This year, I'm once again travelling to a colder country then Singapore but not as cold as Korea. I'd be flying to Taiwan soon! (Finally, I'm going back again and yes I can't wait!)
Well, I did my first shopping from Taobao (I know, I'm very slow cause alot of people would have already bought a zillion items there and here I am getting my first few items ahhahahaha). In preparation for my Korea trip again next year February, I've decided to try and get some stuff from Taobao. While I have some from the previous trip, this time round it's a family trip so I decided to get some for my mom,
For those who are experts in Taobao, you can skip this entire paragraph. Go down straight to see the items I've bought. For those who don't mind wasting another 10 minutes of your life reading this, please continue.
Not touching on creating accounts and how to shop (because there are tons of guides to buying stuff online already) but just picking out a few from my purchasing chain of activities.
For those we are using the China version of PayPal, which they call it 支付宝, you will need to key in your credit card details as below. Select the option in the blue box and then key in your residential address.
When you're done, just click next.
Once you're done with your payment, this is what you'd see. The list of items you've bought.
While waiting for the items to be shipped from the seller to the warehouse, I realized that one of my items will take way too long to be sent over. I overlooked the fact that the coat will only be shipped out on 12/25 - which would be way too late for me to bring over to Taiwan as I'd be flying on 25th itself. I clicked on the pink box and chat with the seller. I informed her that I can't wait for the shipment and it was my mistake to have overlooked that point. To my surprise, the seller was prompt in response, courteous and helpful. In any case I managed to get my refund.
Click the blue box and request for a refund after communicating with the seller.
This is what you'd see after the refund is accepted by the seller and the money will return to your credit card.
They will even email you to tell you how much has been refunded.
Initially I thought it'd take a month for the refund to my credit card but to my surprise, it only took a few days.
Please note that my refund was based on the fact that item has NOT been shipped out from the seller to the warehouse. So if your case is that your item has been shipped out, it might differ from the steps I took.
So day by day, the mobile app will alert me on where my items are through the tracking system and it also notifies me whenever an item arrives are the warehouse.
Screenshot of the items in transition from seller to the warehouse.
Once the item arrives at the warehouse, the 合拼运送 (consolidate) option will appear by the 4th column from the left. You can click on it and see how many KG would your items be. The weight of each item are clearly indicated on the 2nd column and below would state how many days the item can be kept in the warehouse for free. It's 20 days for each item so you can slowly wait for the items to all come together and ship them over.
Screenshot of my items for you to see.
Long story short, I made my order on 11 November 2014, and additional orders on 19 and 21 November 2014 separately and on 28 November 2014 the parcel arrived at my house doorstep!
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I bought some items for Mike this time round and I'm pretty satisfied from all the 3 items I've got.
To make things easier for you, if you'd keen to get the same as what I did, just click on the item name and it'd bring you directly to the website I got it from. I can't guarantee the prices to be the same when I got it though. In any case, all these are my own opinions and it could still differ from your own expectations.
Item name: 2014春秋新款百搭男装衬衣 纯色休闲男士时尚糖果色长袖衬衫
Details: Size L, 浅灰色
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 46
Price (with international shipping): SGD 11.54~
Weight: 0.26kg
This shop sells ALOT of different colors and all of them looked decent. I wanted to get a brighter color for Mike but he preferred something on the safer side so we took grey. He is standing at 180CM and more to the skinny scale. The shirt fits just right for him but it's a little too short for his body. Sleeves were alright.
The material feels comfortable but not sure how it would fair if it gets too humid/hot in the day.
Fresh from the bag, so it's very crumpled.
Details: Size XL, 蓝色
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 59
Price (with international shipping): SGD 16.28~
Weight: 0.625kg
When I first saw this piece I was like - I'M DEFINITELY GETTING IT. And hooray! Never regretted my choice. This piece made me wait really long for them to ship out because I bought it on the 11/11 sale but it's definitely worth the wait! Really thick, good material and fits perfectly on Mike!
Item name: 秋季新款男士毛衣圆领针织衫外套薄韩菱形拼撞色薄提花潮毛线衫男
Details: Size XL, 浅灰色
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 58
Price (with international shipping): SGD 15.25~
Weight: 0.465kg
Honestly, I tried very hard to find decent wool tops for Mike but there wasn't much choice. Out of those that were decent this was one that I liked too. Though there wasn't much comments but I decided to try it out anyway.
Surprising this piece material is really, really smooth and comfy. But, the sleeve and length is slightly too short for Mike. But the shoulder is just right. I guess it's alright as long as you're wearing it over a collared shirt or coat.
Now to the female items!
Item name: 【jiyue】秋季新款女装毛衣外套女加厚韩版套头宽松显瘦毛衣外套
Details: One size, 颜色分类：加厚蓝MH, Blue
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 25
Price (with international shipping): SGD 7.51~
Weight: 0.385kg
My first disappointed piece from this seller. From the picture it looks decent, and the price is also really good. Including all the shipment fees it's barely $8 for this top. Last year, I bought wool tops at $10 over so this is indeed a good deal but I guess, you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Though it is thick, and there's no major defects but still I'm not very satisfied because I got another similar wool top from a different shop, and only having to pay a dollar more, I got a wonderful quality. So this seller? No go.
Able to spot all those little bits of white uneven wool? And not to mention all those loose threads hanging around.
Close up on the white wool.
Loose wool threads intertwined.
This is the collar.
I guess I need not say more. You judge yourself from the pictures you see.
Item name: 韩版春秋甜美学院风宽松复古麻花毛衣套头打底针织衫外套毛线衣女
Details: One size, 虾红色
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 28Price (with international shipping): SGD 8.25~
Weight: 0.399kg
No loose threads, no other color loose threads. Perfect piece.
Item name: 浪莎保暖内衣男士加厚加绒冬季女士塑身纯棉男式秋衣秋裤情侣套装
Details: 165, 羊毛竹炭8837女黑
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 49
Price (with international shipping): SGD 14.70~
Weight: 0.751kg
This item shocked me because it was neatly packed in a box (although the box got crushed by the other items but it's okay) and it comes as a set. You pay $14.70 and you get a decent, comfortable set of long john. I already have 3 sets so I got this for my mom. My mom and I are about the same size just that she's tad shorter then me. She tried it on and it fits her well. She also mentioned it's really comfortable. From her facial expression, I could tell she was happy with the buy.
Wonder what's this?
This is a extra padding for the knees! Which I find it good because old people will get knee aches when it's too cold. I was surprised when I saw this because I didn't take note when I was buying online.
Item name: 冬季保暖背心女 加绒加厚托胸保暖内衣 美体收腹塑身上衣打底衫
Details: Size XXL, 黑色网纱（不倒绒）
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 19.90
Price (with international shipping): SGD 5.37~
Weight: 0.187kg
I was thinking to get this sleeveless one to try and wear in Taiwan. One problem I had in Korea was that all my clothes were long sleeve and my arm felt so heavy and stiff. I'd try this in Taiwan and see how it fairs.
In any case, it feels comfortable when I tried it on and it fits me perfectly. I'm on PTP 16.5".
Item name: 秋冬天款女士外穿打底裤女加棉厚带绒韩版铅笔裤靴裤牛仔潮长裤子
Details: Size 30, 墨绿加绒
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 39.80
Price (with international shipping): SGD 10.69~
Weight: 0.363kg
Ally introduced me this pants and I thought it would be good for my Taiwan trip. Not too thick for Taiwan and comes with pockets which is good. No need to wear anything else beneath this pair of jeans.
The fitting isn't too bad. The only problem I have is that their calves are most likely made of chopsticks because I have problems pulling them up my calves. Ironically the waist and hips fit but the calves are way too skinny for me. It's like their calves have no meat at all. I guess all the models are made of chopstick.
Not very thick, so not suited for 10 and below degrees.
Item name: 汉森鸟加绒牛仔裤女冬加厚铅雪花笔裤高腰排扣水貂绒小脚裤长裤子
Details: Size 30, 灰色雪花Price (with internal shipping): RMB 59
Price (with international shipping): SGD 16.34~
Weight: 0.637kg
This is also another beautiful piece that I found and I really love the acid greyish wash color. Unfortunately, because this is thicker then the previous jeans, I have even more difficulty trying to pull the jeans up from my calves. If you have fat calves like me, I would suggest you consider again. I am not sure if you get a bigger size would it increase the width at the calves OR it would just increase at the waist. As the waist fits me, just not the calves.
Chopsticks legs. I don't have that. I have luncheon meat calves.
Item name: 欧美官网款双排扣中长款背心马夹双排扣白色无袖西装马甲 外套女
Details: Size M, 白色Price (with internal shipping): RMB 50
Price (with international shipping): SGD 12.85~
Weight: 0.342kg
I have been looking around for a white vest for sometime and I though since I'm going to order from Taobao, might as well get one from there together.
This piece was good, looks just like the picture. I'm pretty satisfied with this piece.
Comes with a inner lining too.
Details: Black
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 30
Price (with international shipping): SGD 8.08~
Weight: 0.279kg
Last year I bought a thick leggings and I was super happy about it. This year, I found a similar legging but way cheaper and still is as thick! It's almost half the price I paid for last year!
The additional cloth at the bottom is for you to tuck them underneath your hind.
Half the price but yet gives almost save comfort. It's super high waist by the way. My mom says can hide her tummy hahahhaa.
Item name: 2014秋冬季新款韩版修身短款羊毛呢外套双排扣羊绒大衣女
Details: XL, 酒红色
Price (with internal shipping): RMB 109
Price (with international shipping): SGD 30~
Weight: 0.902kg
Sigh. This was my favourite piece and the one that I was really excited to get my hands on. It's really pretty and the price is decent. Even the actual product the material is good. Comes with inner lining and it really hugs the body nicely. Although I got no curves but this will be able to bring out the curves.
UNFORTUNATELY, I think I'm too big for it. Sigh. The shoulder is good. The sleeve is tad short. But the length is decent. I can wear it but it's a little... tight and restricts my movements slightly. I'm so sad. I'm figuring out how to make the exchange.. I contacted the seller and she's more than happy to exchange for me the right size and even the color if I didn't like it. But the thing is, I can send back to them, but the postage I have to cover, and plus they can only send back to 4PX, but I don't know if 4PX is able to help me ship it over without a proper record. What if my item goes missing. :( Anyone got experience with exchanges?
Else, if it's too much hassle or takes too long... I've to sell it. Anyone want to buy from me? Hahhahaa.
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Here's basically what I've bought from Taobao. Overall, the experience was good. Other then the fact that if you have queries, you've always got to communicate in Chinese to them, it's really a happy shopping experience. Definitely shopping more in the future!