What is Taobao?
Taobao is China's biggest consumer marketplace, run by Alibaba since 2003. It's closer to eBay plus a giant mall than to Amazon: millions of independent shops sell everything from clothing and phone cases to furniture and car parts, alongside Tmall, Alibaba's separate marketplace for official brand stores. Prices are aimed at shoppers inside China, and most sellers only ship within China, which is why buyers abroad use an agent or forwarder.
| Taobao | Tmall | 1688 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sellers | Individual and small shops | Brand and authorised stores | Factories and wholesalers |
| Buying | Single items | Single items | Wholesale, often minimum quantities |
| Superbuy service fee | CN¥0 | CN¥0 | CN¥0 |
Can you buy from Taobao directly from abroad?
Sometimes, but not easily from the US, UK or most of Europe. Taobao has an English-language app, but it only unlocks when your account region is set to a supported market such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Macau, and it shows a curated subset of products with international shipping often built into higher prices. Taobao's own official consolidation service ships to a limited list of places, mainly Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand; official consolidation to the US was reported suspended around April 2025 during the tariff escalation.
How to search Taobao well
Taobao's search works best in Chinese. Short product terms beat long English phrases; our finds catalog lists Chinese terms by category. Then:
- Sort by sales (销量) instead of the default ranking, which favours paid placement.
- Check the shop, not just the item: sales volume, shop age and the dynamic ratings for description, service and logistics.
- Read the size chart in centimetres, not the letter size; see our size converter.
- Read reviews with photos (买家秀), which show the item outside studio lighting.
- Watch the option names: colour and size choices often change the price, and the cheapest option shown may not be the one you want.
What Taobao's seller levels mean
Taobao shops show a credit level built from completed sales: hearts (心) at the bottom, then diamonds (钻), blue crowns (皇冠) and gold crowns (金冠) at the top. A crown shop has a long sales history, which isn't a guarantee of quality but does mean thousands of completed orders. More useful day to day are the three shop scores for description, service and logistics, shown against the category average, and the buyer photos under each listing.
Buying Taobao items through Superbuy
Paste the item link into Superbuy's search bar; Superbuy says it captures the details of 99% of Taobao, Tmall and JD listings. Choose options, pay the item price and domestic delivery (no Superbuy service fee on Taobao or Tmall), and Superbuy buys it. When it reaches the warehouse you get free QC photos and 90 days of free storage to consolidate. Our step-by-step guide covers remarks, fees and shipping lines, and the homepage shows a full cost example.
When are Taobao prices lowest?
Two shopping festivals dominate: 618 in mid-June and 11.11 (Singles' Day) in November, when sellers run their biggest discounts. Warehouses and carriers get busy afterwards, so allow extra time. Avoid ordering in the weeks before Chinese New Year (6 February 2027), when sellers, warehouses and carriers slow down.
What you can't buy from Taobao through an agent
Agents apply shipping restrictions (batteries, liquids, powders and some cosmetics need special lines or can't be sent) and their own policies on branded goods: Superbuy publishes a policy on infringing items and may refuse unlicensed branded goods. Check Superbuy's mail restrictions before buying anything unusual.
Taobao FAQ
Can I buy from Taobao in the US or UK?
Only with difficulty. Taobao's English app unlocks for regions like Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macau, and its official consolidation mainly serves Asian markets plus Australia and New Zealand; US consolidation was reported suspended around April 2025. A forwarder needs Chinese payment and some Chinese. For US and UK buyers, a shopping agent such as Superbuy, which charges CN¥0 on Taobao items, is the practical route.
Is Taobao the same as Tmall?
No. Both belong to Alibaba, but they serve different sellers. Taobao, running since 2003, is millions of independent and small shops; Tmall is the separate marketplace for brand and authorised stores. Through Superbuy the difference doesn't affect fees, since both carry a CN¥0 purchasing fee. Pick Tmall when you want an official brand store and Taobao when you want range and lower prices.
Does Taobao have an English version?
Partly. An English-language Taobao app exists, but it only works when your account region is set to a supported market such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong or Macau, and it shows a curated selection, often with shipping built into higher prices. The desktop site has no English option. If you're in North America or Europe, browse with translation and order through Superbuy instead.
What does Superbuy charge for Taobao orders?
Superbuy charges a CN¥0 purchasing fee on Taobao and Tmall listings. What you do pay is the item price, the seller's domestic delivery to the warehouse, any optional extras you choose and international shipping. Storage is free for 90 days, then CN¥0.10 per item per day up to 180 days. On Taobao orders, shipping is the real cost, so consolidate before you send.
How do I find things on Taobao without reading Chinese?
Search with short Chinese product terms rather than long English phrases, sort results by sales (销量) instead of the default ranking, which favours paid placement, and let your browser translate the page. Check sizes in centimetres and look at buyer photos (买家秀) under each listing. Start from the category terms in our finds catalog and you'll get far better results.
What do the hearts and crowns on Taobao shops mean?
They're Taobao's seller credit levels, built from completed sales. Shops start with hearts (心), then move up to diamonds (钻), blue crowns (皇冠) and gold crowns (金冠). A crown means thousands of completed orders, not guaranteed quality. The three shop scores for description, service and logistics, shown against the category average, tell you more. Use the level as a filter, then judge the scores.
When is the best time to buy on Taobao?
Prices are lowest during the two big festivals: 618 in mid-June and 11.11 (Singles' Day) in November, when sellers run their deepest discounts. Warehouses and carriers get busy afterwards, so allow extra time. Avoid ordering in the weeks before Chinese New Year, which falls on 6 February 2027, when sellers and carriers slow down. For holiday gifts, order early in the 11.11 window.
Related questions
- How to order through Superbuy step by step
- What to search for on Taobao
- Clean a Taobao, Weidian or 1688 link
- How is Superbuy shipping priced?
Sources we checked
Written and checked by the TaobaoSuperbuy.com editors. Last reviewed . Sources for this page: Superbuy's fee page and user guide, Wikipedia, SCMP and 2026 guides to Taobao's international services. Spotted something out of date? Tell us on WhatsApp and we'll fix it.