How to Order on Taobao

Taobao is a massive trading platform where you can find practically everything, from clothing and shoes to electronics and household appliances. But how do you place an order on Taobao? In this article, we will examine the basic steps of using the service.

How to Use Taobao

Before you start using and place your first order on Taobao, you need to go through the registration process on the website. Registration grants access to the full range of products and allows communication with sellers. Here's a step-by-step guide:

1. Go to the Taobao website at http://www.taobao.com/ and click on the "Register Free" button located in the top left corner of the page.
2. Enter your country of residence, mobile phone number, and the captcha code. Click "Next".
3. After receiving the confirmation code on your mobile phone, enter it on the website.
4. Create a username and password for your account. Ensure that the password is secure, containing letters and numbers of different cases.
5. Add a shipping address by going to your account and selecting the "Delivery Address" section. Fill in the necessary fields, considering that you can add up to 20 shipping addresses to one account.

By following these simple steps, you will complete the registration process and be ready to start using Taobao to search for and purchase products.

How to Order from Taobao Through an Intermediary

For a long time, Taobao, the largest Chinese online platform, was only available for the domestic market. This created difficulties for buyers from CIS countries, who had to resort to intermediaries and search for suppliers in China. Intermediaries provided a full range of services, starting from assisting in selecting goods and communicating with sellers to shipping the goods directly to the buyer. Two intermediaries were involved in the ordering process: one in China, handling the purchase and inspection of the goods, and the other in the buyer's country, handling the receipt and shipment of the goods.

This method of ordering on Taobao through an intermediary remains popular because intermediaries take on not only purchasing goods in China and shipping them, but also checking their quality. They also resolve various issues that arise during the process, including returning substandard goods and dealing with customs problems. The cost of intermediary services typically amounts to 5-10% of the order total, excluding shipping.

When placing an order on Taobao through an intermediary, each company's website provides instructions that explain the ordering process in detail in their case. This may involve filling out a form with links to the items, their colors, sizes, and quantities, or selecting items on a specially adapted website for Russian-speaking users.

Delivery of goods from China to Ukraine

Get more information

How to Place an Order on Taobao Without Intermediaries - Step-by-step Instructions

Since the beginning of 2014, Taobao has expanded its policy, allowing buyers from different countries around the world to place orders without intermediaries. However, this method requires some independence. After registering on the website, you can start searching for the desired items. Let's consider a step-by-step instruction on how to place orders on Taobao:

1. Product and Parameters Selection

• Find the desired item, select parameters (such as color), and quantity.
• Click the "Buy Now" button to proceed with the order.

2. Order Confirmation

• Review your account details.
• Inspect your cart, where all information about the ordered item will be displayed, including store name, item name, price, quantity, and shipping cost within China.
• Leave a message for the seller if necessary.
• Confirm the order by clicking the "Confirm Order" button.

3. Payment and Forwarding

• If necessary, check the box to forward the order to the Taobao forwarding warehouse.
• Select a forwarding company from the list.
• Double-check the shipping cost and confirm the order.

4. Payment and Completion

• If required, log in to AliPay.
• Pay for the order with a Visa or MasterCard (with a 3% payment commission).
• Wait for the confirmation message indicating successful order processing.

5. Shipping of Goods

• Once the goods arrive at the warehouse in China, you will receive an SMS.
• Combine orders into one package if necessary.
• Pay for the shipping cost and confirm the order.

6. Delivery

• Wait for your order to arrive in your city.

Useful Tips and Important Nuances When Shopping on Taobao

Before ordering necessary items from Taobao, it is important to know several useful tips and consider the nuances of the process.

• Use Google Chrome for translation convenience. Open the Taobao website through the Google Chrome browser, which offers automatic page translation into your language, making the purchasing process more convenient.
• Register via the "Login/Free Registration" button. This will simplify the process of creating an account on the website. Don't forget to provide your phone number and enter the code from the SMS message to confirm.
• Translate queries into Chinese. To search for products more efficiently, avoid using English in your queries and instead translate them into Chinese.
• Check the reliability of the seller before placing an order on Taobao. Pay attention to the seller's overall rating and customer reviews to ensure the right choice.
• Utilize the Alipay service for payment of goods. Provide your Visa or MasterCard details for secure and convenient payment of items on Taobao. For guidance on registering with Alipay, refer to this resource.
• If you have any doubts about the quality of the product or the reliability of the supplier, we provide assistance. You can avail of services such as product inspection in China.

By following these simple recommendations, you will be able to make successful purchases on Taobao and obtain high-quality products at favorable prices.