Today, I’m gonna share one website I spend alot of time… the chinese version of ebay, which is TAOBAO.
It’s a marketplace where you can find anything & everything. It’s also where most small blogshops in Singapore get their supplies from cause the stuff is so so cheap!
After online shopping malls like Gmarket / Taobao sprouted up, I realised I stopped buying as much as I used to from retail stores. Why buy from stores when you can buy similar ones much cheaper online?
What’s good about Taobao?
1) It’s relatively cheap because China’s currency is weaker. 1SGD to 4.60RMB
2) Quite easy to purchase through an agent.
My agent is 65daigou (65daigou.com) but there are many others on the market. Search for ‘Taobao Agent Singapore‘ in Google and you will find many offering this service.
What’s not good about Taobao?
1) Everything is in Chinese. Even I find it hard to search/read at time
2) If you buy something that’s ridiculously cheap, the quality is quite ‘meh’
(so reading reviews and buying from shops with ‘crowns’ awarded is a MUST for me)
Using an agent
1) You make your order with an agent and make payment for the items (excluding shipping charges)
2) They buy from Taobao for you (cause they have a China bank account and we don’t)
3) They ship your orders to their warehouse in China
4) Consolidate all your orders into one package
5) Ship them over using various methods – express air, economy air or via ship
6) You make a second payment when your goods arrive – Agent fees and shipping fees
7) Collection usually at MRT / their warehouse in Singapore
The exchange rate for agents differ. My agent uses exchange rate 1SGD = ¥4.60
SO WHAT CAN YOU FIND ON TAOBAO?
Is it cheap and fashionable? Yes, let me show you some stuffs I found and their prices.
Pinafore dress
¥22 ~ approx 4.58 SGD
Ballerina top in black
¥14 ~ approx 2.90 SGD
Peplum tube top
¥19 ~ approx 3.95 SGD
High waist shorts (stylenanda style!)
¥39 ~ approx 8.125SGD
Taobao Stores you can try:
Many of you have been asking / emailing me to recommend some good Taobao stores so here you go. I bought from them before, but it doesn’t mean everything they sell is good okay. (Please don’t blame me if your clothing from them don’t turn out good)
Fashion
1) YOZI
2) Women & Women
3) 淇想城堡
4) Miss Kiko
5) 气质淑女原创女装店
7) 夏天回忆-Summer Memo
8) 美丽向前潮品店
9) 梦幻天使的城173可人
10) 批发站韩版 时尚女装
11) 72街女装
12) imi艾米时尚女装
14) OKAY
15) 欧美风基本款女装
16) 小金子美衣~日韩欧美
17) lunca
18) 雅倩潮流坊 时尚低价
Shoes
1) 1983女鞋
Some tips for you
1) Only buy from shops which are reputable and has a blue or red crown rating
2) Only buy when the product has good reviews
3) Read reviews and be realistic on what to expect (many use model photos from Korea but the actual item looks different)
4) Don’t buy clothing which are too cheap to be true (learnt my lesson from those kind… like rags, can’t be worn) 35 yuan and above should be OK quality.
HAPPY SHOPPING!
***Note: I have gotten many emails asking me to recommend shops in Taobao, what agent I use, how to buy etc. The info is already listed in this blog post, so please only email me if what you’re asking is not already mentioned below. I will respond when I am free!***
