How to Order from Tmall and Arrange Delivery

Tmall is the largest online store specializing in selling authentic products from manufacturers and official dealers. In Ukraine, it is far less popular than AliExpress or Temu. Today, DiFFreight experts will share information about what Tmall is, how to order from it, and what difficulties you may encounter with the marketplace.

Benefits of Tmall

Tmall is a subsidiary of TaoBao. While TaoBao focuses on the B2B (business to business) segment, Tmall operates on the B2C (business to consumer) model. Only legal entities — manufacturers or official dealers — can sell on the platform.

To open a store on the platform, sellers must provide a complete package of documents, including quality certificates. This way, the marketplace eliminates unscrupulous sellers offering counterfeit goods.

Advantages of Tmall:

• Authentic products from global brands (Adidas, Samsung, Canon, Philips, Versace) and leading Chinese and Taiwanese companies such as Lenovo, Asus, and Acer.
• A wide range of items: clothing, home goods, electronics, gadgets, cosmetics, medical products.
• Lower prices for branded goods compared to retail stores.

The main disadvantage is that Tmall is targeted at the domestic Chinese market. Importing goods in bulk or for private purchases to other countries is challenging. This is why most foreigners do not order from the platform.

How to Order from Tmall: Common Mistakes

Here is the standard process:

Registration. The website is only available in Chinese, so you’ll need to use Google Translate. The translation is not always accurate. However, it is possible to register as a buyer.

Navigation. The catalog and filters are also in Chinese; there is no English version of the website. Misunderstanding product characteristics, descriptions, and order conditions is exacerbated by translation inaccuracies. A useful tip: try searching for items in Chinese to get more results.

Shopping. Promo codes, coupons, and discounts make the marketplace very popular in China. However, your shopping experience may be ruined by a website in an unfamiliar language. Where do you enter the promo code? Does the discount apply to each item or the total order?

Payment. Once your items are in the cart, it’s time to pay. However, since Tmall is a Chinese service, this presents another hurdle for foreigners. The two main questions our clients ask:

• How to shop on Tmall in dollars?

The marketplace is focused on the domestic market, so prices are listed in Chinese yuan. You will have to convert them to dollars yourself at the current exchange rate.

• How to pay?

Previously, payments could mainly be made through Alipay. However, since September 2024, WeChat Pay has been added as a payment method on Taobao and Tmall. For foreigners, access to Chinese payment systems is still limited.

How Is Delivery from Tmall to Ukraine Arranged? There is no direct delivery. The only option is forwarding services. You place an order, and it is delivered to a Chinese address or an intermediary’s warehouse, then forwarded to Ukraine. You cannot enter a Ukrainian address directly.

For many, shopping ends at the payment stage. Due to the peculiarities of the marketplace, interesting opportunities are often missed. However, DiFFreight can help if you are determined to shop on Tmall.

Delivery of goods from China to Ukraine

Get more information

Delivery from Tmall: Options and Timeframes

There are two ways to arrange delivery:

1. Forwarding. Suitable for small packages (private purchases). The order arrives at an address in China and then is forwarded to Ukraine. Standard documents are required for private shipments, and duties may apply if the amount exceeds the limit.
2. Commercial Delivery. Used for large (bulk) shipments, typically delivered in containers by sea or by air. Customs broker services are useful for preparing the necessary documents for customs clearance. An inspection in China may also be helpful: warehouse staff can check the goods from the manufacturer before shipping.

Forwarding takes less time, while for cargo, sea delivery takes 70–75 days, and air delivery takes 18–21 days.

Tmall Delivery from DiFFreight

Cargo delivery from China to Ukraine is our specialty. DiFFreight offers numerous services to make your shopping in China as convenient as possible:

• Purchasing goods in China according to your requirements. We’ll find the best supplier on Tmall within your budget.
• Payment processing: your location doesn’t matter! We’ll handle the purchase using Chinese payment systems.
• Forwarding and warehousing services. Ship your parcels to our warehouse in China. We’ll consolidate shipments from all manufacturers and send them as consolidated cargo.
• Sea and air transportation. DiFFreight prepares all the necessary documents to ensure fast customs clearance.

How the process works:

• You send us a link to the items you are interested in. If needed, we’ll provide a translation of the description and supplier terms.
• Purchase and payment. Detailed conditions for Tmall can be discussed during a consultation with our experts.
• Choosing the delivery method — by sea or by air.
• DiFFreight receives the goods at the warehouse, and additional packaging is provided if necessary.
• We ship the cargo. You’ll receive a tracking number for monitoring in our bot, and our managers are always available.

We offer transparent terms of cooperation, cargo safety guarantees, and the fastest possible delivery. Therefore, Tmall delivery from DiFFreight is suitable not only for businesses but also for private buyers.