Do you use Taoboa or Alibaba?

Working on a global IT implementation, they didn't have any local experts so they flew me in.
Living in an almost completely empty hotel for six months had me feeling like something out of The Shining by the end of it.
 
Lopéz said:
When I lived in China, the locals bought almost EVERYTHING from Taobao.
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Who else would? It's all in Chinese for a start.

You can use an agent a middle man to buy stuff for you from multiple sellers on taobao who is local and then they quality check everything for you then if you are happy ship it all in bulk to you internationally. Usually used for fake clothing, handbags and shoes, etc. How else do peasants all have Gucci belts and Louis Vuitton handbags?

Taobao is like the wild west. Shopping in an Asian street market or stall shopping centre.

AliExpress is much more legit. It doesn't allow fakes although they are on there if reported get taken down.

The catch is prices are no longer as cheap as they were on AliExpress. Shipping times can be several months although usually several weeks. Electrical items usually won't come with a UK plug normally a cheap unsafe convertor.

Personally I wouldn't buy anything off it unless it's a well known brand name (including Chinese brands that most will have unheard of). As for taobao wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. Items can be seized and confiscated.

Custom charges are now common too thanks to brexit even of declared low.

Much better off now just buying through a legitimate UK retailer. I'll buy phone cases off AliExpress and tiny bits and pieces like that but no longer make the big purchases for several hundreds like before.

I've never used taobao it's all in Chinese which I can't read.
 
Lopéz said:
Working on a global IT implementation, they didn't have any local experts so they flew me in.
Living in an almost completely empty hotel for six months had me feeling like something out of The Shining by the end of it.
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Would legit like to hear some stories on this experience. Perhaps a new thread? :)
 
Psycho Sonny said:
Who else would? It's all in Chinese for a start.

You can use an agent a middle man to buy stuff for you from multiple sellers on taobao who is local and then they quality check everything for you then if you are happy ship it all in bulk to you internationally. Usually used for fake clothing, handbags and shoes, etc. How else do peasants all have Gucci belts and Louis Vuitton handbags?

Taobao is like the wild west. Shopping in an Asian street market or stall shopping centre.

AliExpress is much more legit. It doesn't allow fakes although they are on there if reported get taken down.

The catch is prices are no longer as cheap as they were on AliExpress. Shipping times can be several months although usually several weeks. Electrical items usually won't come with a UK plug normally a cheap unsafe convertor.

Personally I wouldn't buy anything off it unless it's a well known brand name (including Chinese brands that most will have unheard of). As for taobao wouldn't touch it with a bargepole. Items can be seized and confiscated.

Custom charges are now common too thanks to brexit even of declared low.

Much better off now just buying through a legitimate UK retailer. I'll buy phone cases off AliExpress and tiny bits and pieces like that but no longer make the big purchases for several hundreds like before.

I've never used taobao it's all in Chinese which I can't read.
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Funniest PS tl:dr to-date. Several paragraphs of opinion concluding with 'its all in Chinese and I can't read it anyway' :p
 
Alibaba is usually for wholesale, you might want to use Aliexpress which is catered more towards retail. Be aware the low value VAT exemption is no longer in place, so you might have to pay VAT.

Nasher said:
Just expect most of it to be fake. Though ebay isn't much better these days.
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You mean the Gucci bag for $12 isn't real? I'm shocked! :p
 
I was looking for weights/exercise machine/rack and they look pretty cheap on Taobao though maybe the shipping will be a lot?
 
I got something shipped from Asia only last week and there was no VAT or import taxes to pay. I think they get round it where they can. Ask no questions and all that :p

Could be so chaotic at the moment that a lot of stuff just slips though.
 
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Not bought electronics from Taobao but my brother uses it a lot (he lives in HK). Mainly to buy things for the house. Apparently you can buy anything from there.. even a donkey literally.
 
Used Alibaba a few times, last purchase was a MEIZU X8 phone which I am still using, don't think I will bother post brexit though.
 
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