Tutorial: How to Order Items from Taobao

[SpudRider]

Taobao is the Chinese version of eBay. You can order many items from Taobao, including parts for your Chinese motorcycles. The Taobao website is located at www.taobao.com.

Unless you can read Chinese, the first step in negotiating the Taobao website is to translate the web pages. I suggest you do as I, and browse the website using the Google Chrome web browser, setting the browser to automatically translate from Chinese to your native language.

If you understand Chinese, you can order items directly from Taobao. However, since I can neither read nor speak Chinese, I prefer to use a Taobao agent to facilitate my purchases. I suggest you do the same. I have placed three orders using the Taobaotrends agent, and I am pleased with the service I have received. The Taobaotrends agent is located at Taobaotrends.com. However, you can also choose from a variety of other Taobao agents.

The agent will charge a 10 percent fee to facilitate you purchase, but I think this fee is very reasonable. Your agent will communicate with the vendors in Chinese, and he will communicate with you in business English. Employing an agent allows you to order items from a variety of vendors, and the agent will have all the different items delivered to him. After all your parts arrive, you can request photographs of the items to confirm they are the correct parts you have ordered. If any errors are made, you can rectify these errors before the items ship. After all your correct items arrive at the agent's office, he will group them into a single package, and ship them directly to your home address.