Online shopping has opened up a whole new world of convenience and variety, and Taobao is definitely a name you’ve definitely heard of when it comes to e-commerce. You can find almost everything under the sun at the Chinese shopping platform, from furniture and electric appliances to beauty products and clothes.
Navigating the website, however, can be tricky, especially since it is predominantly in Mandarin. Navigating the site may also be confusing to first-timers. For a more efficient Taobao shopping experience, we’ve enlisted the help of Taobao shopping and shipping agent Ezbuy to share their best tips:
Shopping online always holds its risks, so it’s best to check on the Taobao seller’s rating before purchasing from them! There are a total of four different icons – hearts, diamonds, blue crowns and gold crowns – and they all refer to different ratings.
According to Ezbuy, sellers should at least have 1 diamond to be considered reliable, but if you are purchasing something pricier, it is advised to find sellers of at least 5 diamonds.
If you have any doubts, be sure to clarify them before purchasing. With this function, you can speak to the seller directly.
This is where you’ll find product dimensions, colours, and other available pictures of the item you are purchasing.
Besides the Taobao seller rating system, this is also a great way to gauge how reliable your seller is. Always check what other customers have to say about the seller.
This number refers to how many successful transactions this product has, and once again ties in to how reliable this seller is.
With Taobao, what you see might not always be what you get. There have been cases of Taobao sellers sending out wrong or faulty products. To avoid this, always make sure that you take a look at the vendor’s reviews and ratings before purchasing.
Google Translate is your best friend when it comes to getting keywords for browsing Taobao. But if you’re looking for something more specific, check out this cheat sheet that Ezbuy has provided, complete with useful keywords for searching.
Minimalist/Simple: 简约现
Scandinavian: 北欧现代
Modern: 现代
Sofa: 沙发
Contemporary: 奥美
Industrial Chic: 工业别致
Vintage: 后现代
Closet: 壁橱
Wardrobe: 衣柜
Coffee/End Table: 咖啡桌/茶几
TV console: 电视柜
Nesting Table: 嵌套桌子
Open-arm Chair: 扶手椅
Extendable: 伸缩
Chaise lounge: 躺椅
Glossy Finishing: 光滑
Sometimes, the cost of a product isn’t inclusive of the shipping fees. Charges for shipping your buys over to Singapore depends on the actual or volumetric weight, whichever is higher. On certain occasions, shoppers might might have to pay a higher fee for the shipping costs as compared to the price for the product itself.
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This post first appeared on Home and Decor. Additional reporting and screenshots: Valerie Toh/CLEO.