How to Buy from Taobao Outside China (Step-by-Step Guide)
EZBUYSHIP Team · November 6, 2026 · 2 min read
Taobao is China's biggest online marketplace, with listings for almost anything: clothing, home goods, electronics accessories, hobby supplies and much more, often at prices far below what you see elsewhere. The catch is that most sellers only ship inside China, communicate in Chinese and accept Chinese payment methods. A shopping agent solves all three problems.
Why you can't just order directly
- Most sellers only deliver to addresses in mainland China.
- Checkout usually needs Alipay with a Chinese bank account or phone number.
- Product pages, size charts and seller chat are in Chinese.
- If something is wrong, returns have to be arranged inside China.
How buying through EZBUYSHIP works
- Find a product on Taobao and copy the link (or the share text from the Taobao app).
- Paste it into our search box. We load the title, photos, options and price, translated to English.
- Choose your size, color and quantity, add it to your cart and pay the item price plus a small service fee.
- We buy it from the seller and it is delivered to our warehouse in China.
- We check the items and take photos so you can see exactly what arrived.
- When you're ready, choose a shipping channel. We pack everything into one parcel and send it to your door.
Tips for choosing a good seller
- Check the shop rating and how long the shop has been open.
- Look at customer photos in the reviews, not only the seller's photos.
- Chinese sizes often run small — compare the size chart in centimetres with a garment you own.
- Very low prices on branded goods are usually a sign of counterfeits, which we cannot ship.
What does it cost?
You pay three things: the item price in China (plus the seller's domestic delivery to our warehouse, often free), our service fee, and international shipping. International shipping depends on weight, size, destination and the channel you choose. Because we combine several orders into one box, shipping is usually much cheaper than sending items one by one.
See shipping rates to your country →
Can't find it on Taobao?
You can also search 1688 and Taobao directly on our site in English, or send us a link from JD, Xianyu or another Chinese store. If a link can't be loaded automatically, submit it anyway and our team will buy it for you by hand.
#taobao#shopping agent
Buy from Taobao, 1688, JD and more — we inspect, consolidate and ship worldwide.
More articles
How to Buy from 1688.com: A Beginner's Guide to China's Wholesale Market
1688 is Alibaba's domestic wholesale site with factory-direct prices. Learn how minimum orders, pricing tiers and shipping work, and how to buy from 1688 from abroad.
November 6, 2026 · 1 min read
What Is Package Consolidation and How Much Can It Save?
Consolidation combines several orders into one parcel before international shipping. Here's how it works, why it saves money and how to get the most out of it.
November 6, 2026 · 1 min read
Shipping from China to the USA: Channels, Costs and Delivery Times Explained
Express, air and sea shipping from China to the United States explained: how volumetric weight works, what affects the price and how to choose the right channel.
November 6, 2026 · 1 min read
