Taobao is one of the most popular sites for online shopping – known for great variety and even greater value. So if you’re looking for a piece of the action but you’re at a loss because of the language barrier, fret not.

We’ve got your back! Read on for the ultimate Taobao guide and get the best Taobao promo codes out there to get the most bang for your buck!

Shopping Online at Taobao Guide

Let’s find out how you can shop on Taobao via ShopBack to earn some Cashback out of it!

Step 1: Login to ShopBack

Login to your ShopBack account.

Step 2: Head on over to Taobao page on ShopBack

Head on over to ShopBack’s Taobao merchant page, you will see a search bar where you can search if your desired item has Cashback. Once you input your search query, you will be redirected to Taobao’s main page.

Step 3: Download Google Translate extension

Taobao operates in Chinese. This is where Google Translate comes in handy, especially when searching for products. Download Chrome’s Google Translate extension and see the entire page in your desired language.

You can also read our handy dandy Taobao Guide – Dictionary Cheatsheet that translates every Taobao product you want to buy from Chinese to English!

Step 4: Get Cashback on Taobao with Shopback Button

Download the ShopBack Button (available as a Chrome extension) and install it on your browser. This nifty helper notifies you if there’s Cashback on a Taobao item so you won’t miss out.

PS: this works for shopping sites other than Taobao as well. So online shopping becomes a breeze since you’ll be notified of the best deals, promotions and Cashback. Read more about how to use the ShopBack button here!

Step 5: Select your desired Taobao item(s)

Once you’ve activated your search through the Cashback Button, you’ll see a list of search results. Clicking on a product from the list redirects you to the product page where you can take a closer look at the product details.

Next, you can click on the respective buttons to either instantly purchase that item or add it to your cart. A pop-up will appear showing all the quantity, size and colour options available.

Step 6: Cart out your Taobao items

After you are satisfied with the items in your cart, you’re going to want to checkout. Click on the shopping cart icon at the top left of the page to be redirected to the contents of your shopping cart where the different products are grouped into the many different sellers.

Check the boxes next to the products that you would wish to pay for and proceed to the next step by clicking on the orange button. You’ll be able to see the total cost before shipping.

Step 7: Input shipping info

After choosing the products you wish to purchase, click on the orange button at the bottom of the page to cart out.

Next, add in your Address details for shipping. Remember to set your country as Singapore (or 新加坡 in Chinese) right in the grey box under ‘Add Address’.

Then, click on the shipping method that you wish to employ — there are more details on the different shipping methods in the pro-tips section below.

Step 8: Input your credit card info

To complete your purchase, simply input your credit card details and click continue. Congratulations again, you’ve done it! You’re now a proud Taobao shopper!

7 Hacks For A Better Taobao Shopping Experience!

Now that you’ve completed your training session with our “How to shop Taobao Guide”, it’s time to up your game and get ready for our “How to be a smart shopper on Taobao Guide”!

As you all know, you have to have a passion for online shopping to work at ShopBack. Hence I have compiled some of the best tips and tricks you should definitely keep in mind whilst shopping online at Taobao.

1. The Search-ception

If you aren’t all too happy with the results of your search using Google translate then here’s a way for you to get a more in-depth search for your products.

• Step 1: Use Google Translate for the translation of the product you are searching for.
• Step 2: Copy and paste the Google Translate results into ShopBack’s Taobao merchant page search bar.
• Step 3: This will get you redirected to the search results on Taobao’s website.
• Step 4: Now here comes the important part. If the results aren’t all that satisfying for you due to reasons such as a lack of credible sellers, you can execute an extra step to widen your search results.  All you have to do is copy the name of the product that you are most satisfied with and then paste the untranslated product name again into the search bar. Execute the search and you will be presented with a more extensive result. Easy!

2. Currency Converter Plugins

To make life easier for you when trying to figure out the price of products in your local currency, all you have to do is download a currency converter plug-in to save you from having to switch between windows.

3. Direct Shipping vs Consolidated Shipping

Essentially, if you don’t want to have to deal with all the complications, Taobao’s Global Direct Shipping method is the one you should be using. It is much more straightforward and you get to know the prices before you check out.

It may not necessarily be cheaper than the alternative, but it would save you some hassle.

• Direct shipping – your Taobao items will be sent to Taobao’s China warehouse, then shipped to your individually
• Consolidated shipping – your Taobao items will be sent to Taobao’s China warehouse, then repacked for shipping

4. “Find Similar” Button

Another way to look for a wider range of sellers for the same products is to use the “Find Similar” button. Clicking on it will present to you a range of similar products from many more different sellers.

It is also a good idea to change the order of products from sellers with the highest number of purchases to the lowest. That is one of the best ways to gauge if a seller is credible.

Also, scrutinise the photos of the products to ensure it is the exact same one you are looking for.

5. Read the Reviews

Reading the reviews is a must to see if a seller is credible or not. Most of it is worded in Chinese so you will have to translate it like we have below:

6. Check Seller’s Rating

See all those little symbols? Those are seller ratings. A seller is awarded a positive (+1) point for every positive rating whilst a negative one will knock off a point (-1).

The rating system is tiered with the symbols changing to a new one once the sellers have received more than enough positive ratings to acquire 5 symbols. Another good measure of a seller’s credibility.

7. Contact the Sellers

If you have any inquiries with regards to your purchases, you can contact the seller in double-quick time using Taobao’s instant messaging system, Aliwangwang.

You will have to download the program for it and after you’ve done that, you can link up with the seller in an instant.  If you are planning on using this tool, here are some questions you can ask the sellers:

• How long will it take for the products to arrive
• The quality of the products (e.g. material)
• The price of the products
• The size and dimensions of the products

The seller knows best so use this tool to be extra sure!