Newbie’s Guide for Furniture Shopping on Taobao (Updated 2024)

To Taobao or not to Taobao?

It’s no secret that we Singaporeans love a good bargain, and where better to dig up dirt-cheap deals than Taobao? Even with the popularity of local e-commerce websites like Shopee and Lazada, many homeowners in Singapore are still die-hard believers of getting their furniture from Taobao due to the variety of options and competitive prices.

The only catch is that the Chinese e-retailer isn’t exactly easy to navigate – especially if you’re not proficient in Mandarin, or are a first-time buyer to navigate the labyrinth of listings. So, here are some beginner tips to keep in mind during your Taobao furniture haul!

1. Should I buy furniture directly from Taobao or from third party sites?

Although there are various third party websites that you can get your Taobao furniture from, we’d recommend buying straight from Taobao to get the best bang for your buck.

Going direct gives you access to the complete range of sellers and products, so you can hunt down the cheapest deals sans the agent fees. Bear in mind that everything is in Chinese so it might be confusing for some people – Chinese translation sites like fanyi.baidu.com and fanyi.youdao.com might be able to help, but you can always count on Google Translate if all else fails!

Of course, you have the option of relying on a third-party agent like local e-commerce site Ezbuy, which can be especially helpful for those who aren’t proficient in Chinese. Not only do they help to communicate with the merchants, but they also take charge of payment, shipping and tracking so you won’t have to worry about messing up your orders.

Of course, you have the option of relying on a third-party agent like local e-commerce site Ezbuy, which can be especially helpful for those who aren’t proficient in Chinese. Not only do they help to communicate with the merchants, but they also take charge of payment, shipping and tracking so you won’t have to worry about messing up your orders.

Great service, however, comes at a price — a small agent fee applies if you’re going through a third-party platform. For instance, Ezbuy’s charges a 4% to 8% agent fee for their Buy-for-Me service on top of a 9% GST fee and the purchase price.

Likewise, you can also choose to browse through the Taobao tab on Lazada – which is another hassle-free way to get your Taobao fix. The downside is that the site only stocks a limited selection of products so do take note that not everything will be available.

2. How do I find furniture and decor on Taobao, especially if I don’t know Mandarin?

Not sure how to search for a specific product in Chinese? We’ve got a cheat sheet of commonly searched terms to help you sieve it out.

Alternatively, you can also try out their photo recognition tool, where you can either upload images of pieces you like, or take pictures of something you saw in-person using the in-app camera. Just watch the video above to see how that works!

3. Is it safe to buy from Taobao?

Despite Taobao’s efforts on weeding out counterfeits, it’s best to still take measures to safeguard yourself from unscrupulous merchants.

Before making any purchase, ensure that you’re buying from a reliable Taobao seller. One straightforward way is to check on their ratings, which are based on customers’ feedback and logistics. Ratings span across three levels: Star, Diamond and Crown (from low to high, Crown being the most reliable).

However, ratings aren’t everything. Some newer Taobao players might only be starting to build up their reputation and have yet to chalk up enough points to garner a Crown rating.

On the other hand, established names who have been in the scene for some time should boast a good amount of successful transactions and rank at least in the diamond tier. Thus, it’s important to take into consideration when the business is set up, so you can better gauge their authenticity.

To help you get started, here’s a list of trustworthy brands where you can find affordable yet high-quality furniture:

1. 林氏木业 / Lin Shi Mu Ye
2. 木邻 / Mulin Home
3. 源氏木語家居旗艦店 / Genji Muyu Home Furnishing Flagship Store
4. 十八纸 / Eighteen Papers

Or, shop our list of curated products here!

4. Are Taobao reviews legitimate?

Well, reviews do matter! Apart from the rating system, always check out reviews to see what past buyers have to say about the seller. Some reviews also come with pictures of the actual item, so you can get a better idea of how it would look in real life. Some points to look out for:

• How satisfactory is their service?
• Does the product description listed match the actual item?
• How many of their customers actually submitted reviews?
• What is the percentage of positive reviews versus negative ones?

When reading through the feedback, be sure to watch out for bogus reviews. Some retailers use fake accounts to post good reviews – which makes them more visible on the trending page and in turn, boosts sales for their products.

Look out for sellers with a good mix of balanced reviews, with the pros and cons properly laid out. Photos attached to the reviews are also a good indicator of legitimacy – although you can also run the image through Google Image to check.

If you’re still doubtful, you can also seek out a second opinion by searching up reviews on other websites and forums. Better to be safe than sorry!

5. What are the different shipping options for Taobao products?

Shipping are usually split into two ways: by air, and by sea. While shipping by air is always faster than by ship, note that they may not be able to carry bulky items like furniture. In this case, it's better to go by sea.

You'll also have the choice to go with two different types of shipping: direct shipping (官方直邮) and consolidated shipping (官方集运).

• For direct shipping, you will pay the shipping fee along with your items at checkout, and they will be sent to you in individual packages
• For consolidated shipping, all your items will be consolidated into a single package in the Taobao warehouse before being sent to you. The shipping fee will only be calculated after this is done, so you'll need to do a second payment.

Additionally, shipping fees are based on the actual weight or the volumetric weight of the item, depending on whichever is higher. Here's a brief breakdown of the various options that you have:

*Accurate as of 6 August 2024.

Shipping via professional freight companies like Taobao2SG, M&P International Freights and ezShip are other alternatives. In fact, it might be better if you’ve bought bulkier items (i.e. sofas and dining tables) and you want them to arrive in tip-top condition.

Pro-tip: you should make the most of your purchases where possible. Rather than carting out items from different sellers, consolidate your orders into one bundle so you’ll make full use of the container space – this saves you a ton of money as you won't have to ship separate parcels.

6. Can I keep the furniture I ordered in storage for an amount of time before having it delivered?

If your home just isn’t quite ready to be furnished yet, you can opt to have your items stored in the Taobao warehouse in China. Of course, this will mean extra storage fees – which will increase if your items are held for more than 21 days.

If you’re not able to take possession of the products immediately, it may be more cost effective to deposit your loot at a safe space or rent out a storage unit for the time being.

7. Can I convert currency on Taobao? How do I pay?

Most of the time, it’s always better to pay in RMB. Most Taobao agents typically charge in Singapore dollars, which tends to inflate prices over the actual exchange rate. When making payment with credit cards, keep in mind that there might be an additional transaction fee for foreign currencies as well.

8. How do I get a return or refund on Taobao?

The truth is, returning an item to Taobao isn’t straightforward. Although warranties are included for bulkier goods, the returns and exchange process can be rather tedious as you’ll have to communicate with the seller and pay for the hefty shipping fees to return the item. But what happens when you encounter problematic sellers?

Upon submitting a return and/or refund request, Taobao gives the seller 48 hours to accept or reject the request, and if there’s no response after the stipulated timeframe, the e-retailer will automatically refund the item for you. There are cases in which disputes may arise, but you can get Taobao to intervene through a refund mediation process – where they will review your case and take action after coming to an objective conclusion.

Alternatively, you can also ring them up via the Taobao helpline (800 188 6018) or speak to someone via the help chat function.

Disclaimer: Prices and information are accurate at the time of writing

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