Many might be appalled by the thought of shopping on Taobao, especially if Mandarin isn’t your forte. If you find yourself relating to that, here’s our comprehensive step-by-step shopping guide to help get you started.
Learn how to shop for furniture on Taobao and ship your purchases to Malaysia and get started today!
How do I shop from Taobao if I cannot read Chinese?
Use the Google Translate Chrome Plugin
Using the Google Chrome translate extension is a great way to navigate around Taobao. It allows you to easily translate the entire webpage into English with a click of a button, improving convenience.
While certain text may appear poorly translated, the result is good enough to help you to shop on Taobao with ease.
Use Google Translate
Google Translate is a tool that needs no introduction. This helpful tool can be used to quickly translate specific words to your preferred language when the Chrome plugin doesn’t work.
Use the Google Translate Mobile App
The Google Translate mobile app allows you to effortlessly translate texts while shopping on Taobao’s mobile app.
You can use the app by
- Highlighting the text for translation
- Using the camera for instant translation
Image credit: Google Play Store
- Drawing the Chinese characters for translation
How to create a Taobao account
On the homepage, click on“免费注冊”(mian fei zhu ce; free registration) on the top right corner of the screen. This will direct you to the registration page.
Click on the ‘English’ option if you would like to complete your registration in English. From here, simply follow the steps to create your Taobao account.
Once your account has been set up, it’s time to start shopping!
Tips and tricks for shopping on Taobao
Use the Image Search Function on Taobao
Taobao’s image search function is great for those who are unsure of what search terms to use.
Click on the magnifying class on the search bar found on Taobao’s homepage. This will lead you to another page with the image search function.
To use the image search function, click on the camera icon and upload an image of the item you’re looking for.
The system will crawl the platform to find the closest possible result on Taobao, accelerating your search process.
Use Filters to Narrow Your Search Results
Using the filters highlighted in the screenshot above can help to narrow your search further. Some useful filters that you can use include
- 人气 (ren qi): Popularity
- 销量 (xiao liang): Sales volume
- 信用 (xin yong): Creditability of seller
- 价格 (jia ge): Price range
Use the “找相似” Function
You can use the “找相似” function to search for similar products on Taobao. This function can also be used to discover better deals, more reliable suppliers or other designs.
How to find reliable sellers on Taobao
Check Reviews of Past Purchases
Click on the “累计评论” (lei ji ping lun) tab to view reviews left by previous customers. You can use the feedback to determine the reliability and quality of the product before making a purchase.
Tip:
Clicking on“图片”(tu pian) shows you the photos uploaded by buyers. These images can be used to verify if the actual product is true to the photos that the seller has provided.
Check on the Seller’s Ratings
(a) Check the seller’s Taobao rating
The seller’s Taobao rating can be found either on the product or seller’s page.
Refer to the 信誉 (xin yu; trust) rating. This rating represents the reliability of the seller and is ranked by shapes; the highest level of rating attainable is a diamond, followed by a heart, blue crown, and gold crown.
(b) Average ratings from customers
Look out for the ratings left by other customers. These ratings are represented by scales that indicate the
- accuracy of product descriptions (描述相符; miao shu xiang fu),
- quality of customer service (服务态度; fu wu tai du) and
- quality of logistics service (物流服务; wu liu fu wu).
The scales are from 1 – 5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.
The most highly rated sellers would have 5 diamonds and an average rating of 5 across the 3 scales.
Contact the Seller Directly
Taobao has a live chat function on both its mobile and desktop version that allows you to contact the sellers directly.
Alternatively, you can download 阿里旺旺 (Ali Wangwang) – an instant messaging phone app that you can use to communicate with the sellers.
You can request for real-life pictures of the product via these platforms to verify its quality.
Plus, if you’re buying in bulk, this will allow you to negotiate for better deals and discounts.
How to place an order on Taobao
How to add items into Taobao cart
At the product page, click on the orange button that says“加入购物车”(jia ru gou wu che). This adds the item that you’ve shortlisted into your shopping cart.
How to checkout items from my Taobao cart
“立即购买”(li ji gou mai; buy now) is used when you only wish to purchase 1 item.
Clicking on this button brings you to the page that allows you to confirm your order and shipping details before making payment.
Alternatively, you may also add the items to your shopping cart (“加入购物车”) and check them out once you’re ready.
Doing this will bring you to a page that tells you that you’ve successfully added the item into your cart.
Over here, you can continue shopping and return to the product page by clicking on “返回商品详情” (fan hui shang pin xiang qing). Otherwise, click on “去购物车结算” (qu gou wu che jue suan) to visit your cart to checkout your items.
Another way for you to visit your shopping cart is to click on the“购物车”(gou wu che) button at the top of the page.
Once you’re at your shopping cart, you can select the items that you wish to purchase by checking the relevant boxes.
Tip:
Desktop users can click on“优惠卷”(you hui kuan) to claim coupons and vouchers. These coupons are typically used to offset the price of your item if you meet the minimum spending requirement.
Similarly, mobile users can click“领券”(ling kuan) to claim their discount.
These minimum spending requirements are usually very easy to hit, especially during Taobao’s many festivals.
Once you’re done, click on the “结算” (jie suan) button located at the bottom of the page to checkout.
How to select a shipping method on Taobao
Taobao will prompt you to key in your shipping details after your items have been carted out.
Change “当前配送至” (dang qian pei song zhi) to “马来西亚” (ma lai xi ya). This changes the shipping destination to Malaysia. You can then proceed to complete the form with your shipping details.
It’s important to note that the address used should be the location you wish to receive your parcel.
You’ll need to select your preferred method of shipping after filling up the form.
Taobao offers you 4 methods of shipping which are
How to make payment on Taobao
After keying in your payment details, click on the blue button to confirm your payment.
If you’re an international buyer, it can take up to 24 hours for the system to verify your credit card details.
How to track my order on Taobao
You’ll be able to access the following tabs to track your order once it‘s been placed.
Some useful tabs to take note of include
- 待付款 (dai fu quan): Waiting for payment
Orders in this tab have not been paid for and confirmed. You can still remove items from your shopping cart through this tab if you change your mind about your purchase.
- 待发货 (dai fa huo): Waiting for the seller to ship out your parcel
- 待收货 (dai shou huo): Waiting for the buyer to receive the item
This tab indicates that your seller has shipped your parcel out.
- 待评价 (dai ping jia): Awaiting review from a buyer
Tip:
After payment has been confirmed, you can click on“查看物流”(cha kan wu liu). This allows you to check on the status of your order.
How long does it take to ship from China to Malaysia?
The speed of delivery depends on factors such as the shipping method used and the speed of customs clearance.
In general, it takes about 5 days to ship your Taobao purchases to Malaysia via air. It can take up to 3 weeks if you choose to ship your goods via sea.
Note!
Check with your forwarder if your items are taking longer than usual to arrive. This could mean that your parcels are missing or stuck in customs.
Should I use an appointed Taobao forwarder or engage an external freight forwarder?
When shopping on Taobao, you can choose to have your items consolidated and shipped by Taobao’s appointed forwarders or an external freight forwarder.
To help you make a decision, here are some pros and cons of engaging an existing Taobao forwarder.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✓ Cost savings Shipping your items with Taobao’s appointed forwarders can help you save on exchange rate conversions and agent fees. | X Language barrier Many of Taobao’s shipping agents can only communicate in Mandarin. This can be an issue if you’re not fluent in the language. |
| ✓ Reliability Taobao partners only with high-quality freight forwarders. This ensures that your items will be handled only by reliable forwarders. | X Lack of insurance Taobao forwarders don’t provide cargo insurance. This can be a major deterrence especially if you’re buying high-value products. Therefore, it’s advised that you engage an external freight forwarder to help you purchase insurance for your parcels. |
How to engage an external freight forwarder as a Taobao shipping agent?
Bonus: furniture and fittings keyword cheat sheet
Looking for items in Mandarin can be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the search terms used.
So, we’ve prepared a list of furniture and fittings related keywords to help you with your search process
| Design themes | |
|---|---|
| English | Chinese translation (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| American style | 美式 (mei shi) |
| Contemporary | 奥美 (ao mei) |
| Industrial chic | 工业别致 (gong ye bie zhi) |
| Japanese style | 日式 (ri shi) |
| Minimalist/simple | 简约现 (jian yue xian) |
| Modern | 现代 (xian dai) |
| Nordic/Scandinavian style | 北欧 (bei ou) |
| Vintage | 夏古 (fu gu) |
| Furniture | |
|---|---|
| English | Chinese translation (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| Ceiling light | 吸顶灯 (xi ding deng) |
| Chaise lounge | 躺椅 (tang yi) |
| Closet | 壁橱 (bi chu) |
| Coffee/end table | 咖啡桌/茶几 (ka fei zhuo/cha ji) |
| Dining table | 餐桌 (can zhuo) |
| Floor standing light | 落地灯 (luo di deng) |
| Open-arm chair | 扶手椅 (fu shou yi) |
| Sideboard | 餐边柜 (can bian gui) |
| Sofa | 沙发 (sha fa) |
| Striped carpet | 条纹地毯 (tiao wen di tan) |
| Study table | 书桌 (shu zhuo) |
| Track light | 轨道灯 (gui dao deng) |
| TV console | 电视柜 (dian shi gui) |
| Wardrobe | 衣柜 (yi gui) |
| Types of furniture materials | |
|---|---|
| English | Chinese translation (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| Genuine leather | 真皮 (zhen pi) |
| Solid wood | 实木 (shi mu) |
| Stainless steel | 不锈钢 (bu xiu gang) |
| Synthetic leather | 人造皮 (ren zao pi) |
| Fittings | |
|---|---|
| English | Chinese translation (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| Basin | 浴室装饰 (yu shi zhaung shi) |
| Bathroom/kitchen fittings | 浴室面盆 (yu shi mian peng) |
| Bathroom vanity | 浴室柜 (yu shi gui) |
| Kitchen sink | 厨房水槽 (chu fang shui cao) |
| Shower set | 花洒 (hua sa) |
| Tap | 龙头 (long tou) |
| Others | |
|---|---|
| English | Chinese translation (Hanyu Pinyin) |
| Glossy finish | 光滑 (guang hua) |
| Home decoration | 家居装饰 (jia ju zhuang shi) |
After you’ve placed your order with our simple guide, you can simply sit back and relax while we deliver your furniture safely and swiftly to your doorstep.
Make sure to clear out your old and unwanted furniture so you can make room for your new ones!