buying guide or a pre-purchase restricted-items checklist. Its purpose is to help the Singapore recipient route a real hold to the correct organisation and assemble the documents that organisation asks for.
Procedures cited below were checked on 28 September 2026. Follow the latest notice and official instructions for your actual shipment.
Do not start with the Pinduoduo seller
First identify the party controlling the next action. The marketplace seller can often provide an order confirmation or commercial invoice, but normally cannot release a parcel held by Singapore authorities or a local courier.
| What you received | First contact | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| SingPost email, app notification or letter | SingPost | Payment request, required invoice or authority instructions, deadline and parcel reference |
| Courier email, SMS or call | The named courier | Exact hold reason, shipment details, warehouse deposit receipt or ICA notification, and the authority involved |
| Notice naming a Competent Authority | That authority, using the contact in the notice | Required authorisation, product information, permit route and submission method |
| Only a China-side tracking status, no Singapore notice | International carrier/forwarder first | Local tracking number, arrival scan, last physical location and whether a Singapore case has been opened |
Singapore Customs states that it does not hold postal or courier tracking information. Postal delivery questions belong to SingPost; courier tracking and delivery questions belong to the courier.
If the parcel came by post
For postal parcels, the addressee is generally treated as the importer. Singapore Customs says SingPost manages the import process and delivery. If the parcel contains non-dutiable, non-controlled goods with CIF above S$400 and a commercial invoice is attached, SingPost may send a payment notification through its app, email or letter. The official courier and postal procedures state that payment may be requested within 14 days of the notification.
If the invoice is missing, unclear or inconsistent, prepare:
- Pinduoduo order confirmation showing the exact product and variation;
- payment evidence;
- seller invoice or price confirmation;
- freight and insurance amount, if separately charged;
- recipient name, address and parcel reference;
- a specific English product description, quantity, material or ingredients and intended use.
Do not replace the real product name with “gift,” “sample” or “accessory.” A vague description can make value and regulatory checks harder.
If the parcel came by courier
Contact the courier named on the Singapore tracking page or notification. Singapore Customs advises recipients of a detained courier parcel to request the shipment details, the warehouse deposit receipt or ICA notification, and any information identifying the relevant regulatory authority.
Ask the courier to separate four possible issues:
- GST or duty payment;
- missing invoice or value evidence;
- permit or authority approval for controlled goods;
- carrier documentation or operational handling.
These are not interchangeable. A courier's handling, clearance, permit-application or disbursement fee is not itself Singapore GST. Request an itemised amount before paying.
If GST was already paid at checkout
Low-value goods bought from a GST-registered overseas supplier may have Singapore GST collected at purchase. The proof must be usable at import. Keep the order page or invoice showing the GST treatment and send it through the channel specified by the courier or SingPost.
IRAS explains that a buyer may be charged import GST again if the supplier's GST information was not passed to the logistics provider in time. If duplicate GST is confirmed, the consumer may request reimbursement from the supplier and use the courier tax invoice, import permit notification or SingPost receipt as evidence. See the official IRAS guidance on imported low-value goods.
Do not confuse a platform coupon, domestic tax or seller fee with Singapore GST. The document should identify the relevant GST treatment.
If a controlled product is involved
Singapore Customs says controlled goods require proper authorisation from a Competent Authority before import. A postal parcel may be detained for authority assessment; the recipient may be instructed to obtain authorisation and, where required, a customs permit.
Use the official controlled and prohibited goods checker entry page and the exact product description or HS code. Telecom equipment, health products, chemicals and other categories can involve different agencies and evidence. A low declared value does not remove a permit requirement.
If the product is prohibited, paying GST or providing a better invoice will not make it admissible. Follow the authority's disposal, return or other instructions. Do not ask the seller or forwarder to change the description after arrival.
Document pack to prepare once
Create one folder with:
- Pinduoduo order screenshots or export;
- seller name, product link, variation and quantity;
- payment receipt and currency;
- commercial invoice or price confirmation;
- domestic China tracking number and international tracking number;
- shipping fee and insurance evidence;
- checkout GST evidence, if any;
- product manual, label, ingredients or technical specification where relevant;
- notification, case number, warehouse deposit receipt or permit request;
- recipient ID or authorisation only when the official channel asks for it.
Redact unrelated personal data before sending documents to anyone not named in the official case. Beware of payment messages that do not match the carrier's verified website or app.
What YDA Express can do after dispatch
If YDA Express arranged the international shipment, provide the YDA parcel reference and the Singapore notice. The team can help match China warehouse records, recover the invoice or packing information it actually holds, identify the contracted carrier and pass on available shipment details.
YDA Express cannot order Singapore Customs, ICA, SingPost or a Competent Authority to release a parcel. It cannot issue an import permit, alter the true goods or value after dispatch, guarantee a refund, or guarantee clearance. The Singapore recipient/importer must respond through the channel specified in the official notice.
For future orders, review the Pinduoduo international-shipping restrictions checklist before payment and the China warehouse receiving guide before authorising dispatch. Those pages cover the checks that belong before the parcel leaves China; this page covers the exception after arrival.
A practical escalation sequence
- Save the notice and confirm the sender through the official carrier or agency channel.
- Identify post versus courier and obtain the local parcel or case reference.
- Ask for the exact hold reason in writing.
- Send only the relevant invoice, GST, product or permit evidence.
- Record deadlines and payments.
- If an authority is named, follow its instructions rather than repeatedly asking the seller.
- If the status does not change after you completed the requested action, follow up with the same case number and proof of submission.
The shortest route to resolution is usually not more tracking refreshes. It is identifying who owns the next decision and sending that party complete, consistent evidence.
📲 Download the YDA Express App
Use the YDA Express App to place China purchasing orders, view product check photos, manage packages, and arrange consolidation and international forwarding.