Are Your Customers Shopping on Taobao Over Amazon?
If you’ve been on TikTok at all lately, you’ve probably seen the videos promoting online shopping on Taobao. The videos promote tons of products at a fraction of the cost. The shopping experience improved in a massive way now that shoppers can access the English version – and, alarmingly for most online sellers, Taobao features products that you find on Amazon, Walmart.com, Target, and more, for much cheaper. Taobao is expanding its reach past mainland China, and with an English interface and direct shipping, and Amazon sellers need to sit up and pay attention.
The eCommerce landscape is shifting. First, SHEIN, then Temu, and now Taobao is going global. With factory-direct prices and a surging presence in Western app stores, it’s getting clear that Chinese e-commerce is becoming a threat to traditional sellers. Your customers are starting to buy from China – which means, with the lower prices, they may shift their attention away from your store altogether.
This week, we’ll break down what Taobao’s rise means for you – and how to stay one step ahead.
Check out this article on Temu vs. SHEIN – which one is better? It’s time to pay close attention to every e-commerce platform coming from China – they pose a real threat to your business.
Buy From Taobao in English Plus International Shipping…It’s a Big Deal
In the light of increased prices from Western sellers due to the reciprocal tariff list, shoppers have been looking for more affordable alternatives. Enter Chinese e-Commerce.
TMT Post sheds light on these viral TikTok videos, which apparently were commissioned by Chinese manufacturers to promote their products and services. Evidently, Chinese manufacturers create handbags, shoes, and accessories for luxury brands, then ship the products to the brand’s home countries, like Italy or France. The item is then repackaged and labeled as a high-end luxury item at a massive markup. TikTok influencers claim that shoppers can get this stuff from Taobao – straight from the manufacturer – without the hefty price tag. Even if you’re shopping outside of China. Now, tariffs still apply to items from Taobao, but they’ll definitely be much cheaper than getting them from the brand itself, especially if the luxury label isn’t important to you. In fact, TechEDT reported that in April, DHGate and Taobao reached top 5 in app downloads.
Before, Taobao could only be accessed in Chinese, but that has changed. Wise gives a step-by-step guide on how to buy stuff on Taobao in English, You can use Google Translate, or Chrome’s Translate to English function. Granted, the translations may not be 100% accurate, but they’re good enough to help a customer make informed shopping decisions on Taobao.
For the average consumer, this is awesome. Avada.io reports that Taobao, along with its parent company Alibaba, and TMall, its sister company, is a leading online shopping platform in China – and it’s starting to make waves in the USA. So far, shopping on Taobao gives you free shipping if you’re from Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Australia, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia, according to China Daily. A US-based shopper reported on Reddit that shipping costs to the USA were around 64% of the total cost of goods, so smart shoppers are still comparing their possible purchase from Taobao vs. similar items on Aliexpress, Temu, SHEIN, and the like.
For sellers, though, this is a massive wake-up call. Customers want to shop for cheaper items, even if it means international shipping takes longer than your standard online shopping website in the USA and Europe. Another Reddit thread shows that a customer bought from the Taobao website, which was shipped from the Taobao seller to the Taobao warehouse, with around a 3-week delivery. The website is in Chinese, making shopping difficult, but for bulk purchases, it made a lot of sense – especially since you get a big discount when you buy directly from the manufacturer.
If your customers are willing to go shopping on Taobao – if they’re patient enough to wait for the long international shipping and are happy to pay extra for a heftier shipping fee – then it’s quite possible that they’ll find your items on Taobao as well. Whether we like it or not, Taobao is competition.
Should Amazon Sellers Source Items on Taobao?
If you’re already sourcing for your products on Aliexpress or Alibaba, and you’ve got sourcing experience under your belt, then yes, you can order from Taobao. But it’s not plug-and-play.
Here’s what you can expect:
- Language Barriers: The Taobao app is built for Chinese users. Sure, you can translate Taobao to English using Chrome Translate or the app’s English settings, but keep in mind that product descriptions are often vague. You can try to discuss with the seller, but due to the language barriers, this will be pretty tough.
- Shipping Complexity: Here’s where supply chain and logistics expertise come in handy. If your shipping address is not in China, you can expect consolidation matters, forwarders, and multi-step payments.
- No Built-In Buyer Protections: Unlike Alibaba or Amazon, there’s limited recourse if something goes wrong.
- IP Risk: You may stumble on factory overruns, replicas, or even branded items that can’t legally be resold.
Unless you’re getting deep discounts, reselling Taobao-sourced goods can be pretty risky.
If you do want to try sourcing on Taobao, we recommend working with trusted buying agents or freight forwarders like Sufengda or ParcelUp (more news on this on Forumosa). Stick to non-branded items and anything that could get flagged in customs. Order samples first, especially for consumables or anything quality-sensitive.
So, yes, you could go shopping on Taobao for things to sell on Amazon – but it’s a messy deal. Either you work with a Taobao agent and know how to finagle China’s supply chain, or you go somewhere else.
Staying Competitive While People Are Shopping on Taobao: It’s Not With Price Points
Here’s the hard truth. Sellers on Taobao and Temu can undercut you on price simply because they are the supply chain. Sure, the online shopping experience on Taobao is clunky, but that’s because these sellers are the factories, the manufacturers, the distributors, who are now selling directly to your customers. No middlemen, no markups, and delays only due to international shipping.
In other words, you can’t beat them on price.
So, how can you stay competitive given customers are now online shopping with Taobao, SHEIN, Temu, etc.?
- Brand story – Give your customers a reason to choose you. What do you stand for? Who are you for? Make it personal.
- Premium packaging – Unboxing is an experience. Elevate yours to build perceived value and boost customer satisfaction.
- Product bundles – Add complementary products or bonus items to increase value and justify a higher price point.
- Exceptional customer service – Fast, friendly, and responsive support can turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans.
- Localized content – Speak your customer’s language—literally and culturally. Tailor your listings, visuals, and tone to resonate in every market.
Give your customers an experience. We already know that Taobao shopping is difficult, at best; Taobao English is difficult to understand, you probably need a shopping agent to help you navigate a relationship with the seller, and shipping takes forever. Now that you see the weaknesses, in spite of all the strengths that Taobao offers, you can tweak your selling journey with the best practices to combat these weaknesses, and win your customers back.
Here’s How You Can Use the World of Taobao to Improve
Sure, many customers now use Taobao to look for cheaper items. And Taobao is a leading online shopping platform now that’s extending its reach past China. No doubt about it, Taobao provides a wealth of products at cheaper prices. And Amazon sellers should sit up and pay attention.
But don’t view Taobao as a threat. You can still win at the eCommerce game in spite of the waves that Taobao makes in the online selling world.
Use Taobao as:
- A trend tracker – Spot rising products before they hit mainstream platforms. Taobao is where trends are born.
- A product testing sandbox – Order samples, test quality, and validate demand with minimal upfront investment.
- A sourcing channel (with care) – Identify potential manufacturers or suppliers—but vet them thoroughly and avoid branded/IP-sensitive items.
Then, level up with:
- Tools like AdsPower – Manage multiple storefronts, scout pricing across platforms, and run data-driven margin analysis—all in one place.
- Localization strategies – Tailor your product listings and messaging for different marketplaces. Connect with buyers in their language and context.
- Pro tip: Find a trending Taobao product, then launch a premium branded version—with upgraded materials, better packaging, and a stronger story.
Don’t just react to trends. Predict them. Refine them. Lead with value. Remember, the English version of Taobao is still clunky at best. It’s tough to communicate with the seller without a sourcing agent. Go ahead and use the services – but do so wisely.
Sure, Taobao is Available in English – But Here’s Where You Can Do Better
Customers are shifting the language to English and shopping on Taobao – and using Taobao direct shipping to get access to bottom-of-the-barrel prices even without living in China or Taiwan. But even if customers can remove the Chinese language and perform a search in English, it’s still difficult.
This marks a massive opportunity for you. Chinese sellers – Temu, SHEIN, Taobao – are going global, but the experience leaves much to be desired. You need to go global, too – with a better experience.
Localized listings mean higher trust, better conversions, and stronger rank. Especially when they’re translated by native speakers, who know what converts.
Make sure you engage in the customer service best practices so you increase buyer reviews. Make it easy for customers to return items. Offer promos, lightning deals, and the like, so customers feel like they’re getting the deals they’d find on Taobao without the friction.
Sure, shopping on Taobao means using Google Translate to understand a listing. And you won’t always win over a price-conscious customer that prefers the low, low, low cost of dealing with Taobao directly. But you can offer a seamless shopping experience, from a well-localized listing to beautiful packaging.
As Omnia Retail reports, 86% of customers say they’re willing to spend extra if it means they get a great shopping experience out of it.
Use Taobao.com to Be Better
In short, yes, go and make yourself a Taobao account. Go shopping on Taobao, if only to know what your customers are doing. See how easy it is to shop through badly-translated product listings – and let that be your sign to invest in proper localization.
Shopping on Taobao isn’t a trend, it’s a signal. The eCommerce landscape is changing; it’s a game of adapt or survive these days, what with Trump’s tariffs and increasing competition from China’s warehouses and distributors.
Compete on brand, not on price. Provide a seamless shopping experience, which is something other competitors can’t do. Sure, they may win on price points, but you can win in other areas: effective localization, beautiful graphics and A+, excellent customer service, great copywriting, and robust knowledge on what works and what doesn’t on Amazon. Put up a D2C eCommerce website, so you can build a relationship with your customer.
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