How to Shop on Taobao

1. Register a Taobao Account On PC

Step 1: Go to Taobao and Begin Registration

Open https://world.taobao.com/ and click "亲,请注册或登录" (Dear, please register/log in) at the top left corner of the page.

Select your country of residence from the dropdown, enter your mobile phone number, click "获取验证码"(Get verification code).

Step 2: Verify Your Account

You will receive a one‑time SMS code; enter it to verify your number, and click "注册/登录" (Register/Login)

Next, you'll see a dialog asking if you want to stay logged in. You can select Keep me logged in or Cancel. If you take no action, the system will automatically choose Keep me logged in after 8 seconds.

2. Add Your Delivery Address

Step 3: Navigate to Address Management

After logging in, move your mouse to the top-left corner of the webpage where your account name is located (refer to the image on the right). You'll see a small window displaying your avatar and account management options. Click on 'Account Management'("账号管理").

Click "Delivery Address" (收货地址).I have also included a screenshot of the English interface translated using Google Translate on the right.

Step 4: Enter Address Details

Click "Add an Address" (添加地址)Fill in your name (in Latin letters), full street address, city, state, ZIP code, and phone number.

Click Confirm to save the address. Taobao allows up to 20 saved addresses.

3. Browse and Select Products

Step 5: Switch to English (Optional)

Use your browser's built‑in translation (e.g., Chrome Translate) or shop via an English‑friendly portal like Baopals (which mirrors Taobao in English)

Step 6: Search and Filter

Enter keywords (in Chinese or English) or upload an image to find products.

Compare seller ratings (stars) and read buyer reviews before choosing.

Step 7: Add to Cart

On the product page, select options (size, color) and click "加入购物车" (Add to Cart) or "立即购买" (Buy Now).

4. Payment Methods

Step 8: First Payment (Item Cost + Domestic Shipping)

Proceed to checkout: Taobao will prompt you to pay for the item price plus domestic shipping to the consolidation warehouse in China.

Alipay International is now available to link your U.S. credit card/debit card directly (no need for a Chinese bank account).

5. Choose Shipping Method & Pay International Shipping

Step 9: Taobao Official Consolidation (CSCL)

Select "淘宝官方集运" (Taobao Global Consolidation and Shipping) during checkout.

Pay the first installment: item cost + domestic shipping. Seller ships to Taobao's warehouse in China.

When the warehouse receives and weighs your parcels, you'll get a notification via SMS.

Log in, select air freight (fast, ~$11–13 USD/kg) or sea freight (slower, cheaper) for international shipment, then pay the second installment.

Step 10: Third‑Party Forwarder (Alternative)

If a seller doesn't support official shipping or you want consolidation across multiple sellers, use an agent like Parcel Up, Baopals, or Superbuy.

Create an account on the agent site, paste your Taobao product links, and specify your U.S. address in Latin letters.

Pay the agent's service fee + consolidated international shipping. Agents often offer tax‑inclusive shipping and repackaging.

6. Track, Customs & Delivery

Step 11: Track Your Parcel

For official shipping, check "我的淘宝" → "已买到的宝贝" (My Taobao → Bought the product) to view forwarding status and tracking number.

With a third‑party agent, tracking details appear in your agent dashboard.

Step 12: Clear Customs & Pay Duties

Taobao international service may require upfront VAT/import fees during second payment.

For agent shipping, duties are either prepaid (tax‑inclusive shipping) or collected on delivery—verify with your forwarder.

7. Tips & Common Restrictions

Tips for Lower Shipping Costs

Consolidate orders: ship multiple items together to spread out weight charges.

Choose sea freight for bulky/heavy items if you're not in a rush.

Use sales/discounts: watch for Singles' Day (Nov 11) and Taobao promotions.

How to Shop on Taobao from Overseas